In The Contender by Robert Lipsyte, the character Alfred Brooks is a 17 year old African American high school dropout living with his aunt in Harlem. Alfred interacts with the theme, “don’t be affected by peer pressure.”. Alfred Brooks reacts to this concept in positive and negative ways. I feel that this theme is important to me, as well.
First, Alfred responds to the main idea “don’t be affected by peer pressure” in a beneficial way. He disallows his peer’s attempt to influence his actions. In chapter 8, Major, a member of the neighborhood, tries to push Alfred to participate in a robbery. From page 92 to 94 of The Contender, the text reads, “[Major] “Friday night we gonna hit Epsteins’ again.... This time, you gonna help us.” “No chance,”
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He lets someone else convince him to do something he does not believe in. This is expressed in chapter 11 of The Contender, while Alfred is in the clubroom with Major and Arlene. On page 117, the novel states, “Major came around with the wine bottle, and Arlene drank from it. Alfred pushed it away, twice, when Major pressed it against his chest. Then he came back with half an orange soaked in vodka. “This is good for you, man.” Why not, Alfred thought. He sucked on it… Someone began passing a cigarette around...Alfred shook his head when Arlene put it between his lips. “It’s relax you, honey,” she said, stroking the back of his neck, and he inhaled.” This later leads alfred further into trouble when he goes to coney island, and the following day he felt sick and passed out several times. These quotes and events show how Alfred responds to “don’t be affected by peer pressure” in a detrimental way. Here is another reply Alfred Brooks has to this …show more content…
I think that peer “pressure” can push someone towards negatives or positives, and I choose not to apply the idea to every situation. I believe peer pressure impacts a person in society no matter the conditions, a society involves people living together. For instance, the expectations of my peers influences my behavior in a classroom. They might cause me to feel shame or humiliation if I do something they consider “wrong”. Or, my peers could encourage me. This shows how “peer pressure” can have different effects, and I believe it is impossible as well as unreasonable to always avoided peer pressure. In addition, this reveals why the concept “don’t be affected by peer pressure” is important to me. Peer pressure affects me everyday, sometimes I do not have control over its affect on
Jeannette’s battle against sexual abuse helps encourage teens who have experienced similar situations to fight on. As Jeannette Walls fights to institute normality in her family, abnormality is established by her parents. Reading such a story has a greater affect on teens, rather than reading an article on the topic of abnormality would because the teen can make more connections to the story. Peer pressure plays a strong role in the life of a teenager and causes the adolescent to conform in fear of rejection from their peers. With this being said, displaying novels about peer pressure and reading on how fictitious characters handle peer pressure not only helps the teen learn from the character’s mistakes, but teaches them how to problem solve for themselves. Rita Mae Brown once said, “The reward for conformity was that everyone liked you except yourself.” Going against the status quo may not make those around you happy, but it will make you happier in the long
Peer pressure can be both good and bad. It can be good in the way of, say
Peer pressure can be used in many ways. Animal Farm is an allegory by George Orwell. It is about farm animals that weren’t satisfied of how their farm is run so they rebel. They make 7 commandments being “All animals are equal” the most important one. The book shows how total equality is hard to achieve and power corrupts. The novel uses peer pressure to control and manipulate what is happening on the farm. It is evident on how the action of the animals changes. It is evident on how Boxer’s way of thinking changes. It is also evident in the actions of the sheep and what it does to the other animals. Peer pressure plays a big role in this novel.
James Baldwin “Sonny’s Blues” and “Battle Royal” Ralph Ellison are two stories by young african american men in the 50’s. Racial abuse was in abundance during this era. In both stories race has an important role however, in “Battle Royal” Ellison used race as the driving force of the story. In “Sonny’s Blues” Baldwin uses race as an important theme but is subtle as opposed to Ellison who directly addresses race as the issue. “Sonny’s Blues” and “Battle Royal” depicted the suffering of young black men in harlem, and illustrated the struggle of generation past and present; and the vicious cycle of the stereotype of african americans. African americans during this time endured in environment of hatred, but not only by whites but also by themselves, they hated who they were because they weren't white, in order for a person to be accepted in society or seen as valuable african americans believed they had to be white.
