Essay Questions Instructions: Your Answers Need To Be In Ess
Essay Questions Instructions: your answers need to be in essay format
Your answers need to be in essay format. Each answer should include a short introduction, followed by 2-3 supporting body paragraphs, and a short conclusion. Use details from the stories to support your answers.
Stories depict human nature, diversity, and what it is like to be a living, breathing person. Choose one story and discuss how it depicts human nature. You will have to read a 3-page long story to be able to write this essay. You can find the story in the attachment below.
Paper For Above instruction
The story I have chosen to analyze for its depiction of human nature is "The Letter" by Willa Cather. This story offers a profound insight into the complexities of human emotions, societal expectations, and moral dilemmas, illuminating various facets of human nature that resonate universally. Through the characters’ interactions and internal struggles, Cather presents a nuanced portrayal of human authenticity, vulnerability, and the desire for truth amid societal pressures.
In "The Letter," the protagonist, Leslie, embodies the struggles between societal appearance and personal morality. She is depicted as a woman torn between her societal role and her internal conscience. Cather illustrates this internal conflict vividly through Leslie’s emotional response to her actions and her subsequent feelings of guilt and remorse. This portrayal underscores a fundamental aspect of human nature—the tendency to grapple with moral dilemmas and the desire for inner integrity. Leslie’s ultimate decision to conceal her true feelings, despite knowing the truth, reflects a common human trait: the inclination to prioritize social harmony over individual truth, often at significant personal cost.
The story also explores the theme of deception and truth, highlighting the human tendency to hide or distort reality for self-preservation or societal acceptance. Leslie’s faked composure and her silent suffering reveal her instinct to protect her reputation, illustrating how societal pressures can influence human behavior. This aligns with psychological theories suggesting that humans often adapt their actions to conform to social expectations, even when these conformations conflict with personal morality (Goffman, 1959). The narrative demonstrates that human nature is complex and multifaceted—capable of kindness and selfishness, honesty and deception, vulnerability and resilience.
Moreover, Cather’s portrayal of Leslie’s internal conflict emphasizes the universal human experience of vulnerability. Leslie's concealed emotions evoke empathy, revealing that beneath societal masks, people often wrestle with fears, regrets, and hopes. This depiction aligns with Carl Jung's theory of the persona—the facade individuals present to the world—highlighting that genuine human authenticity often remains hidden beneath layers of social adaptation (Jung, 1953). The story prompts readers to reflect on their own tendencies to conceal parts of their identity to maintain societal acceptance, thus revealing core aspects of human nature—our desire to be understood and accepted.
In conclusion, Willa Cather’s "The Letter" vividly depicts human nature through the internal conflicts, moral dilemmas, and societal pressures faced by its characters. It reveals that humans are inherently complex—capable of deep feelings, contradictions, and resilience. The story’s exploration of truth, deception, and vulnerability underscores that understanding human nature requires empathy and acknowledgment of the multifaceted nature of human existence. Through this narrative, Cather invites us to consider our own tendencies towards authenticity and concealment, enriching our understanding of what it means to be truly human.
References
- Goffman, E. (1959). The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Anchor Books.
- Jung, C. G. (1953). Two Essays on Analytical Psychology. Princeton University Press.
- Cather, W. (1924). "The Letter." (Original story text).