Conformity and Non-Conformity
Defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “Conformity is the fact or state of obeying or agreeing with a behavior that is similar to a behavior of most other people in a society, group, etc.” In the following reading selections: “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell, “They Call Him a Miracle Worker” by Michael Ryan, and “Salvation” by Langston Hughes, the authors illustrate how the characters of these essays felt pressured to conform to the expectations of others without wanting to do so, cause them to regret the mistakes they made to their lives. Individuals who feel forced to conform to certain behaviors, beliefs, and expectations to group norms against their better judgment, live a life in a way others …show more content…
When Orwell encounters the body of a man the elephant killed, he sends for an elephant gun. George Orwell with a big crowd finds the elephant “peacefully eating”, with no signs of “must” attack. At that moment, he decided not to kill the elephant, but inform the mahout to take away the elephant to its owner. With the expectation of killing the elephant by the crowd, George Orwell feared the Burmese people would laugh at him and make his job difficult. He fired three bullets from the elephant gun to the place he thought the elephant’s brain could be located. It took half of an hour for the elephant to die. Overtaken by a sense of guilt for killing an elephant, George Orwell leaves the scene. At the end, “the owner was furious, but he was only an Indian and could do nothing.” Many of the European opinions divided. Older men said; …show more content…
He begins to regret what he had done and felt he had committed a murder for shooting a working elephant.
In the essay “Salvation” by Langston Hughes, Hughes talks about the time he thought, seeing Jesus will save him from his sins at the age of thirteen. His Auntie Reed and other people had told him that “when [you’re] saved, you [see] a light, and something happens to you inside. You could see and hear and feel Jesus in your soul.” Langston Hughes believed and attended the revival at his aunts’ church, thinking he would see Jesus. During the service, Langston Hughes with “other young sinners” sat on the mourners’ bench. The preacher preaches powerful sermons and sings the song “ninety and nine safe in the fold, but one little lamb was left in the cold.” Many of the children cried and walked up to the altar for their salvation as they were moved by the preacher’s words. Others sat there waiting to see Jesus including Langston Hughes and a boy named Westley. Westley whispers to Langston about getting “tired [of] sitting here” and let’s “get up and be saved.” Westley gets up and walks to the altar as if he had seen Jesus calling him. Langston was left alone on the mourners’ bench. His aunt came and knelt at his knees, crying and praying for him. Langston felt ashamed of himself and began to wonder
Defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “Conformity is the fact or state of obeying or agreeing with a behavior that is similar to a behavior of most other people in a society, group, etc.” In the following reading selections: “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell, “They Call Him a Miracle Worker” by Michael Ryan, and “Salvation” by Langston Hughes, the authors illustrate how the characters of these essays felt pressured to conform to the expectations of others without wanting to do so, cause them to regret the mistakes they made to their lives. Individuals who feel forced to conform to certain behaviors, beliefs, and expectations to group norms against their better judgment, live a life in a way others …show more content…
When Orwell encounters the body of a man the elephant killed, he sends for an elephant gun. George Orwell with a big crowd finds the elephant “peacefully eating”, with no signs of “must” attack. At that moment, he decided not to kill the elephant, but inform the mahout to take away the elephant to its owner. With the expectation of killing the elephant by the crowd, George Orwell feared the Burmese people would laugh at him and make his job difficult. He fired three bullets from the elephant gun to the place he thought the elephant’s brain could be located. It took half of an hour for the elephant to die. Overtaken by a sense of guilt for killing an elephant, George Orwell leaves the scene. At the end, “the owner was furious, but he was only an Indian and could do nothing.” Many of the European opinions divided. Older men said; …show more content…
He begins to regret what he had done and felt he had committed a murder for shooting a working elephant.
In the essay “Salvation” by Langston Hughes, Hughes talks about the time he thought, seeing Jesus will save him from his sins at the age of thirteen. His Auntie Reed and other people had told him that “when [you’re] saved, you [see] a light, and something happens to you inside. You could see and hear and feel Jesus in your soul.” Langston Hughes believed and attended the revival at his aunts’ church, thinking he would see Jesus. During the service, Langston Hughes with “other young sinners” sat on the mourners’ bench. The preacher preaches powerful sermons and sings the song “ninety and nine safe in the fold, but one little lamb was left in the cold.” Many of the children cried and walked up to the altar for their salvation as they were moved by the preacher’s words. Others sat there waiting to see Jesus including Langston Hughes and a boy named Westley. Westley whispers to Langston about getting “tired [of] sitting here” and let’s “get up and be saved.” Westley gets up and walks to the altar as if he had seen Jesus calling him. Langston was left alone on the mourners’ bench. His aunt came and knelt at his knees, crying and praying for him. Langston felt ashamed of himself and began to wonder