Ethics by Linda Pastan

605 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Morals, values and ethics

The message Linda Pastan portrays in the poem Ethics is the idea that one can only fully grasp ethics and morals once they mature and have developed experiences in their life. Ethics and morals can only be present once one has gained experienced and developed maturity. The author uses imagery, diction and figures of speech to prove this point. In this poem, a teacher asks her students, if there was a fire and they only had the choice to save a Rembrandt painting or an old woman, which would they save? The author uses detailed imagery to support the theme. For example when the author states, “sometimes the woman borrowed my grandmother's face” (Pastan, 9-11), the student as a child, is relating to someone they know and not relating to themselves. This shows their lack of understanding and maturity. The character shows that age contributes in the understanding of the question. Another example says, “...old woman, or nearly so, myself...I know now that woman and painting and season are almost one, and all beyond saving by children” (18-24). ). Evidently, the quote is stating that onc...

Show More
Related

  • The Chosen By Chaim Potok Character Analysis

    619 Words  | 2 Pages

    The definition of compassion: sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. As this definition shows compassion shows concern for other that every person would love to have. In The Chosen written by Chaim Potok, Mr. Potok really presents compassion in his book. Not only does he display compassion in one of his character but in every single one he gives them compassion that is expressed in different ways. He goes into detail example of compassion with each of his characters and really emphasizes the true meaning of compassion. Three main character that he shows compassion through in different ways are, Reuven, Mr. Malter and Reb Sanders.

    Read More

  • The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

    713 Words  | 2 Pages

    Alexander Stowe is a twin, his brother is Aaron Stowe. Alex is an Unwanted, Aaron is a Wanted, and their parents are Necessaries. Alex is creative in a world where you can’t even see the entire sky, and military is the dream job for everyone and anyone. He should have been eliminated, just like all the unwanteds should have been. He instead comes upon Artimè, where he trains as a magical warrior- after a while. When he was still in basic training, and his friends were not, he got upset, he wants to be the leader, the one everyone looks up to.

    Read More

  • Andrew Curry's Why We Work By Barbara Ehrenreich

    1061 Words  | 3 Pages

    In today’s society you either have to work hard to live a good life, or just inherit a lump sum of cash, which is probably never going to happen. So instead a person has to work a usual nine to five just to put food on the table for their families, and in many cases that is not even enough. In the article, “Why We Work” by Andrew Curry, Curry examines the complexities of work and touches on the reasons why many workers feel unsatisfied with their jobs. Barbara Ehrenreich writes an essay called, “Serving in Florida” which is about the overlooked life of being a server and the struggles of working off low minimum wages. Curry’s standpoint on jobs is that workers are not satisfied, the job takes control of their whole life, and workers spend

    Read More

  • The Natural by Bernard Malamud

    1043 Words  | 3 Pages

    Every individual has two lives, the life we live, and the life we live after that. Nobody is perfect, but if one works hard enough, he or she can stay away from failure. The Natural is a novel written by Bernard Malamud. It is Malamud’s first novel that initially received mixed reactions but afterwards, it was regarded as an outstanding piece of literature. It is a story about Roy Hobbs who after making mistakes in his life, he returns the bribery money and is left with self-hatred for mistakes he has done. Hobbs was a baseball player who aspired to be famous, but because of his carnal and materialistic desire, his quest for heroism failed, as he was left with nothing. In the modern world, the quest for heroism is a difficult struggle, and this can be seen through the protagonist in The Natural.

    Read More

  • Diane Ravitch's The Essentials Of A Good Education

    829 Words  | 2 Pages

    The ability for all children from varying walks of life to receive a well-rounded education in America has become nothing more than a myth. In excerpt “The Essentials of a Good Education”, Diane Ravitch argues the government’s fanatical obsession with data based on test scores has ruined the education system across the country (107). In their eyes, students have faded from their eyes as individual hopefully, creative and full of spirit, and have become statistics on a data sheet, percentages on a pie chart, and numbers calculated to show the intelligence they have from filling out bubbles in a booklet. In order for schools to be able to provide a liberal education, they need the proper funding, which comes from the testing.

    Read More

  • Why Women Still Can T Have It All By Anne-Marie Slaughter

    811 Words  | 2 Pages

    Today, women are not typically seen in higher levels of position in the work force than men. In Anne-Marie Slaughter’s article “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All”, she uses her own experience to convey why it is not possible for a woman to work in a higher position, due to women being more emotional than men. People still believe it’s a women’s place to stay at home to cook, clean and take care of the children, while the men go to work to pay the bills. And it’s considered odd if the man is a stay at home father and the woman is working 24/7 and is never home. Even though it is rewarding to be able to always be there to see your child’s milestones in their life. It is always nice to get away from that life for even a moment. I don’t mean going out with the girls or guys, while you hire a babysitter, but helping your husband or wife pay the bills, so you have two rather than one income coming in at the end of the month. In Richard Dorment’s article, “Why Men Still Can’t Have It All” he states that both men and women can’t have it all. I agree with both Slaughter and Dorment, but not entirely. I believe if you want to be a good

    Read More

  • Human Dignity by Francis Fukuyama

    1177 Words  | 3 Pages

    In his piece, “Human Dignity”, Francis Fukuyama explores the perception of human dignity in today's society. This perception is defined by what Fukuyama calls “Factor X”. This piece draws attention to how human dignity has been affected recently and its decline as we go into the future. Using the input given by the Dalai Lama in his piece, “Ethics and New Genetics”, the implementing of factor X and human dignity on future generations will be explored. Through the use of the pieces, “Human Dignity and Human Reproductive Cloning by Steven Malby, Genetic Testing and Its Implications: Human Genetics Researchers Grapple with Ethical Issues by Isaac Rabino, and Gender Differences in the Perception of Genetic Engineering Applied to Human Reproduction by Carol L. Napolitano and Oladele A. Ogunseitan, the decline on the amount of human dignity found in today's society as well as the regression in Factor X that can be found today compared to times past. Society's twist on ethics as a result of pop culture and an increase in genetic engineering has caused for the decline in the amount of dignity shown by the members of society and the regression of Factor X to take hold in today's society.

