Personal Satement - Kindness

Personal Philosophy:

"Three things in human life are important: The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind." - Henry James. There is energy flowing all around us. It is the thing that keeps us moving, growing, and living. It flows through our food, our cars, our lights, and our bodies. It is a natural part of our life and we don’t ever stop to think of what's responisble for all that energy. Now I’m not talking about physical energy that's generated through solar panels and windmills, I am talking about the spiritual energy that encompasses all of humanity. That kind of energy is very special in the way that it is created through our actions and our intentions. That's right, we have the power to manipulate energy for either good or evil. This is why kindness is vital in the development of the decency of the human race. Generosity, benevolence, and compassion are all responsible for creating all the joy, the hope, and the love we see in the world today. And you want to know what they have in common? They are all synonymous with the word kindness. An eight letter word, but with an big meaning behind it. Being kind is the most basic and most powerful thing you can do for somebody. Whether it is smiling at someone while passing by or giving someone the clothes off your back, kindness forges bonds between opposites and can be the difference between life and death.   

Growing up, my mom had always taught me to be nice to others but she never said why. In the beginning, I thought of it as “ Do to others as you would have them do to you." I believed it was a secret defense mechanism and that if I mastered it, nothing bad would ever happen to me. My strategy was that if i gave a compliment here and there, I would be able to surpass evil and live another day. However, I was horribly mistaken. Over the years, many of my family members started to die out and I kept thinking to myself, "I did what I was supposed to, so why is this happening to me?" It took me a while to figure this out, but I finally realized that these things were not in my control and that my supposed 'truths' about kindness were wrong. These selfish ideas about being nice obviously did not cause the death of my loved ones, but their death did help me see that there was a deeper meaning behind being nice. I started to wonder why being nice was so important. If you weren't going to get anything good from it, why bother? I admit, I did do a few experiments with being nice just to see the point of it, but I soon fell in love. I don't know why but treating other people like human beings and making sure they feel as amazing as they are has a certain appeal to it. I know I'm no saint, but I do love being nice to people. It's one of the reasons why I get up in the morning; to brighten someone else's day. It's also amazing to see the effect of an act of kindness. It creates positive energy that ripples through the surrounding area and inspires others to want to do the same.

Although kindness can be many different things, the basic idea is to be kind because you want to, not because you have to or because you want something to gain. When you are kind, there is a domino effect and depending on your intentions, positive and negative energy will spread and influence others. This is why people should be kind for selfless reasons. Whether it is to help someone in math to see them better their education, or to aid homeless hurricane victims to ease their suffereing, kindness should be the desire send out positive vibes and help others to grow so that in time they may do the same. Just like what Mother Teresa says. "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."

Chapters 11-15- Selflessness - Letter [G]

Ma is telling Sairy that she'll repay her for helping them bury Grandpa. Sairy replies, "You shouldn't talk like that. Were proud to help. I ain't felt so-safe in a long time. People needs to help"(141). This shows exactly what obligation humans have to one another. The Wilsons are absolute strangers who are camping nearby. When Grandpa is sick, Sairy does not hesitate to let him inside her tent. Then, when he dies in her tent, she is not even fazed. She instantly decides to help the Joads to relieve their pain in these tough times. This shows that humans should be able to set aside their differences, recognize that they are all in the same boat, and help each other to the best of their abilities. Even if you are poor you can still help. Also, Sairy and Ivy do not give them everything they have. They give them exactly what the Joads need and not very much more. This also demonstrates that people should help each other out but not to the point where the other person becomes dependent on that help. People should be able to fix their own problems on their own, and then ask for help when they absolutely need it. This results in people being helped in the long-term. Then, because the Wilsons helped the Joads bury grandpa, the Joads allow Ivy and Sairy to come with them to California. Sairy and Ivy had no money and have  a broken car. The Joads wanted to help fix the car and bring them along. This shows that it's not only you helping others. It is other peoples' obligation to help you too when you need it. Throughout this whole ordeal, Sairy is sick and yet she assists the Joads. Also, the Joads have no room and not enough money but they still invite the Wilsons. This shows their selflessness towards each other. Although they are suffering themselves, they focus on helping others when they can. Another example of selflessness is when Mae had to sell bread to travelers. Mae just sold the man a loaf of bread and they asked about the price of the candy. She hesitated and said, "Oh, - them. Well, no- them's two for a penny"(160). Mae, at first, reluctantly sold the men the bread. She was looking out for herself at first but then had the heart to give them the bread. She could have just kept turning them away, but she didn't. She was also putting her job at risk to help those people. this again shows that people should help each other when the help is wanted and needed. The men desperately needed the bread because they had no food, and although she still sold it to them, she still helped them. These two examples of selflessness help get across Steinbeck's message about a person's duty to another. Steinbeck's overall message is to help one another in times of hardship. Because the times are so hard, giving each other a hand would help them survive. He constantly describes the migrants as being one unit, working together to get where they need to go. He wants to tell the audience that helping each other will bring people closer together and will help people achieve their goals. 

