The Sense of Self (Essay Sample)

[Insert Student’s Name]
[Insert Professor/Tutor’s Name]
[Insert Subject Code e.g. ENG 304]
8 April 2014
The Sense of self
On one occasion or another, a human being thinks, 'what am I thinking about? How stable is my mental life? What perception do I have of my life, of life in general? What is my purpose in life? A person then seeks to find out if they are pleased and comfortable with what they have fulfilled. So, which values tend to influence their behavior, whether it is their likes or their aversions? All in all, they tend to figure out themselves and what they were brought into this world to do. The ability to understand oneself fully makes a human being's life complete.
Life's true meaning is brought out clearly in Margaret Laurence's novel, "the stone angel". In the book, the main character, Hagar, a title and attitude coined from the biblical Hagar, remains emotionless to every aspect of her life. She neither allows herself to cry over her husband's death nor the death of the son she loved most. She pushed the nurse's hand away and straightened her back. The pain was too much to bear. It was more than anything she had experienced in her lifetime. She would not be betrayed by tears in the presence of strangers; no matter how much it cost her (Laurence 242). Through this behavior that she inculcates in herself, the physical ability to cry fails her; she is unable to cry for her son even after going home. She goes on to add that, on the night her son died, she was “transformed to stone, unable to shed a single tear” (Laurence 243). Human beings are designed as social beings (Kain 328). As such, our interaction with others is influential to our very essence in this world. By locking out her emotions, Hagar ends up being unable to express herself fully for situations that warrant greater emotions than she portrays. Ability to identify when to grieve and when to celebrate is important to a person. It also helps one in socializing with others, creating stronger bonds and understanding oneself better.
Gabriela Mistral gives her definition of life as understanding. She balances the good with the bad, showing how positive conditions prevail over negative ones: "life is the gold and sweetness of wheat (3), hate is brief and love immerse” (4). In simpler terms, she tries to show that, in every bad circumstances, there is always a positive side to it (Carver 12). She affirms that we should not despair but always have hope. Life is about perseverance. One should take the good and the bad in life, and emerge victorious having conquered one's fears. In addition, people should focus on the good makings life maintains. A particular incident in my life changed my outlook on it. I once visited a children's home. I was spoilt back then, always lamenting over the things I did not have and what I did have I treated with contempt. On this day, I had a bracelet on. My mother had bought me a wristlet for my birthday. I was disappointed, having wanted a dirt bike. On this particular day, I happened to speak to a small boy called Jones. He had bright eyes and seemed smart for his age; he was drawn to my bracelet and was curious of where I got it. After telling him it was a birthday present from my mother, he wished his mother had left him with something to remember her. While I cursed at the fact that I did not have what I wanted, here was a boy who wanted what I already possessed, but took for granted. I put the bracelet on his arm and that evening after school; I thanked my mother for the gift.
Hamlet, by William Shakespeare (1843), poses the greatest question so far. The author asks whether to be or not to be, if it is more dignified to one's mind to suffer a great deal of misfortune or to go against the tide and face the trouble head on. In these strong words, Shakespeare brings out the side of a person which can reason. Is it worth it to fight for a cause, or should one just submit themselves to fate and let it unfold life as it pleases? Christians argue that “there is a cause that is worth fighting for&r...