Argumentative Essay & Reflection
Nadia Vargas
Ms.Lehmann
English 1-3
3 December 2019
Is Survival Selfish?
Do you think survival is selfish or not? This is the central question of this essay. Survival does not require people to be selfish because people can’t count on other people to save them, and people shouldn’t assume they are capable of saving others; it could cost them their lives. Many survival stories prove that many must save themselves.
Gonzales proves that people need to focus on themselves and not depend on others to take care of them. People who waited to be saved during 9-11 died because rescue personnel couldn’t get to them. They listened to the security guards and ended up dying by listening to the rules that they were given. They were told to stay in the building because it was safe, but some knew it wasn’t. “‘Why did I listen to them, I shouldn’t have’’’ (Gonzales 327). Some people tried to get out, but officers wouldn’t let them. They could’ve survived if they would let them go. They shouldn’t have depended on the officers and security guards to save them. Another example is when the Titanic sank Ismay was one of the men who survived. He got attacked by the media because he didn’t save the rest of the women and children. He saved many but by the time he got himself on the boat he didn’t see any other women or children in the area. The boat was ready to be released, and he left. “His reputation was ruined. He was labeled an uncivilized coward” (Wallace 317). Ismay saved many others even though there were probable more the people who were still on the Titanic, he could’ve tried to look for help or try to save them. Those who were left on the Titanic shouldn’t have depended on Ismay to save them. People can’t count on other people to save them.
People shouldn’t assume they are capable of saving others; it could cost them their lives. “Simpson ended up hanging off a cliff, unable to climb up, and Yates, unable to lift him up and losing grip on the mountain, ended up cutting the rope to Simpson to save himself” (Wallace 319). Yates was unable to help his friend Simpson; the rope was slipping so he cut it. His friend would’ve fell off the cliff anyways. Even though Yate tried he couldn’t save him, luckily Simpson lived. “Simpson survived the 100-foot fall and eventually made his way down the mountain” (Wallace 319). Yates thought about all the consequences that could happen to Simpson, but Yate had to cut the rope or else they both would’ve fallen. People shouldn’t assume they are capable of saving others; it could cost them their lives.
Survival is selfish, but there are those who disagree. Some people argue that people need a reason to survive; this is often thinking of others and the loss they would suffer were they to die. The truth is, people don’t need to think of others, they can just survive because they want to. Juliane survived the plane crash because she left the others and saved herself; she had to look after herself instead of waiting for help. The others who waited for help died. Juliane thought of herself first, proving that you can’t depend on others to take care of you. The evidence shows that survival is selfish.
People have to be selfish because people can’t count on others to save them, and people shouldn’t assume they are capable of saving others; it could cost them their lives. I think people can’t count on other people to save them because they should save themselves. Not everyone is going to try to save you. People shouldn’t assume they are capable of saving others; it could cost them their lives because you don’t always have the capability. Survival is selfish. If you really want to survive, you need to think about yourself before trying to save anyone else.
Works Cited
Lane Wallace. “Is Survival Selfish.” Collections, Edited by Kylene Beers, Martha Hougen, Carol Jago, William L. McBride, Erik Palmer, & Lydia Stack, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, pp. 317-320.
Laurence Gonzales. “Deep Survival.” Collections, Edited by Kylene Beers, Martha Hougen, Carol Jago, William L. McBride, Erik Palmer, & Lydia Stack, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, pp. 325-334.
Argumentative Essay Reflection
Please answer all questions in complete, grammatically correct sentences.
1. Explain the process you went through to write this paper. Please be specific.
In the beginning we did a hook and then wrote a little bit more about the story. Then I got evdience for claim one and claim two. I explained a little bit about the story's i got the quotes from. Then I typed my rebuttle, conclusion and the work cited page.
2. What qualifies this paper as an argumentative essay? What are the requirements for this genre and how did you meet them?
I argued that survive is selfish even though others disagree. You have to prove your evdience and make a rebuttle.
3.Explain how you found at least one of the quotations from the essay and tell me why you chose that particular quote. What did it do for your paper?
I found the quotes by my claims and i decided which one was best for my claims that i picked. The quotes helped my paper by showing evidence for why i think survival is selfish.
