Erik
Latimer
January 15th
Thursday
2015
Period 5
Honors English II
Grapes of Wrath Synthesis Essay The individual has the responsibility of a larger morality to fight against social injustices in society, to the extent of his own wellbeing and sanity. Humans are social creatures, and need to be in constant contact to others, and seek unity in order to function correctly. And in being social, it is expressed not only through communication, but through compassion, empathy, unity, goals and aspirations. Two authors hinted at this theme. “Something there is that doesn’t love a wall, That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it, … I let my neighbor know beyond the hill; And on a day we meet to walk the line And set the wall between us as we go. … He only says, ‘Good fences make good neighbors’. … Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,” (Frost, Lines 1-2, 12-14, 36). “As winter approaches, the mayor of New York City is moving the homeless off the streets and into Bellevue Hospital. … I think the mayor’s notation is humane, … Raw humanity offends our sensibilities. We want to protect ourselves from an awareness of rags with voices that make no sense and scream forth in inarticulate rage. We do not wish to be reminded of the tentative state of our own well-being and sanity.” (Ascher, Paragraphs 2 & 3). There is something there that wants humans to be close to other humans, to tear down the things that drive each other out; raw humanity and its nature. Communicated in President Lyndon Johnson’s inaugural speech, unity of man is best achieved through working together for a greater purpose, such as fixing social inequalities. Sense this is a psychological need for a human being, this must be expressed for their well-being. With that being said, I do not believe, however, that the individual has the responsibility to fight social inequalities because it is the right thing to do or any moral standards. I believe he has the responsibility to the extent of the individual’s own well-being. Moral standards change and are often biased towards society’s