Chapters 11-15- Poem - Letter [C]

This sarcastic poem is in third person telling people how to behave at a camp. This poem is used to show the consequences of greed.
Certain Courtesies 
When on the road, there are certain courtesies that must be followed.
When you're next to a hungry friend,
Eat your sweetest peaches,
They'll be honored to see such a sight.
When you see a mother unable to breast feed,
Gulp down that last glass of milk, 
That baby needs to get off it someday. 
When you see an old man faint from the heat,
Remember to pour water on your head,
After all, it's hot today. 
When a car looses a bolt,
Hide your monkey wrench,
They won't need it anyways.
When a dog takes its last breath,
Leave him there to rot,
The birds will now have something to eat.
When you see people struggling to live,
Don't help them one bit,
You need to protect yourself too, don't you?
When you run out of food,
Don't worry, 
Your friend will try to plant a peach tree to get the fruit you held onto so dearly.
When your infant is crying for milk,
Don't panic,
That mother over there will look for a cow to milk in the middle of the desert for you. 
When you have a heat stroke,
It's okay, 
The old man over there will build a pool for you to lounge in.
When your car breaks down,
It's fine, 
That man will build a new car from scratch if you want.
When you take your last breath,
Don't you fret,
The people will leave you there next to the dog so that you won't ever be alone.
When you're in need of help, 
The people won't help you one bit,
They've got to take care of themselves too, don't they?

Chapters 11-15- Family/Unity - Letter [D]

         Before the move, the family believed that no one gets left behind. When Casy wanted to join them, they were skeptical at first, but remembered what they stood for and allowed him to join the family. Ma had said, "...I never heerd tell of no Joads or no Hazlettes, neither, ever refusin' food an' shelter or a lift on the road to anybody that asked...An' any time when we got two pigs an' over a hundred dollars, an' we wonderin' if we can feed a fella-"(102). This shows that no matter what, they have a duty to help one another out, like a family. This creates a sense of unity with the Joads and with those they help. This "no one gets left behind" attitude forced them to drug Pa and bring him along when he wanted to stay with Muley. They even offered to take on Muley if he wanted to. They barely had any room, they did not have enough money, and they did not have very much food but they brought Casey along anyways. Also, the Joads offered to help the Wilsons. Even though the Wilsons did not have any money and had a broken down truck, the Joads went out of their way to fix the car and take them too. Sairy was really sick too, but they still brought her and Ivy. They still wanted to keep everyone together because they believed that it would help them get through their journey. Being one big family was their top priority. Now that they've been on the road a while and their resources are dwindling, they are facing the cold hard truth that something's should be left alone. On the road, Rose of Sharon told Ma that her and Connie are going to move into the city without the family. She is making a conscious decision to start her life without everyone around her. Ma at first got a little upset, but she just went along with it. She did not pay too much attention to what Rosasharn was saying. Also, when Noah wants to leave, Tom didn't do very much to stop him. Of course Tom could have forced him to go just as they did with Grandpa, but all he did was talk to him and then go to sleep. He did not think it was a priority to alert the family that Noah was leaving. Finally when Tom told Ma that Noah left, she was saddened by it but she didn't start a search for him. She didn't use her amazing intimidation powers to convince the family to find him. She stood there and said, "Family's fallin' apart"(216) and got back to her duties. Although this unity that Ma wanted so badly is there, it is breaking apart. Grandpa had just died, the Wilson's wanted to be left behind, and now Noah wants to stay. She tried so hard to keep the family from breaking up but she can't help it anymore. This is why she did not go after Noah. They are now just focusing on how they can get to California. They want the family to be together, but they realize that it is impossible to keep everyone together. When the Joads reach a river, Noah tells Tom that he wants to stay. Tom then asks Noah if he has considered what the family might think of his absence and Noah says,"I can't he'p it. I can't leave this here water"(208). The family's goal was to get to California together and to solve any problems they face as a whole. However, Noah changed his goal. Instead of wanting to stay together like the rest of the Joads, he decided to stay. He made his decision without consulting anyone. This shows the change in his opinion about unity and family. He went from believing that 'they cannot move on unless everyone is together' to 'they can all move on without him because he is not as important as them.'