Nadia Vargas
Ms.Lehmann
English 1-3
3 December 2019
Is Survival Selfish?
Do you think survival is selfish or not? This is the central question of this essay. Survival does not require people to be selfish because people can’t count on other people to save them, and people shouldn’t assume they are capable of saving others; it could cost them their lives. Many survival stories prove that many must save themselves.
Gonzales proves that people need to focus on themselves and not depend on others to take care of them. People who waited to be saved during 9-11 died because rescue personnel couldn’t get to them. They listened to the security guards and ended up dying by listening to the rules that they were given. They were told to stay in the building because it was safe, but some knew it wasn’t. “‘Why did I listen to them, I shouldn’t have’’’ (Gonzales 327). Some people tried to get out, but officers wouldn’t let them. They could’ve survived if they would let them go. They shouldn’t have depended on the officers and security guards to save them. Another example is when the Titanic sank Ismay was one of the men who survived. He got attacked by the media because he didn’t save the rest of the women and children. He saved many but by the time he got himself on the boat he didn’t see any other women or children in the area. The boat was ready to be released, and he left. “His reputation was ruined. He was labeled an uncivilized coward” (Wallace 317). Ismay saved many others even though there were probable more the people who were still on the Titanic, he could’ve tried to look for help or try to save them. Those who were left on the Titanic shouldn’t have depended on Ismay to save them. People can’t count on other people to save them.
People shouldn’t assume they are capable of saving others; it could cost them their lives. “Simpson ended up hanging off a cliff, unable to climb up, and Yates, unable to lift him up and losing grip on the mountain, ended up cutting the rope to Simpson to save himself” (Wallace 319). Yates was unable to help his friend Simpson; the rope was slipping so he cut it. His friend would’ve fell off the cliff anyways. Even though Yate tried he couldn’t save him, luckily Simpson lived. “Simpson survived the 100-foot fall and eventually made his way down the mountain” (Wallace 319). Yates thought about all the consequences that could happen to Simpson, but Yate had to cut the rope or else they both would’ve fallen. People shouldn’t assume they are capable of saving others; it could cost them their lives.
Survival is selfish, but there are those who disagree. Some people argue that people need a reason to survive; this is often thinking of others and the loss they would suffer were they to die. The truth is, people don’t need to think of others, they can just survive because they want to. Juliane survived the plane crash because she left the others and saved herself; she had to look after herself instead of waiting for help. The others who waited for help died. Juliane thought of herself first, proving that you can’t depend on others to take care of you. The evidence shows that survival is selfish.
People have to be selfish because people can’t count on others to save them, and people shouldn’t assume they are capable of saving others; it could cost them their lives. I think people can’t count on other people to save them because they should save themselves. Not everyone is going to try to save you. People shouldn’t assume they are capable of saving others; it could cost them their lives because you don’t always have the capability. Survival is selfish. If you really want to survive, you need to think about yourself before trying to save anyone else.
Works Cited
Lane Wallace. “Is Survival Selfish.” Collections, Edited by Kylene Beers, Martha Hougen, Carol Jago, William L. McBride, Erik Palmer, & Lydia Stack, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, pp. 317-320.
Laurence Gonzales. “Deep Survival.” Collections, Edited by Kylene Beers, Martha Hougen, Carol Jago, William L. McBride, Erik Palmer, & Lydia Stack, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, pp. 325-334.
Argumentative Essay Reflection
Please answer all questions in complete, grammatically correct sentences.
1. Explain the process you went through to write this paper. Please be specific.
In the beginning we did a hook and then wrote a little bit more about the story. Then I got evdience for claim one and claim two. I explained a little bit about the story's i got the quotes from. Then I typed my rebuttle, conclusion and the work cited page.
2. What qualifies this paper as an argumentative essay? What are the requirements for this genre and how did you meet them?
I argued that survive is selfish even though others disagree. You have to prove your evdience and make a rebuttle.
3.Explain how you found at least one of the quotations from the essay and tell me why you chose that particular quote. What did it do for your paper?
I found the quotes by my claims and i decided which one was best for my claims that i picked. The quotes helped my paper by showing evidence for why i think survival is selfish.