|mrs.hogg |
|What does it Mean to be Human |
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|Awnye S Taylor |
|2/19/2010 |
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The question, “What does it mean to be human?,” has been a pondering thought for many. Being human is more than living the “American Dream” or having the physical characteristics: a face, a heart, a brain, and a body. Being a human is the ability to distinguish between right and wrong. My definition of being human is one who exhibits a sense of humanity, compassion, civilization, and consideration towards mankind. Reading “’The Bill”, an essay written by Bernard Malamud, and “Mediation XVII”, an essay written by John Donne, gives one a better insight on what it is to be human.
“The Bill” and “Meditation XVII” display the epitone of humanity and consideration towards mankind. In “The Bill”, Mr. and Mrs. Panessa displays the qualities of the definition of human. They were a sweet, kind, caring, loving, and civil old couple trying to make it in life by opening a store. Mr. Panessa liked to give people chances and thought that a real human will give people credit to someone else. According to “Meditation XVII”, any man’s death diminishes me thus it was Mr. Panessa civil duty to ensure life to others with the resource God gave him, “credit”.
Throughout “Meditation XVII”, John Donne pinpointed various points of being a human. This piece helps me realize that one will always need someone throughout his or her life time. One cannot get through life without the help from others. Everyone is related rather they like it or not. No one person has enough problems to get use to them. Afflictions make individuals stronger. Even though life is full of battles and tribulations, those trials will make one a better and stronger person if they handle them right.
On the contrary, “The Bill”, illustrated what it means to be inhuman, although I discussed the humanity part of the story early in this essay. In my opinion, Willy was an inhuman person. He was exceptionally ravenous, selfish, and bitter. He was always somewhere complaining about something. He took advantage of Mr. Panessa’s kindness. Sometimes he had money in his pocket but he still purchase on credit. He ran his bill to approximately eighty-four dollars, after he saw that, he stopped buying at that store. When Mrs. Panessa wrote him asking him to pay at least ten dollars on his bill so Mr. Panessa could get his medication because he was sick and didn’t have the money he ignored that. In result, Mr. Panessa passed, and Willy still didn’t have the empathy, compassion, or audacity to pay Mrs. Panessa something on his bill, which is very inhumane to me.
As I come to a close, I anticipate that I had an influence on your definition of what it means to be human. Do you have a personality like Mr. and Mrs. Panessa or one like Willy? Could you relate back to “Meditation XVII”? Maya Angelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Do you want to be remembered as being a human or inhuman?