Kyla McDermott

Risley

AP Language and Composition

13 February 2017

Jane Addams pulls out the feeling of worthlessness while you are within

something, a place or an activity, in which you are not familiar with or used to. Watching

others go about their everyday, mundane activities while you are a guest is an

uncomfortable feeling that causes people to gain a sense of humanity. As you get older

the feeling of caring for others wanes due to the expectation to be colder to fellow

people. Most children have a large heart and want to help those who are suffering

around them on some sort of scale. Many are also stopped from doing so and told to

wait until they are older and can understand better. However, parents still show their

children the distress of other countries or people. Girls especially are taught to be

tender hearted and self sacrificing for the greater good, it is encouraged.

Central Argument:

Jane Addams says that the thought of being kindhearted is being smothered down by

society and although many younger people want to help other people, the higher ups

don’t make it a societal value.

“The desire for action, the wish to right wrong and alleviate suffering haunts them daily.

Society smiles at it indulgently instead of making it a value to itself.” (Line 36-38)

Young people want to make a change yet their efforts are stamped out by an older

generation who won’t support them.

“We treat them as children who, with strong growing limbs, are allowed to use their legs

but not their arms, or whose legs are daily carefully exercised that after a while their

arms may be put up to high use.” (Line 43-46)

Kids have been raised up to only use their abilities to a certain acceptable extent.

Vocabulary:

Incongruous - unbelievable

Actual def. - not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings or other aspects of

something

Rhetorical Strategies:

Ethos: Addams appeals to emotions by trying to make the older generation feel guilty

for the way they have been raising their children to be selfish.