Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
The history of human achievement is filled with stories of people who persevere, refusing to give up in the struggle to meet their goals. Artists and scientists, for instance, may struggle for years without any apparent progress or reward before they finally succeed. However, it is important to recognize that perseverance does not always yield beneficial results.
Adapted from Robert H. Lauer and Jeanette C. Lauer, Watersheds
Assignment:
Is striving to achieve a goal always the best course of action, or should people give up if they are not making progress? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
Thomas Alva Edison endured thousands of failures before he discovered the ideal filament to keep a light bulb lit. Had he let his failure stop him, the perseverance that pushed him to success would’ve remained dormant, and our modern source of light would be drastically different. I firmly believe that striving to achieve one’s goals is necessary to success,, and can be seen in Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and my experience as a policy debater.
In Kesey’s, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the main character, Randle McMurphy encounters failures different from Edison’s. Admitted into a mental institution, McMurphy faces the wrath of the Big Nurse. She is the evil antagonist, predetermined to make her would be law, and quash any of McMurphy’s attempts to thwart her. Throughout the story, he achieves minor victories, tied with certain failures, but never silences himself. In the end, he is lobotomized and killed, but his martyrdom becomes responsible for his victory. The other patients escape the wrath of the Big Nurse. This would’ve been impossible had McMurphy not persevered for success.
Though I have never had to face the wrath of an authority such as the Big Nurse, as a debater, I have been subjected to the hierarchical structure of the debate community. It is widely accepted that in order for one to be able to success in policy debate, one must attend a summer institute to prepare for each season. As the first person to reject this philosophy, I rejected this idea and stayed home during the summer and self-taught myself all I needed to know. Entering my second year as a debater, I was looked down upon for my “inexperience” relative to the rest of the team that had attended a summer institute. Determined to prove myself, I managed to achieve high levels of success sat tournaments, all culminating into the moment I became State Champion. My perseverance paid off in the long run.
Using failure as a stepping-stone to success is a necessary skill that enhances one ability to move forward. In order to reach the “light” at the end of the tunnel, Edison had to overcome the problems he faced, an early signal of success itself. Through McMurphy had to encounter death to do so, a well-earned victory was indeed captured.
Using failure as a stepping-stone to success is a necessary skill that enhances one ability to move forward. In order to reach the “light” at the end of the tunnel, Edison had to overcome the problems he faced, an early signal of success itself. Through McMurphy had to encounter death to do so, a well-earned victory was indeed captured.
Sorry for being so messy again! It won't let me post the whole thing at once!
In Kesey’s, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the main character, Randle McMurphy encounters failures different from Edison’s. Admitted into a mental institution, McMurphy faces the wrath of the Big Nurse. She is the evil antagonist, predetermined to make her would be law, and quash any of McMurphy’s attempts to thwart her. Throughout the story, he achieves minor victories, tied with certain failures, but never silences himself. In the end, he is lobotomized and killed, but his martyrdom becomes responsible for his victory. The other patients escape the wrath of the Big Nurse. This would’ve been impossible had McMurphy not persevered for success.
Though I have never had to face the wrath of an authority such as the Big Nurse, as a debater, I have been subjected to the hierarchical structure of the debate community. It is widely accepted that in order for one to be able to success in policy debate, one must attend a summer institute to prepare for each season. As the first person to reject this philosophy, I rejected this idea and stayed home during the summer and self-taught myself all I needed to know. Entering my second year as a debater, I was looked down upon for my “inexperience” relative to the rest of the team that had attended a summer institute. Determined to prove myself, I managed to achieve high levels of success sat tournaments, all culminating into the moment I became State Champion. My perseverance paid off in the long run.
Using failure as a stepping-stone to success is a necessary skill that enhances one ability to move forward. In order to reach the “light” at the end of the tunnel, Edison had to overcome the problems he faced, an early signal of success itself. Through McMurphy had to encounter death to do so, a well-earned victory was indeed captured.
Though I have never had to face the wrath of an authority such as the Big Nurse, as a debater, I have been subjected to the hierarchical structure of the debate community. It is widely accepted that in order for one to be able to success in policy debate, one must attend a summer institute to prepare for each season. As the first person to reject this philosophy, I rejected this idea and stayed home during the summer and self-taught myself all I needed to know. Entering my second year as a debater, I was looked down upon for my “inexperience” relative to the rest of the team that had attended a summer institute. Determined to prove myself, I managed to achieve high levels of success sat tournaments, all culminating into the moment I became State Champion. My perseverance paid off in the long run.
I don't understand how your debate experience serves as an example of failure or a lack of progress. It merely exemplifies taking a different path, very much like home schooling vs. formal schooling. Are you saying that possible mockery, ridicule or scorn that you may have suffered is failure?
Here are some more specific comments in caps for contrast.
