Connections within self

Friendship. Brotherhood. Family. This is how an individual thinks of others in terms of connecting with them over a certain period of time. An individual is most influenced by the positive actions of others that share a bond with them in which helps guide their actions to become a lasting memory. In other words, when others share a positive experience with an individual in which builds a sense of connection between them, it helps the development of their relationship. In the excerpt, “I BEAT THE ODDS” by Michael Oher, the film, A River Runs Through It by Robert Redford, and a personal experience, it can be seen that an individual is influenced by the positive actions of others who share a sense of connection with each other in which provides a desire for the individual to remember others’ actions as a lasting memory.  

When an individual is positively influenced by the actions of another individual, they will think of them as their role model, leaving a lasting memory of the message they were provided. In the excerpt, “I BEAT THE ODDS,” Michael Oher tells the reader of his experiences from elementary school. He tells us that his fourth-grade teacher, Ms. Verlene Logan “never made me feel as if there was anything negative” which shows that she is an optimistic person and that she cares about her students and does not judge them on their appearance or living condition. Michael Oher is positively influenced by the actions of Ms. Logan because “ she made me believe that I had a talent worth developing and the ability to see it through.” This means that Ms. Logan influenced Michael by telling him that he had talent and that he could pursue it by working hard and never giving up. This matters because, in our world, individuals of different races, appearances, and personality are often rejected by society. Overall, Michael Oher was taught a very important life lesson by Ms. Logan that he kept a lasting memory in which ended up helping him become a National Football League player.

When an individual develops a strong sense of connection with others, they will show the individual the value of different lifestyles. In the film, A River Runs Through It by Robert Redford, Norman is shown to be an optimistic and observant individual and is influenced by the actions of his brother Paul, and his father, Reverend Maclean. Reverend Maclean is a Presbyterian working in the church of Montana and is also the father of Paul and Norman. At youth ages, Reverend Maclean taught the boys about the Church and fly-fishing, both of which are highly valued by the three men throughout the film. Norman was influenced by his father’s different lifestyles, he valued both lifestyles and felt a responsibility as the older brother to be accountable for the actions of his brother and acceptable by his father. In the film, Paul is shown off as a rebellious individual, he is strong and will stand up for himself by any means. Norman was influenced by this side of Paul: Norman never said “no” to Paul, even during the Rowboat scene. Paul called on the other boys to go shoot the chutes, however, none of them accepted until he asked Norman who knew it was a bad idea but went along with Paul because of his sense of brotherhood towards Paul. This means that Norman is influenced by the connections he has with Paul and Reverend Maclean; he learned to be faithful, have a sense of hope, be responsible and accountable, and to help the people who need it the most. This matters because, in our world, some individuals do not have the opportunity to learn certain traits and skills in order grow as a strong individual. Overall, Norman grew up to become a faithful individual who valued others and had a sense of responsibility towards his family.

When individuals are often shown the path towards ignorance, they cannot find the guidance that they need until they desperately search for their role model/figure. In a personal experience, I was taught to only follow and do the things that my parents had planned for me. I thought by being loyal to my parents I would gain my own authority when I was an adult, but I soon realized that I had been following a path of ignorance by not following my own dreams, and not taking the initiative to plan out my future. My parents had a great role in my life as my role model until I realized that I had different wants and needs than them. I left the path of ignorance and searched for a role model in which I found within a professor at the MIT. He eventually stopped teaching at the university, but he gives students help online through social media, which I find helpful towards achieving my own dreams. This matters because, in the real world, there are many young individuals who are often lead towards a certain goal by others and do not realize that they are being led towards ignorance until they realize the differences in their desires.

In conclusion, from the excerpt, “I BEAT THE ODDS” by Michael Oher, the film, A River Runs Through It by Robert Redford, and a personal experience, it can be seen that an individual is influenced by the positive actions of others who share a sense of connection with each other which provides a desire for the individual to remember others’ actions as a lasting memory.  Michael Oher learned to never give up and through his hard work, he can see through his talent. Norman learned to be faithful, responsible and accountable because of the experiences of his brother, Paul, and his father, Reverend Maclean. Finally, I learned that I was being led towards a path of ignorance by letting others choose my decisions for me instead of having the acknowledgment to set my own goals and a long-term goal which I discovered at a youthful age and was guided by a former proffesor from MIT.