Rebellion And Conformity Essay, Research Paper

A Japanese proverb says, The nail that sticks out will be hammered down. Society tries to place many regulations on us as individuals as to what is admissible and what is not. We must decide for ourselves whether to conform to such a social decorum. We are taught as soon as we are old enough to grasp the idea that it is undesirable to be unique and to avoid being different.

At some point, however, we must decide within ourselves whether to spend every day trying to be like everyone else because society says we should or living each day true to ourselves. Our strength as a person is proven through what we decide. E. E. Cummings once said, To be nobody but yourself-in a world which is doing it s best night and day to make you like everyone else-means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting. The benefits of being true to ourselves greatly outweigh any negative aspects of choosing that path.

I think that there are times when it is best to try to conform, but most of the time you stand to gain the most by being yourself. When we do not conform we are seen for who we really are, we learn to think for ourselves, we are aspiring to be great, and we may perchance discover what God would have us do with our lives. By deciding to be ourselves no matter the cost, we stand to gain much more from life than we could ever lose.

What is rebellion? That is a question that, in many ways can be answered and in some ways can t be completely answered at all. Literature illustrates the diversity that rebellion can provide to the reader. The interpretation of what rebellion is can be a comprehensive one. As a reader, or observer if that is the case, one automatically forms his own opinion or personal definition of rebellion. While there is a definition of rebellion in the dictionary, finding out the spirit or real meaning of the word can only be done by reading. To me, rebellion is a quest by one or more people to free their spirit or to take on oppression for a good cause and/or to make a statement and/or to change society s ideals.

As I read different selections of literature, I have my own set of ideals, morals, or perspectives to which I can compare to those within the pieces of literature whether they are of the opinion of the author, or simply a portrayal of that of some other culture or society. Even though I do not expect to change my perspective, I can gain insights as to why I do have the viewpoints that I do and why others may have a very different one. I can discover many ways to respect the positions that others have, as contrary to mine as they may be. Rebellion is not always an adverse thing simply because one does not adhere to the modus operandi of fashionable society; in fact it may lead to it s own way of conformity.