Webster defines. ‘Altruism’ as an “unselfish regard for, or devotion to the welfare of others.” Leading an altruistic lifestyle is associated with happiness, well-being, a sense of worth, and perhaps, most importantly, has the potential to be contagious. In ‘The Good Person of Szechwan,’ while both Shui Ta and Shen Teh attempt to help others, their approaches and ultimately successes are very different. While money has the potential to create circumstances that promote goodness, the end result of a financial infusion is usually short-lived. Conversely, the act of selfless giving for the right reasons – to help others – is more likely to create long-term positive change. Due to the fact that she acts selflessly, even most times to her own disadvantage,
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While he is helping people, Shui Ta has to be more forceful and rude in his approach. One example is when the sister in law steals the tobacco sacks and hides them in Shui Ta’s back room. Shui Ta knows that stealing is bad and wants to instill the notion that stealing is bad into the sister in law. So, when he sees her taking the tobacco sacks from his back room, he questions her and she responds, saying that the sacks are hers. Shui Ta questions her again and says that the tobacco sacks can’t be hers due to “the fact that it was in [his] room” (86). He then threatens to bring in force and “go to the police and clear [her doubts] up” (86). Shen Teh taking an approach that is much more forceful, many times leads to the people of the town liking him less. For example, when Shui Ta pays the carpenter less than what he is owed, the carpenter refers to him as a “bastard” (16) and says that he “would like Miss Shen Teh to be fetched [because] she seems to be a decent person, unlike [Shui Ta]” (16). Due to Shen Teh being a prostitute, the people of the town with a higher standing than her look down on her. Specifically the policeman, among others, say that her job “Is not respectable” (31) and that “[she] can’t earn [her] living by love, or it …show more content…
The aspects of money, altruism, and morality all play a major role in the outcomes of each of the character’s efforts to help the people of the town and how they are viewed. At the play’s end, Shen Teh is able to more effectively assist a greater number of
While he is helping people, Shui Ta has to be more forceful and rude in his approach. One example is when the sister in law steals the tobacco sacks and hides them in Shui Ta’s back room. Shui Ta knows that stealing is bad and wants to instill the notion that stealing is bad into the sister in law. So, when he sees her taking the tobacco sacks from his back room, he questions her and she responds, saying that the sacks are hers. Shui Ta questions her again and says that the tobacco sacks can’t be hers due to “the fact that it was in [his] room” (86). He then threatens to bring in force and “go to the police and clear [her doubts] up” (86). Shen Teh taking an approach that is much more forceful, many times leads to the people of the town liking him less. For example, when Shui Ta pays the carpenter less than what he is owed, the carpenter refers to him as a “bastard” (16) and says that he “would like Miss Shen Teh to be fetched [because] she seems to be a decent person, unlike [Shui Ta]” (16). Due to Shen Teh being a prostitute, the people of the town with a higher standing than her look down on her. Specifically the policeman, among others, say that her job “Is not respectable” (31) and that “[she] can’t earn [her] living by love, or it …show more content…
The aspects of money, altruism, and morality all play a major role in the outcomes of each of the character’s efforts to help the people of the town and how they are viewed. At the play’s end, Shen Teh is able to more effectively assist a greater number of