Jeremy Hardy
Ms. Lehmann
English 1-3
November 8, 2018
To Survive You Must Be Selfish
Do you believe survival is selfish? This is the central question of this essay. Survival is selfish because authors Laurence Gonzales, Lane Wallace, and Elie Wiesel prove this in their stories. All of these authors prove that survival is selfish in their essays.
Gonzales provides many examples of scenarios in which survivors had to be selfish in his essay, “Deep Survival.” Gonzales shows that many survivors only survive by being selfish. He writes about a 16 year old girl that survived a plane crash by being selfish. Gonzales writes, “Tough and clearheaded, this teenage girl, who had lost her shoes on the first day...saved herself; the other survivors took the same eleven days to sit down and die” (Gonzales 326). The only reason the girl survived is because she went on by herself, leaving the others to die. The girl had to be selfish to survive, just like people in the Twin Towers. Gonzales points out that those who refuse to follow the rules survive. He writes, “In the World Trade Center disaster, many people who were used to following the rules died because they did what they were told by authority figures” (Gonzales 327). Gonzales explains that those who broke the rules put in place for public safety survived; their selfishness saved them. These quotes from Gonzales prove that people must be selfish to survive.
Another author who proves survival is selfish is Lane Wallace in “Is Survival Selfish.” Wallace argues that survival requires people to be selfish. Wallace writes, “There is a fine line between brave and foolish. There can also be a fine line between smart and selfish” (Wallace 320). Wallace explains that being brave and saving others before yourself is a foolish thing to do in a survival situation. As a result, being selfish is the smart thing to do. Survival requires that people be selfish. Wallace says that sometimes you must be selfish to survive, such as in the story of the woman who saved herself in a plane crash but not others. Wallace argues that survival requires people to be selfish. The other passengers were frozen, unmoving, and she crawled over them to safety. Wallace asks, “Could she really have saved the others? Probably not...if she’d tried, she’d probably have perished with them. So why do survivors berate themselves for not adding to the loss by attempting the impossible?” (Wallace 318). Wallace points out that the woman in the story must be selfish to survive, and it was only by looking after herself that she was able to make it out alive. The two quotes that Lane Wallace gives us prove that survival is selfish.
Elie Wiesel also proves survival is selfish in his memoir Night. Wiesel tells us that the veterans don’t show sympathy in the concentration camp. He writes, “The veterans told us, ‘you're lucky to have been brought here so late’” (Wiesel 308). The people who survived show no sympathy. They couldn’t show emotion if they wanted to live. They took care of themselves and nobody else. The only way they survived was by being selfish. Wiesel also points out that the Blokalteste is a traitor. The block leader realized that he could not do anything to save them. "Without another word, he locked himself in his room” (Wiesel 311). The Blokalteste acts like he cares for people, but he just comforts them until the next selection. He will live if he does what the Nazis tell him to do. These two quotes that Wiesel gives us prove that survival is selfish.
Some may argue that survival is not selfish, giving examples of people who risked their lives to save others. This seems like a compelling argument on the surface, but it falls apart on closer examination. People can only save others if they put themselves first. You have to be alive to help others.
I believe survival is selfish. Authors Laurence Gonzales, Elie Wiesel and Lane Wallace all prove survival is selfish. Laurence Gonzales proves survival is selfish in his story, “Deep Survival.” Lane Wallace gives the story of a woman on a plane who survived was because she selfish and saved herself. Elie Wiesel shows us multiple times that the only way people survived in concentration camps was by being selfish. These authors have proven that survival is selfish.
Works Cited
Gonzales, Laurence. “Deep Survival.” Collections, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, pp. 325-334.
Wallace, Lane. “Is Survival Selfish?” Collections, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, pp. 317-320.
Wiesel, Elie. Night. Collections, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, pp. 307-312.
Argumentative Essay Reflection
1. List one thing you've learned from writing this paper that you can apply to other writing assignments. What will that look like?
I learned the three parts of quoting something from another book.
2. Identify a specific revision you were asked to make and explain why (this can be at any stage of the writing process). How did you revise? What did you learn?
In one spot I put quotations around something that was only supposed to be italicized. I learned not all titles are supposed to be in quotations.
3. What are the conventions of and argumentative essay and how did you meet those in this assignment.
The conventions are that I explained and stated the quotes and had a rebuttal. I stated and explained my quotes as well as give a rebuttal.
4. Given more time to work on this assignment, how would you improve it?
I would go back and revise it a couple more time.
5. What is one thing you're proud of in this paper?
I'm proud that I got an 80% on my paper before I made any revisions.
