Into The Wild By Jon Krakauer

Polite speech has been used for centuries by people worldwide for various reasons such as introductions, business meetings, or even simply serving food. It is typically a sign of respect or friendliness commonly used to greet people daily, informally and formally. Although some believe it is wasteful, the value of polite speech is extremely high as it can enhance the halo effect and improve peer relations. Admittedly, polite speech may be wasteful to some; however, polite speech can have a large impact on others' perceptions of oneself. For example, in Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, numerous people Christopher McCandless met on his crusade to Alaska such as Jan Burres would not have become as fond of him if he had not been respectful and utilized

One of the many effects of polite speech is the enhanced halo effect. If a stranger was to be kind and respectful when introducing themselves one would be more inclined to believe they are a moral person with a metaphorical halo over their head as if they are an angel who cannot do any wrong; this concept has affected the success of many vicious people throughout history. For example, polite speech was essential to H.H. Holme’s false persona and success as a serial killer. In Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, Holmes captivates many young ladies new to Chicago, his victims, by making a positive impression through politeness when meeting them. Due to this good-hearted initial impression, women then believed they could trust him and that he could never commit any wrongdoings. If Holmes had been obnoxious at first glance, the ladies probably would never have stayed at his hotel, nor would have experienced the halo effect and seen him only as a civil

Another instance in which polite language was crucial in generating a halo effect was in Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck in which Curly’s Wife flirts with all of the male workers on her husband's land but never faces any repercussions. She exhibited polite speech whenever her husband was near, giving him a false sense of her faithfulness and creating a halo effect where she could never commit any wrongdoings in her husband's mind. Workers on the land would often try to tell her husband that she was unfaithful and flirted with them; however, due to the halo effect, her husband never believed she could perform such heinous acts as a result of her ladylike persona in his presence and instead accused the workers of flirting with her in response. Without Curly’s wife’s politeness around her husband, she would not have successfully flirted with every man on the land, and her husband would not have made false accusations, nor seen her as an angel. Polite speech can also heavily determine whether peer relations are positive or