Class Anthology

I think that our class anthology is very interesting to read since each essay is something that I wouldn’t think about. The one essay that I liked the most was about character. This essay was written on Malcom Gladwell’s “The Power of Context”. The essay discussed the many factors relating to character and how the environment influences it.
The essay had several good examples of character. One of these examples was trash along a highway. I thought this was a good example because I have also cleaned up an entire alley in my town. I think that people are more prone to toss their trash along areas that already has litter lying about, and if there is an area that has no litter doesn’t become littered. There was a good point about this example which was that the litter lying on the ground could potentially cause a person to act out of character. The litter encouraged a person to throw their trash carelessly because someone else before them had, so they stepped out of character. This temporary change in character does not mean that the person is a litter bug, just that the environment had encouraged them.
This idea of having an encouraging environment is not out of the norm. A person’s attitude and actions do change depending on where they are at. This means that a persons’ character is not always concrete. I know that my character definitely changes when I go to the dentist. I become far more cowardly than I normally am due to the terrifying drills that lurk behind the receptionist’s door. This is definitely a character change for me, so it is normal to behave differently at times.
Overall, what I have learned from reading my peer’s essays was that we all think differently. The reason we all have different ideas is because we are all unique. We have different values, activites/hobbies, influences, backgrounds, etc. I think that it is valuable to read other people’s work because of this. Whenever I read someone’s opinion, I sometimes realize that I may be wrong, or just simply know what the other side of something is. Another valuable lesson that I learn while reading other’s work, is how to write. Whenever I’m reading, I frequently make a mental note of something I liked or didn’t like, and I use it for the next time that I must write.
The essays that I have read this year have greatly influenced my writing. My writing has been influenced because I have been exposed to new opinions and thoughts. These essays have also helped me to realize how I want my writing style to be. Writing is a vital part of communication because it spreads a person’s feelings/thoughts, and it is important for everyone to master this skill in order that they may be able to express themselves.