Ms. Lehmann
English 1-3
November 8, 2018
To Survive You Must Be Selfish
Do you believe survival is selfish? This is the central question of this essay. Survival is selfish because authors Laurence Gonzales, Lane Wallace, and Elie Wiesel prove this in their stories. All of these authors prove that survival is selfish in their essays.
Gonzales provides many examples of scenarios in which survivors had to be selfish in his essay, “Deep Survival.” Gonzales shows that many survivors only survive by being selfish. He writes about a 16 year old girl that survived a plane crash by being selfish. Gonzales writes, “Tough and clearheaded, this teenage girl, who had lost her shoes on the first day...saved herself; the other survivors took the same eleven days to sit down and die” (Gonzales 326). The only reason the girl survived is because she went on by herself, leaving the others to die. The girl had to be selfish to survive, just like people in the Twin Towers. Gonzales points out that those who refuse to follow the rules survive. He writes, “In the World Trade Center disaster, many people who were used to following the rules died because they did what they were told by authority figures” (Gonzales 327). Gonzales explains that those who broke the rules put in place for public safety survived; their selfishness saved them. These quotes from Gonzales prove that people must be selfish to survive.
Another author who proves survival is selfish is Lane Wallace in “Is Survival Selfish.” Wallace argues that survival requires people to be selfish. Wallace writes, “There is a fine line between brave and foolish. There can also be a fine line between smart and selfish” (Wallace 320). Wallace explains that being brave and saving others before yourself is a foolish thing to do in a survival situation. As a result, being selfish is the smart thing to do. Survival requires that people be selfish. Wallace says that sometimes you must be selfish to survive, such as in the story of the woman who saved herself in a plane crash but not others. Wallace argues that survival requires people to be selfish. The other passengers were frozen, unmoving, and she crawled over them to safety. Wallace asks, “Could she really have saved the others? Probably not...if she’d tried, she’d probably have perished with them. So why do survivors berate themselves for not adding to the loss by attempting the impossible?” (Wallace 318). Wallace points out that the woman in the story must be selfish to survive, and it was only by looking after herself that she was able to make it out alive. The two quotes that Lane Wallace gives us prove that survival is selfish.
Elie Wiesel also proves survival is selfish in his memoir Night. Wiesel tells us that the veterans don’t show sympathy in the concentration camp. He writes, “The veterans told us, ‘you're lucky to have been brought here so late’” (Wiesel 308). The people who survived show no sympathy. They couldn’t show emotion if they wanted to live. They took care of themselves and nobody else. The only way they survived was by being selfish. Wiesel also points out that the Blokalteste is a traitor. The block leader realized that he could not do anything to save them. "Without another word, he locked himself in his room” (Wiesel 311). The Blokalteste acts like he cares for people, but he just comforts them until the next selection. He will live if he does what the Nazis tell him to do. These two quotes that Wiesel gives us prove that survival is selfish.
Some may argue that survival is not selfish, giving examples of people who risked their lives to save others. This seems like a compelling argument on the surface, but it falls apart on closer examination. People can only save others if they put themselves first. You have to be alive to help others.
I believe survival is selfish. Authors Laurence Gonzales, Elie Wiesel and Lane Wallace all prove survival is selfish. Laurence Gonzales proves survival is selfish in his story, “Deep Survival.” Lane Wallace gives the story of a woman on a plane who survived was because she selfish and saved herself. Elie Wiesel shows us multiple times that the only way people survived in concentration camps was by being selfish. These authors have proven that survival is selfish.
Works Cited
Gonzales, Laurence. “Deep Survival.” Collections, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, pp. 325-334.
Wallace, Lane. “Is Survival Selfish?” Collections, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, pp. 317-320.
Wiesel, Elie. Night. Collections, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, pp. 307-312.
Argumentative Essay Reflection
1. List one thing you've learned from writing this paper that you can apply to other writing assignments. What will that look like?
I learned the three parts of quoting something from another book.
2. Identify a specific revision you were asked to make and explain why (this can be at any stage of the writing process). How did you revise? What did you learn?
In one spot I put quotations around something that was only supposed to be italicized. I learned not all titles are supposed to be in quotations.
3. What are the conventions of and argumentative essay and how did you meet those in this assignment.
The conventions are that I explained and stated the quotes and had a rebuttal. I stated and explained my quotes as well as give a rebuttal.
4. Given more time to work on this assignment, how would you improve it?
I would go back and revise it a couple more time.
5. What is one thing you're proud of in this paper?
I'm proud that I got an 80% on my paper before I made any revisions.