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Angela's Ashes Concept Of Respect Essay

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A base which acts as support for any well-functioning society and a key idea when regarding others is the concept of respect. There is no doubt that in any public setting, respect is the number one rule on the wall. However, this concept of respect is poisoned. The very definition has been twisted to something entirely different through years of conditioning by society. My understanding of respect, how it can be interpreted, and how it is seen to children especially, has been altered by Frank McCourt’s memoir, Angela’s Ashes. From an extremely young age, children are taught the concept of respect. However, the easiest way for them to comprehend this is also the cause of a skewed understanding of the concept; a definition of regard that some believe into their adulthood. Respect can be defined and interpreted a number of ways, one of these being a deep admiration. But a saying that many associate the term respect with is, simply, “Respect your elders”. This is a lesson primarily taught to children by a society that dumbs down definitions and desires compliance. This idea of respect is far different from the dictionary definition, but it is widely used to teach this complex concept. Why is this? I found my answer in Angela’s Ashes when analyzing the relationship between Frank McCourt and his father. A central theme in …show more content…

Children who were always told that elders deserved respect would be neglected and then grow up to believe that they deserved respect from those after them. This cycle is essentially built on power, and removes the true meaning of respect from the word. Some might argue that to respect your elders is valid, however there is no actual reason to respect a person merely on the basis of their age. Strong respect is based on admiration of someone for their abilities, qualities, and achievements. While this can be associated with people who have lived longer, they are not always

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