    Read More

  • Moral Reasoning by Laura Kaplan

    1218 Words  | 3 Pages

    The primary issue that was addressed in the Journal article, “Moral Reasoning of MSW Social Workers and the Influence of Education” written by Laura Kaplan, was that social workers make critical decisions on a daily basis that effect others. They influence their clients’ lives through giving timely and appropriate funding to them and their families, through deciding should a family stay together or should they have a better life with another family, or connecting the client with appropriate resources that can enhance their lives. The article addresses data from an array of students from various universities. The researcher posed these questions; “Would social workers use moral reasoning (what is right and what is wrong) more prevalent if it was taught through an individual class during your MSW graduate studies, or if you obtain any other undergraduate degree, or if the ethic course was integrated in the curriculum?”

    Read More

  • Bad Decisions in Accident by Dave Egger

    566 Words  | 2 Pages

    In society, any accidents are perceived as negative outcomes illustrate a terrible ending that has taken place but in reality it can be perceived as something positive in the long run. By obstructing the 2005 Camaro and the three teens, it occurred that no one was injured and everything was calm. Accident by Dave Egger represents how a bad decision becomes a point of conflict and symbolism within the theme of the story.

    Read More

  • Without Conscience by Robert D. Hare

    1924 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Without Conscience" by Robert D. Hare is one aimed towards making the general public aware of the many psychopaths that inhabit the world we live in. Throughout the book Hare exposes the reader to a number of short stories; all with an emphasis on a characteristic of psychopaths. Hare makes the claim that close monitoring of psychopathy are vital if we ever hope to gain a hold over Psychopathy- A disorder that affects not only the individual but also society itself. He also indicates one of the reasons for this book is order to correctly treat these individuals we have to be able to correctly identify who meets the criteria. His ultimate goal with the text is to alleviate some of the confusion in the increase in criminal activity by determining how my of this is a result of Psychopathy.

    Read More

  • The Rules of the Game by Amy Tan

    1013 Words  | 3 Pages

    In "The Rules of the Game," a short story about a young Chinese-American girl, Waverly Jong, embarks journey to become a chess master. Waverly's mother believes she is a key component during this journey. Even though the mother actually has no true role in Waverly's adventure, she continues to believe it is her as the one who is succeeding. This belief is a necessity for Waverly's mother because she has nothing for herself. Waverly's mother has to live through her daughter because of her own lack of success.

    Read More

  • Paul's Case By Willa Cather

    353 Words  | 1 Pages

    Willa Cather a well-known author of novels and short story fiction possessed a unique writing style. She wrote in detail with authenticity of the message and individualism. Her short fiction was bitter-sweet and melancholic. She used her individual experiences with common people’s lives to create her works. On Paul’s Case, we see the life of a high school boy, who was expelled from school for his peculiar bad attitude. The teachers around him do not like him, but take into consideration that as a child he lost his mother. Paul also works on Carnegie Hall in Pittsburgh as an usher. He loves his job because he has a fascination for music and art. Paul is an idealistic young man, he does not seem to belong anywhere. He only wants to be accepted

    Read More

  • Ethics And Ethics Essay

    716 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ethics is a branch of philosophy that deals with the moral principles and values that govern our behavior as human beings. It is important in the human experience that we are able to grasp the idea of our own ethical code in order to become the most sensible human beings. But in that process, can ethics be taught to us? Or later in a person’s life, can he or she teach ethics the way they learned it? It is a unique and challenging concept because it is difficult to attempt to answer that question objectively because everybody has his or her own sense of morality. And at the same time, another person could have a completely different set of morals. Depending on the state of the person’s life and how they have morally developed vary from one human

    Read More

  • Ariely's The Honest Truth About Dishonesty By Dan Ariely

    1422 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Dan Ariely’s book, The Honest Truth about Dishonesty, he explains, through experiments, how internal and external factors cause people to lie and cheat. Ariely (2012) believes that people want to feel good about themselves, which is ego motivation, while also benefiting from cheating (p.27). He states that when people cheat a little they can still view themselves in a positive way through rationalization. The author then goes on to propose the fudge factor theory which is a person’s ability to rationalize their cheating (Ariely, 2012, p.27). In Ariely’s book he describes factors that can influence whether a person will cheat such as morals, conflicts of interest, peers, organizational culture, self-rationalization, and creativity. Moreover, he describes factors that can stop people from cheating, such as moral reminders, signatures, and regulation. This paper will provide a summary of

    Read More

  • Ethics In Nursing Essay

    926 Words  | 2 Pages

    What a person see, hears, or feels in their life will influence one’s understanding of ethics. What is true for one will not be true for all, because of how people make decisions. For example, nurses can face

    Read More

More about Ethics by Linda Pastan

Open Document