Open Winter Essay, Research Paper

“Appling, The Good Example”

In the short story “Open Winter”, by H. L. Davis, one of the many themes deals with responsibility. One of the main characters in “Open Winter” named old Appling, who is a sixty-year-old man, perfectly defines responsibility through his good examples from beginning to end. Appling did everything from feeding the horses with his own hay to crossing them through a river just to get his job done. However, the view on responsibility in today’s society has greatly changes over the years.

Many people now days feel that responsibility is an oppressive burden. Most of us lead very busy, often hectic, lives. Relentless pressures of modern-day living require that we put forth-constant effort just to keep pace. Husbands and fathers must meet pressing obligations to their families, employers, and others. Wives and mothers must look after the household needs of their families and often have to work secularly. Young people also are under pressure to keep up with certain family obligations while acquiring an education that will prepare them for a productive role in society. True, many of these responsibilities did exist during old Appling’s time but they can not compare to size.

One thing that we can learn from old Appling is to love accomplishing our work and responsibilities. If we are able to meet our daily obligations in a reasonably efficient manner, getting things done on time and in an orderly way, we have a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction just like old Appling did. That is the way it should be, and the result contributes to our own happiness and society’s happiness.