Chapters 11- 15- Diary Entry - Letter [C]

Dear diary,
There's some hope after all. My husband and I have been havin' a real hard time. Our car keeps breaking down, we have no money, and were run in' out of food. Were in a tight spot and I was scared that weren't gonna make it, especially consider in' I'm real sick. But today was somethin' of a miracle! You see, today some folks came by and asked if they could settle down next to us. At first we didn't care. Ivy and I didn't really want to have nothin' to do with em'. But then they said somethin' strange. They said that we came here first and we could choose whether or not they could be there. They showed us respect! They didn't want to beg us for help or ignore us, they treated us like human beings. So, we took a liking to them. They were nice people. A good family with all the works. Harmless. So when their grampa needed help, I did not hesitate to let him inside our tent and give him what he needed. I didn't really see any other choice. How could I turn down a sick man when I was sick myself. If worst came to worse and I needed some care, I wouldn't want people to just sit around and make me fend for myself. No, there was no choice. If I am capable enough to help, then by God, I will. We're all in this horrible situation, might as well make things a bit better by helpin' each other out. So when the ol' man died of a seizure I knew what I needed to do. I didn't mind giving them my quilt, tent, potatoes, and pins. I wasn't using them anyways. Plus, if they needed it, why would I keep it from them? I could see they were in pain and I wanted to do everything in my power to help relieve some. I felt real bad for the grandma though. Wish I could take away some of that grief. I wouldn't know what to do if Ivy was gone. That's also part of the reason I really wanted to help. If givin' the grampa a proper funeral relieved the pain for her and her family, then I did my job. They're good people, and I don't see a reason not to help. And hey, they want to help us too! We weren't looking for charity, but they was offering to help us outta our predicament. I really want to bother them but if we all do make it to California, then I might be able to got help. That would be grand! But if I don't make it that far, then I would want them all to make it without me. Going to California is all they got and I wouldn't want to take it from them.

Chapters 1-10- Repetition- Letter [H]

Ma, The Fearless Leader:
"She seemed to know, to accept, to welcome her position, the citadel of the family, the strong place that could not be taken...From her position as a healer, her hands had grown sure and cool and quiet; from her position as arbiter she had become as remote and faultless in judgement as a goddess. She seemed to know that if she swayed the family shook, and if she ever really deeply wavered or dispaired the family would fall, the family will to function would be gone" (Steinbeck 74).
Ma's central role in the Joad family is constantly repeated. Ma Joad is generally described as the glue of the family. She holds everyone together and if she ever were to falter, then the family would fall apart. The repetition is really trying to emphasize the fact that Ma Joad is incredibly strong and cool-headed. She is the solver of conflicts, the protector of her family, and the true leader of the group. Although the Joad family believes that the men should be the leaders(Like Pa Joad and Grampa Joad), this description proves that she is the rightful leader of the family. The constant reminder that Ma is a very strong woman who is able to keep her family together through thick and thin is foreshadowing the mens' eventual failure in leadership. Once the men fail to keep stability, Ma will be able to take over in order to save the family.
Also, Ma's feet are repeated in the book:
"...her strong, bare feet moved quickly and deftly over the floor"(Steinbeck 74).
"...and walked heavily into the bedroom, and her bare feet made no sound on the floor"(Steinbeck 108).
The repetition of Ma's feet continues to support the fact that she is a strong woman. The strong feet, symbolize a strong foundation for her character. Because she has a sturdy basis to work off of, Ma is calm and collected when faced with problems. Her soundless footsteps also demonstrate how much responsibility she can take without breaking down. Because her feet are heavy, it shows the responsibilty of keeping the family together is weighing her down, however because she makes no sound, it shows that she is able to take on that heavy burden and carry on.  

Chapters 1-10- Personification- Letter [E]

The Bank Under My Bed:
1)"...The Bank- or the Company- needs-wants-insists-must have- as though the Bank or the Company were a monster, with thought an feeling,which had ensnared them"(Steinbeck 32).

2)"But-you see, a bank or a company can't do that, because those creatures don't breathe air, don't eat side-meat. They breathe profits; they eat the interest on money. If they don't get it, they die the way you die without air, without side-meat"(Steinbeck 32).

3)"The Bank-the monster has to have profits all the time. It can't wait. It'll die...When the monster stops growing, it dies. It can't stay one size"(Steinbeck 32).

The bank is being described with human characteristics such as "[breathing] air", "[thinking] and feeling", "growing", and "[eating]". The bank is being personified because it emphasizes how much power the bank has over the owners and the farmers. It shows the greed and corruption within the system. It also wants to give the owners an excuse for not doing anything to help the farmers. They claim that the monster is too powerful to take any action against it. It connotes a sense of futility among the farmers and takes the blame off of the owners. This contributes to the theme of how it is human nature to shift the blame from one's self. It is in our genes to do things that are in our best interest. It stems from survival instincts because if we took the blame for something, then we'd be putting ourselves in a vulnerable position. Being vulnerable usually can get us hurt so we naturally try to stay away from potentially dangerous positions. Another theme is the inherent greed in everyone. The bank is showing just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to greed. Because the bank is not just one person but a whole body of people it shows the majority being selfish and wanting to take farmers' homes in order to "breathe profits and "eat the interest on money". Also, because the owners take the blame off of themselves, they are being equally greedy because they're making money in workng for the bank. Instead of acting against the injustice in what is happening, they remain on the bank's side to save their own skin.