Rural Delivery Journal - Essay Example

My town is a small community at the base of a mountain range. Most residents of the community have lived in the area for multiple generations. My family has lived there for four generations, essentially the entire time since our ancestors immigrated to America. There is a single convenience store that serves the community. It sells gas and grocery items. The only other commercial/industrial building is the post office that serves the community. The post office is a remnant left from when the community was a railroad stop in the late 1800s.

Regarding roads, there is an equal mixture of asphalt and gravel roads. No road is over two lanes, and it takes a journey to get to an interstate. Culturally, the community is very homogenous. The people are largely white and work in agriculture or blue collar manufacturing. Those with college degrees are few and far between. In fact, a college degree marks one as an outsider and as a “city boy” or “city girl.” Politically, the people are divided between Democrat and Republican. The older residents are almost all Democrat because they believe that Hoover led them to the Great Depression, and Hoover was a Republican.

Almost all of the younger residents are Republican because they value the right to bear arms and other conservative values. In addition, most people are religious, and the majority religion is Baptist. John Q. Student Professor Doe English 344 8 May 2000 “Fish Cheeks” Journal I sympathize with how Tan felt at the Thanksgiving dinner. It is very difficult to be different from the norm. I have social phobia, and I am always very aware and self-conscious in social situations. Though I know that it is irrational, I feel like everyone is always watching me and judging me.

I am sure that Tan felt that way for much of her life. I also am familiar with the situation that Tan is describing. I grew up in a very rural community. My parents, whom I love greatly, are not very educated and enjoy the simple country life. I have always been different. I excelled in school and am enjoying college as well. But, every time I bring someone from college home, I feel very self-conscious. Since most of the people I attend college with are from middle-class suburban or urban families, I don’t feel like they can understand my family.

My parents’ grammar and topics of conversation are sometimes embarrassing. Like Tan, however, I am very proud of my family. I have skills and knowledge that many people I attend college with will never have. I can both hoe a row of corn and write an essay with equal skill. John Q. Student Professor Doe English 344 8 May 2000 “Mary Ellen’s Story” Journal The fact that three children die every day in the United States due to abuse is a startling and unforgivable statistic. As to why a parent would intentionally harm a child, I cannot think of any reasonable rationale.

I understand that some parents are abused and then abuse their children. I also know that children can test the nerve of the parent to a great degree. However, there is never an excuse for abuse. I have a good explanation for the reason that child abuse goes unreported. Contemporary American society emphasizes the individual. Our society believes that the individual is the most important element. There is no concept of society as an organism in itself. The result of this belief is unfortunate.

For instance, there are no laws protecting Good Samaritans in America. A person who