Thomas Alva Edison endured thousands of failures before he discovered the ideal filament to keep a light bulb lit. Had he let his failure stop him, the perseverance that pushed him to success would’ve remained dormant, and our modern source of light would be drastically different. I firmly believe that striving to achieve one’s goals is necessary to success,, (SINGLE COMMA) and can be seen in Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and my experience as a policy debater.
BOOK TITLES NEED TO BE IN ITALICS OR UNDERLINED. ONLINE THIS CAN BE DONE BY PRECEDING THE TITLE WITH I OR U (RESPECTIVELY) IN BRACKETS <> AND FOLLOWING THE TITLE WITH THE SAME LETTER PRECEDED BY A SLASH (/) WITHIN BRACKETS.
In Kesey’s, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the main character, Randle McMurphy (COMMA) encounters failures different from Edison’s. Admitted into a mental institution, McMurphy faces the wrath of the Big Nurse. She is the evil antagonist, predetermined to make her would be law (UNCLEAR. REVISE.), (NO COMMA) and quash any of McMurphy’s attempts to thwart her. Throughout the story, he achieves minor victories, tied with certain (UNCLEAR. ARE YOU USING "CERTAIN" TO MEAN "SPECIFIC" OR "UNAVOIDABLE"?) failures, but never silences himself. In the end, he is lobotomized and killed, but his martyrdom becomes responsible for his victory ("ALLOWING") the other patients escape the wrath of the Big Nurse. This would’ve been impossible had McMurphy not persevered for success. ("FOR SUCCESS" IS AWKWARD. DELETE.)
Though I have never had to face the wrath of an authority such as the Big Nurse, as a debater, I have been subjected to the hierarchical structure of the debate community. It is widely accepted that in order for one to be able to success in policy debate, one must attend a summer institute to prepare for each season. As the first person to reject this philosophy, I rejected this idea and (REDUNDANT. DELETE "REJECTED THIS IDEA AND" FOR CONCISENESS.) stayed home during the summer and self-taught (DELETE "SELF-".) myself all I needed to know. Entering my second year as a debater, I was looked down upon for my “inexperience” relative to the rest of the team that (THEY ARE PERSONS, "WHO".) had attended a summer institute. Determined to prove myself, I managed to achieve high levels of success sat tournaments, all culminating into the moment I became State Champion. My perseverance paid off in the long run.
Using failure as a stepping-stone to success is a necessary skill that enhances one ability to move forward. In order to reach the “light” at the end of the tunnel, Edison had to overcome the problems he faced, an early signal of success itself. Through McMurphy had to encounter death to do so, a well-earned victory was indeed captured.
In the future, if nobody is available to proofread your work, you can do this yourself. After writing your material, put it aside for a day — at least several hours. (This breaks mental sets you might have that keep you from noticing problems.) Then read it aloud as if you were reading someone else's work. (Reading aloud slows down your reading, so you are less likely to skip over problems.)
If your reading goes smoothly, that is fine. However, wherever you "stumble" in your reading, other persons are likely to have a problem in reading your material. Those "stumbles" indicate areas that need revising.
Once you have made your revisions, repeat the process above. Good papers often require many drafts.
I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.
YESSS harder
In order to plan and write an essay on this issue, you need to develop your point of view and support it with reasoning and examples. To do this, you can follow these steps:
1. Understand the question: The question asks whether striving to achieve a goal is always the best course of action or if people should give up if they are not making progress. Take some time to think about the question and consider your personal perspective on the matter.
2. Choose a stance: Based on your thoughts and beliefs, decide whether you agree or disagree with the statement. Your stance will guide the rest of your essay.
3. Gather evidence and examples: Look for evidence and examples to support your point of view. This can be taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations. In the given excerpt, there are two examples mentioned - Thomas Edison's perseverance in inventing the light bulb and the character McMurphy in the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest who persevered against an antagonist.
4. Develop your arguments: Based on the evidence and examples you have, develop strong arguments to support your point of view. Think about how the examples illustrate the importance of perseverance and how it can lead to success. Consider the possible counterarguments and think of ways to refute them.
5. Organize your essay: Plan how you will structure your essay. Start with an introduction that presents the issue and your thesis statement (your stance on the matter). Then, in the body paragraphs, present your arguments along with the supporting evidence and examples. Make sure to address counterarguments and provide counterpoints. Finally, conclude your essay by summarizing your main points and restating your thesis.
6. Write your essay: Use your plan to write your essay, making sure to clearly express your thoughts and provide strong arguments. Use proper grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure to convey your ideas effectively.
Remember to revise and edit your essay after you have finished writing. Check for clarity, coherence, and logical flow. Make sure your arguments are well-supported and your evidence is relevant. Finally, proofread for any errors in grammar or spelling.