The main theme of Battle Royal occurs again with the incident of the electrified rug. After the battle has ended, the boys are allowed to pick bills and coins off of a rug. As they try to take the money off the rug, they are jolted with electricity. Even though the pain factor involved in picking the cash off the rug is very high, the boys force themselves to carry on. This brilliantly captures the economic hardship faced by the black community and the negative effect of this hardship on social harmony. Once more, a theme of suppressed dignity emerges. It shows that even after their biggest fight for respect ended, African Americans were forced to endure racism and prejudice in other
Angelou uses the intensity of a televised fight of famous heavyweight boxer, Joe Louis, to show us the challenges of racial discrimination endured by an entire race of people. Quotes are heard over the radio, and from fans attentively listening to the history defining boxing match. Segregation through race discrimination is apparent. Louis is referred to as the “Brown Bomber.” “I ain’t worried ‘bout this fight. Joe’s gonna whip that cracker like it’s open season.” “That white man don’t mind hugging that niggah now, I betcha.” (Angelou, “Champion of the World” 484, 485)
"Battle Royal" gives the reader a frightening look at just how society looks at blacks. In the
Peer pressure affects everyone in their daily lives. Though everyone sees peer pressure as a negative effect; it can also be positive. Not everyone in this world does bad things, and everyone has an effect on the people around them. That is why peer pressure doesn't always have to be negative. The author, Rosalind Wiseman states in her book, The Queen Bee and Her Court, “However, Positions in Cliques aren’t static.
Peer pressure is often a negative outcome such as street racing, drinking alcohol and using drug or sexual activities. Those can lead to terrible consequences, but peer pressure can also be positive influences, teens now can support and encourage their peers to make smarter decisions. Eight out of ten kids can make their own decisions at this time of age. Nowadays, it’s hard enough for
Peer pressure is being influenced by a group of people to do something that one would not do otherwise. Teens between the ages of twelve and seventeen were given a survey and ninety percent of them said they have given in to peer pressure and twenty eight percent of them feel as if it helped their social standing. These teens are not the only ones who give into peer pressure, many adults do too. Crank, Lord of the Flies, and Always Running are pieces of literature that show different situations in which one can give into peer pressure.
If someone asked you to jump off a bridge with two of your friends, would you do it? Peer pressure is defined by social pressure from members of one's peer group to take a certain action, adopt certain values, or otherwise conform in order to be accepted. There are many types of peer pressure; a common one is group pressure.
I think peer pressure plays an important role in a young teen’s life. Sometimes it basically controls their life. It can also help with lying or doing
In society today, people tend to make decisions based on the actions and choices of others. Peer pressure is a very real issue that affects most of the teenagers of the world today. it is a dangerous form of persuasion. It causes teenagers to easily succumb to unethical activities under the influence and pressure of their friends. people see the effects of
You might have wondered if others have had the experience of being peer pressured. They have. Whether it be as simple as your parents forcing you to eat your broccoli at dinner or it could be as serious as someone forcing you to drink alcohol under the legal age. Have you ever been peer pressured? How did it feel? Peer pressure doesn’t have to be negative though. There is also something called positive peer pressure. Positive peer pressure is when your friends or someone forces you to do something that will benefit you. Has your mom ever forced you to go study for your next test? That is positive peer pressure. She is forcing you to do something that will only benefit your well being. When it is negative peer pressure though, you don’t end up being proud of yourself in the end.
A strong support from family, an ability to differentiate between the right and the wrong and the skill to choose friends from peers is the key to greet the positive effects of peer pressure and keep the negative ones at bay. Your peers, their choices and ways of life give you a glimpse of the world outside the four walls of your house. What they think about things in life, how they perceive situations, how they react in different circumstances can actually expose you to the world around. Being part of a larger group of peers exposes you to the variety in human behavior. This makes you reflect on your behavior and know where you stand. Peer pressure can lead you to make right choices in life.