Shakespeare's Coriolanus: Going Against The Grain

Going against the Grain

Shakespeare, in his play Coriolanus, introduced the expression ‘going against the grain.’ Coriolanus, a Roman military leader with a hot temper, became involved in politics, but his attitude for being a leader wasn’t suited to public office, which ultimately led to his downfall. Coriolanus because of his beliefs, values and morals, was the odd man out in this social society, as he ‘went against the grain’ of the established Roman Empire at that time.

Judith Rich Harris, much like Coriolanus, has gone against the grain, or against the norm, believing that parents aren’t the most important factor in child development. Harris believes that parents have no lasting effect on our children outside of our home and children’s’ experiences through social interaction have a more lasting effect - going against the norm of popular belief and her peers.

I believed the person I am today was all down to my upbringing and my parents, but closer inspection of my upbringing challenges this idea. People will say ‘the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,’ and I would instantly recognize this as people saying, I’m exactly like my father in both character and personality. Again, time and has made me seriously challenge this belief. My father worked 10 hours a day, six to seven days a week, most weeks, so my fathers’ impact on my personality is limited at best. On the other hand I was in school for eight hours a day, followed by my after school activities, (sports, piano lessons, time with friends), so my social interaction with these events and more importantly these different people, my peers, have left a bigger effect on my development and my