Social obligation Essay Example for Free

Social obligation Essay Fred was sitting in his usual spot, with his coffee piping its way up his nose. Yet today there were other things on his aging mind. His blind eyes pierced the darkness before him amidst the meaningless babble around him. He knew the people around him were talking, and he knew that it was when the voices were hushed†¦transformed to a whispers, that they were talking about him. He trusted those around him despite the knowledge that he was really rather a burden on society. His experience of people had told him he would be this way and his mind drifted to the very day he realized what life was about. He remembered the day it happened. He remembered most of all because he had chosen to hold this memory close. The streets had been quiet and heavy with the smell of spring rains and he could hear the slow drip of precipitation as it coursed its way off of roof-tops and gutters onto the rising mist of the pavement. The man sat with his legs stretched out on the newspapers and cardboard on the hard concrete. â€Å"Pennies for the old man. † He drawled through his spittle stained mouth. Fred shivered and walked on. â€Å"I know who you are. † Shouted the man after him through a gurgled laugh. Fred cringed deeply, hating the uselessness and hopelessness of the man who took the role of his alter-ego. Yes, that ego he nurtured so close to his puffed up breast. He continued walking towards the park, where he proposed to write a new song for his ever-growing repertoire. His daughter was participating in a play that day, but he hated the formalities of everyday life and particularly the things that were expected of his. Social obligation. There had been something in the mockery of the street-man’s voice that seems to worm its way into his preoccupied brain. â€Å"I know who you are†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he repeated to himself, sneering at the arrogance of a man who had amounted to nothing†¦really. On his way back from the park, he thought of possible ways he could avoid walking past the menacing man. No, there was no way out and he shrunk into his designer overcoat, pulling his Al Capone hat over his eyes. That wouldn’t work either, he always wore it. The man was still there, apparently sleeping. Fred tiptoed past, holding his breath until he thought he was past the threat. He let out a deep breath†¦rolling his eyes back in relief. He heard a cackle and thought he was imaging it, perhaps his artistic overbearing imagination had gotten the better of him. â€Å"Don’t wanna see me do you? † said the gravelly voice. The sun was setting and the steam still rose form the grey pavement as Fred peered down at it. He suddenly felt awfully small. Maybe he should just talk to the man and get it over with he was thinking when the voice replied, â€Å"Yeah, just talk to the old man and get it over with†¦who knows, it could be you one day. † He shrunk a few inches more and turned to swagger back to the emaciated body. â€Å"Let me buy us coffee first. † Fred offered grudgingly. â€Å"I just loooove coffee, shrieked the voice, â€Å"but good Brazilian coffee please, none of this fake stuff†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Well, Fred thought, take the arm†¦. The two misfits were sitting on the pavement in silence, sipping the hot life-giving liquid. At length Fred began to wonder, â€Å"So how did you come to be here? † The man sighed, a wet tuberculosis riddled sigh. â€Å"Well†¦my father was a surgeon and my mother†¦she never had to work. My father never had much time for me but I had all I could want. † The sky was falling again, but Fred was enjoying the feeling of rain on his Carducci slacks. â€Å"I studied and became a lawyer, got married and children and got divorced. Losing my family made me lose faith in being accomplished at anything. I just let it all go†¦drank it away. Felt it was easier to just live on the streets and have no one to answer to, no one placate. It was easy, but lonely. I got in a fight on the streets and had my eyes gouged out. Now I see more than I ever used to. † Fred began to feel uncomfortable, but there was something he needed to ask. â€Å"Do you never miss your family, children†¦friends. † The man gurgled again, smiling a gapped smile, the teeth that remained, clawing into the heart of the viewer. â€Å"Nah, I have more friends now than I ever did. These friends care about me out of pity, the others cared about me for what they could get out of me. † Fred looked out at the empty streets and sidewalks†¦thinking of the man he walked past everyday with ever having really understood why he was there†¦

Repetition and Metaphor in the Short Story, Eleven by Sandra Cisneros E

Use of Repetition and Metaphor in Sandra Cisneros' Short Story, Eleven In the short story "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros, a young girl named Rachel is characterized. Through a specific incident, Cisneros shows how Rachel does not act as old as eleven ideally should. Through repetition and metaphor, Cisneros alludes to Rachel?s personality and childish views. This story basically tells of a girl?s pride being hurt. It was Rachel?s birthday and her teacher embarrassed her by stating a raggedy old sweater was hers. The metaphors Rachel uses to describe this article of clothing and her age throughout the story are indicators that she is still a child and that she lives a simple life. For example, Rachel said ?Because the way you grow old is kind of like an onion or like the rings inside ...

