Majority vs. Minority

Majority vs Minority

Religion

One example of how religion comes into play with this topic is shown in the Scarlet Letter. This book tells the story of Hester Prynne a woman living in a Puritan society who commits adultery and is rebuked constantly to the point that she feels she can't tolerate it any longer.

“If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.”

- John Stuart Mill

The controversial topic of religion should be exposed in schools because it is important for students to understand their peers beliefs and to learn to respect them regardless of if they agree with them or not.

Slavery

Abuse

Slavery is a great example of the issue of majority vs minority, the majority being slave owners and other non-blacks, with the slaves being the minority. One of the common things shown throughout the book Huckleberry Finn was slavery. Jim, an escaped slave attempts to make something more of his life and eventually get his family back with the help of Huck. Jim (the minority), has to hide from the people looking for him, the heartless people, (the majority) who couldn't care less about him as an individual.

Michael Higginbotham

Cassidy Brown

Fassial Farha

Tishaunna Shaw

Period 1

"You've been put on considerable many frills since i been away . I'll take you down a peg before i get done with you." Ch.5 Pg. 19 One example of physical abuse is shown in Mark Twain's book Huckleberry Finn when Pap is threatening Huck for getting an education and for making something more of his life than Pap ever did. Perhaps the main drive behind Pap's abusive ways is jealousy for all the things Huck has that he himself never had. This can be said for others who deal with abuse similarly to Huck.

Slavery has played a very important part in our countries identity and continues to this day and is a good reminder of how important it is to learn from the past. At the same time, the majority of students realize how awful slavery was during its time, and have learned from it. Very few people are pro-slavery and so this topic does not necessarily need to be discussed in schools as much as other topics.

Abuse in general is controversial because its a situation in which the victim is often forced to be silent and the offender is also in some way bound to silence, talking about these things can be both extremely scary and dangerous. These topics should be discussed in class because it gives them hope that they can indeed get out of their situation.

Thesis

Mental Abuse

"You're educated, too, they say- can read and write. You think you're better'n your father, now, don't you, because he can't? I'll take it out of you." Ch. 5 Pg. 19. This quote is found in Mark Twain's, Huckleberry Finn and is illustrating what Huck went through mentally being on the receiving end of all the threats from his father. Huck wants an education but his father threatens him saying that if he goes to school, he will be punished, and so Huck goes through a mental dilemma caused by his fathers abuse ways.

The concept of minority vs majority is illustrated in many different aspects of society and life in general. A few of the most commonly addressed issues where "minority vs majority" come into play are slavery, religion, and abuse/violence. These concepts have been portrayed throughout many of the writing that we have read so far this year such as Huckleberry Finn and The Scarlet Letter. These four issues are not the only ones and this concept of minority vs majority can be applied to many other issues.