Tears and TKAM
An Essay Reflecting on Crying
By Jennifer Carroll
Essay #5
Pine Point School
10/12/10
(TS) Jem Finch and crying don't exactly go hand and hand. (CM) They are polar opposites and before I read the end of Chapter Seven in To Kill A Mockingbird, I would have thought that Jem would rather cut off his nose than cry. (CM) He is such a tough, brutally determined boy, but his tears put him in a softer light, one I'm not exactly sure he would enjoy being seen in. (CS) In the following words you will read, I will speak not only about my thoughts on Jem's tears, but also my thoughts on crying itself.
(TS) Crying is a part of human nature. (CM) Everyone has cried over a broken toy, a lost opportunity or love, a death, and even tears of joy sometimes escape us. (CM) Tears show a range of emotion in us, that something has touched our souls, for better or worse. (SD) When Jem, in To Kill A Mockingbird, comes into the house, Scout immediately knows that he has been crying. (CM) She might've thought this because when he came into the house, his face was streaked and blotchy. (CM) Then again, Scout herself says that she "thought it odd that I had not heard him", so maybe he was doing something else that made his face look like he had been crying. (SD) Seeing Jem cry must have shaken up Scout quite a bit. (CM) Jem is her older, smart and brave brother and she looks up to him more than I think she is aware of herself. (CM) However, Scout is growing into a capable and responsible little girl, so maybe she just felt sad and wanted to help him. (CS) It seems that crying in this time period is looked on as a weakness for boys, so I feel bad for Jem, as he must have been very upset to shed tears.
(TS) Crying is, in my opinion, something that should happen at only the most devastating of times. (CM) I see crying as a type of weakness, although not something to be frowned upon. (CM) I just believe that it is very difficult for someone to view you as a strong individual if you are crying into a tissue in front of them. (SD) For instance, women find it okay to cry, because it is a healthy release of cooped up emotions and comforting in a way. (CM) Men, on the other hand, seem to shy away from crying, looking on it as a weak and shameful thing to do. (CM) Automatically, this leads to history making men look strong and brave in the face of a crisis and women as people whose eyes should be shielded from the world because it could upset them. (SD) I have only seen my mother cry once. (CM) My mom was in the car taking us to school and she was arguing with my brother about his gaming on weekdays, which my dad had agreed to behind her back. (CM) I looked up during a particularly loud bit, and noticed that her eyes were shiny and wet. (CM) I am ashamed to say that I tried to ignore it and, as her voice hitched, I buried myself in my book hoping that it wasn't happening and that everything was still normal. (CS) That happening with my mother just made my view on crying sharper and more in focus, because it didn't gain her any ground and if I cry, it doesn't gain me any either.
(TS) Jem is nothing but a stalwart and brave boy, and his tears only add to bravery in a way that I'm not sure the strongest bodybuilder could understand. (CM) He may consider them a weakness, and I too think that tears should avoided when possible, but his make him seem younger and more how he should be at his age. (CM) In To Kill A Mockingbird, young people seem that they would rather die then be seen crying, especially boys, and I don't think that it is healthy for them. (CS) Jem's tears make him look like the boy he should be and not the man he tries to be, but I still believe that crying is, while natural and healthy, something that should not be strived for.
Summary: I don't really think that this is one of my better essays. For one, I think that my concluding paragraph is confusing and that I ramble a little. I keep trying to improve my concluding paragraphs and shall continue to do so. I do like my first body paragraph though, because I think that it has some great describing words and that I voice my ideas clearly and smoothly. I would give myself a B- for this essay.
(TS) Crying is a part of human nature. (CM) Everyone has cried over a broken toy, a lost opportunity or love, a death, and even tears of joy sometimes escape us. (CM) Tears show a range of emotion in us, that something has touched our souls, for better or worse. (SD) When Jem, in To Kill A Mockingbird, comes into the house, Scout immediately knows that he has been crying. (CM) She might've thought this because when he came into the house, his face was streaked and blotchy. (CM) Then again, Scout herself says that she "thought it odd that I had not heard him", so maybe he was doing something else that made his face look like he had been crying. (SD) Seeing Jem cry must have shaken up Scout quite a bit. (CM) Jem is her older, smart and brave brother and she looks up to him more than I think she is aware of herself. (CM) However, Scout is growing into a capable and responsible little girl, so maybe she just felt sad and wanted to help him. (CS) It seems that crying in this time period is looked on as a weakness for boys, so I feel bad for Jem, as he must have been very upset to shed tears.
(TS) Crying is, in my opinion, something that should happen at only the most devastating of times. (CM) I see crying as a type of weakness, although not something to be frowned upon. (CM) I just believe that it is very difficult for someone to view you as a strong individual if you are crying into a tissue in front of them. (SD) For instance, women find it okay to cry, because it is a healthy release of cooped up emotions and comforting in a way. (CM) Men, on the other hand, seem to shy away from crying, looking on it as a weak and shameful thing to do. (CM) Automatically, this leads to history making men look strong and brave in the face of a crisis and women as people whose eyes should be shielded from the world because it could upset them. (SD) I have only seen my mother cry once. (CM) My mom was in the car taking us to school and she was arguing with my brother about his gaming on weekdays, which my dad had agreed to behind her back. (CM) I looked up during a particularly loud bit, and noticed that her eyes were shiny and wet. (CM) I am ashamed to say that I tried to ignore it and, as her voice hitched, I buried myself in my book hoping that it wasn't happening and that everything was still normal. (CS) That happening with my mother just made my view on crying sharper and more in focus, because it didn't gain her any ground and if I cry, it doesn't gain me any either.
(TS) Jem is nothing but a stalwart and brave boy, and his tears only add to bravery in a way that I'm not sure the strongest bodybuilder could understand. (CM) He may consider them a weakness, and I too think that tears should avoided when possible, but his make him seem younger and more how he should be at his age. (CM) In To Kill A Mockingbird, young people seem that they would rather die then be seen crying, especially boys, and I don't think that it is healthy for them. (CS) Jem's tears make him look like the boy he should be and not the man he tries to be, but I still believe that crying is, while natural and healthy, something that should not be strived for.
Summary: I don't really think that this is one of my better essays. For one, I think that my concluding paragraph is confusing and that I ramble a little. I keep trying to improve my concluding paragraphs and shall continue to do so. I do like my first body paragraph though, because I think that it has some great describing words and that I voice my ideas clearly and smoothly. I would give myself a B- for this essay.
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