The story revolved around an unlikely relationship

The story revolved around an unlikely relationship between a boy and a 36-year-old wealthy man. Will was wealthy and trendy. He spent most of his days laying around and being self-absorbed.He was living off his late father’s royalties from his hit single, â€Å"Santa’s Super Sleigh.† He refused to do anything with his life. Bored and desperate to meet women who were desperate for sex, he went off to join a single parent’s group called â€Å"SPAT.† He pretended to have a son, until he met Suzie.At a company outing, Will met Fiona, an eccentric hippy vegan who had a 12-year-old sold named Marcus. He was the type of child who was bullied in school because of his weird haircut and his old-fashioned clothes that his mom chose for him.During that time, Will and Marcus did not like each other very much. It was during that time when, they discovered that Fiona tried to commit suicide. Marcus spied on Will during the day and discovered he was not a single pa rent since he did not have a kid. He tried to convince Will to befriend his mother, fearing that she would try to kill herself again This was because of his mother’s constant crying.Over time, Will allowed Marcus to visit him. He even gave him new trainers. The next day, they got stolen. Marcus had to explain to his mother how Will was trying to help him out socially. Marcus joined a talent show at school to sing â€Å"Killing me Softly† that was supposed to be his mother’s favorite song.Will tried to stop Marcus from doing so and races to his school knowing it was social suicide. He arrived but was not successful in persuading Marcus from performing. Seeing that Marcus was not doing well with the crowd, he came on stage with him playing a guitar. While the performance was not as successful, the friendship forged between Will and Marcus was. It served as a pivotal part in the story as the two turned each other’s lives around.Relationships. The story revol ved around the significance of relationships each character had in each other’s lives. The theme of the story was about how relationships can change your life. Mainly, it was Will’s life that was headlined.   He was living an empty life despite his wealth and free time.It was only when he formed a relationship with Marcus that his life gained meaning and substance. He began to care about someone other than himself as shown in how he brought him new shoes and when he performed the talent show with Marcus. If he did not meet Marcus, could he have changed his life alone? It was unlikely, as he did not realize then that he needed to.It was then that he apprehended that it was not good to live his life for himself alone. He saw how different it was when he did not knew Marcus. Once he had experienced having a real relationship with a person, he yearned for it and realized he needed people too. He felt the emptiness when Marcus was not around.At the same time, Marcus was c ruising through his life as a pushover. He did not know how to act with confidence because he did lack the chance to have a father figure. He did not have anyone whom he could have such an important relationship with.The time he had spent at Will’s house built the relationship between them, even if it was unwarranted. He was hanging out with him after school and it worked for them. The story showed that relationships did not need to be conventional for them to change a person’s life.The friendship that developed between Fiona and Will was also an unusual one. But she needed that relationship with Will in order to keep her sanity and avoid depression. Even if there were times wherein, he threatened her, she was grateful for the role he played in Marcus’ life. She saw that with Will around, she had a chance to make his life better.This showed how the relationships of the people we love have with other people affects our lives as well. People were also placed in ot hers lives for a purpose. It also showed that relationships were built over time. It was also strengthened by genuine concern and honesty.It was something that needed to be worked on. People needed a witness to their lives. The story revolved around relationships and the importance of human connection was to create a meaningful existence.Work CitedHornby, Nick. About a Boy. New York: Riverhead Books, 1998.

My Wonder Woman Essay - 837 Words

My Wonder Woman I was asked to write about a mentor in my life that influenced me to believe in myself and in my dreams. The mentor that told me to never stop fighting is my mom. I have been through alot during my school years, but my mom has always been there for me. With her by my side, I was able to overcome everything in my way. Without mentors in our lives, we would not be able make it through the rough times. Everyone has struggles in their lives and needs help navigating through them. When that happens their mentors come in and help them. Sometimes I do not know when I need help or when to ask for it, but my mom is there for me when a problem occurs. At one point in my life there was a heavy weight on my shoulders†¦show more content†¦Over the years the IUP plan set up for me worked to the point where I tested out of it in seventh grade. Although I was still struggling my mom asked the school if there was a plan that they could set up that gave me the option to use i t when I needed it I could use it. That plan was a 504 that had everything from my old IUP plan on it. With my mom by my side I set the plan up all on my own. When it came to the yearly check ins to see how I was doing I went to the meetings by myself and talked with my guidance counselor. I used the plan all through middle school and freshman year of high school. But by my sophomore year of high school I did not need the plan at all it was there as a safety net. Over the years I had overcome obstacles that with my mom there to guide me through them and eventually I was able to overcome. Without her help I would still be that little girl having anxiety attacks every time I encountered a test, quiz, or a crowd. Thinking back to my childhood my mom’s influence had a big impact on me and still does. My life has changed over the years since I was a little girl and anyone who knew me back then would definitely say that I have change as well. From the tiny third grader with anxiet y attacks almost every week to now a freshman in college. I have become an independent youngShow MoreRelatedWhite Privilege : The Invisible Knapsack Essay825 Words   |  4 Pages† These essays had more in common than having authors, who are great influential woman. They both had a point to prove about racial identity, they both related the male gender, as having it easier. With one author not doing so directly and it running so smoothly, it supported her argument. The other author seemed to push it too forcefully, that it actually took away from her argument. 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