Examples Of Shared Humanity In Literature

Shared Humanity in Modern Literature and Films What does it mean to be human? To people being human can mean different things, but it can be broken down into six main traits called shared humanity. The six traits consist of relationships, loss, survival, choice, morality, and emotions. These specific traits are what make each individual human. All six traits play an important role in all humans lives like shaping them into who they are and how they react to certain scenarios. These traits are used in film and literature to enhance the story and make it more interesting. The six main traits of shared humanity are used in modern novels and films like the novel How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff, short story the Scarlet Ibis by James Hurst, and the …show more content…
The short story covers the life of a young boy named Doodle and his older brother who is the narrator. Doodle was born with some unique disabilities, and the doctors were worried if he was even going to live more than a few days. The narrator was always forced by his parents to take his little brother everywhere with him because he was unable to walk on his own. Whenever the narrator wanted to leave the house his mother told him to pull Doodle along in his wagon. The narrator just wanted a normal little brother that acted more his age, and was capable of doing things on his own. In one scene the narrator took his little brother into a barn and took him up the ladder to the loft of the barn. He took him to this barn because in the loft was a coffin that was supposed to be for Doodle if he died, and the narrator wanted his brother to face his fears. The narrator wants Doodle to touch the coffin, but he continuously refuses until the narrator threatens to leave. Doodle continues to hesitate to touch the coffin, so the narrator starts to climb down the ladder leaving his little brother behind. Doodle decides the fear of his brother leaving him is scarier than touching his own coffin, so he touches it. “Doodle was paralyzed, so I put him on my shoulder and carried him down the ladder, and even when we were outside in the bright sunshine, he clung to me crying “Don’t leave me. Don’t leave me.” There is a very clear relationship between Doodle and his older brother, but it is very one sided. Doodle is very reliant on this relationship, but the narrator doesn’t really care, he almost acts like he doesn’t really want a relationship with his brother. The narrator is forced to do so much for Doodle, and he does care about Doodle, but the constant nagging is sometimes too much for the narrator. The relationship can relate back to the reader in