Strength Of Individual Thought In John Hersey's A Bell For Adano

Strength of Individual Thought The importance of following one’s own thoughts versus the benefits of following the ideas of others is an often-disputed topic with valid points on both sides of the argument. John Hersey writes A Bell for Adano with this idea of the difference between self-thought and inherited thought in mind. Although the book was written in 1944, it has still managed to maintain relevance throughout the years with its overlying messages. In John Hersey’s A Bell for Adano, Hersey explores the importance of thinking for oneself compared to mindlessly following the thoughts of other people. He uses the characterization and actions of Major Joppolo and Sergeant Trapani to convey his point. Hersey expresses his message to the reader by painting a logical picture to show the reader that instances in which independent thought is exercised end with more desirable results. Major Joppolo, the protagonist of the story, is an army man placed in charge of running the Italian town of Adano during World War II. He is a strong-headed and intelligent individual that knows how to be an effective leader. Upon arrival into Adano, Joppolo quickly gains the trust and admiration of the townspeople as he

Hersey’s message not only applies to people of his time period but to contemporary society as well. Many people today are concerned with fitting in and accepting societal norms. This leads people to adopt other people’s beliefs that they may not agree with or believe in just to fit in. Hersey’s message in this novel can be applied to situations such as these. He makes the point that thinking for oneself is more important that blindly following the thoughts and ideas of others. Only when people are able to realize that their opinion is significant will they be able to make educated and smart