Reference no: EM133225509
President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in his first Inaugural Address on March 4, 1933, assessed the American climate of despair and panic in the Great Depression. He claimed to have read the "temper of our people" and made this conclusion at the beginning of the speech: "[L]et me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself..." This line is often quoted because it seemed to sum up the prevailing attitude at the time. The same sentiment, however, can be found in the Old Testament Book of Proverbs. Nearly 400 years the essayist Montaigne had written, "The thing I fear most is fear."
Fear is a major motivator for human beings. Evolutionary biologists conjecture that the "fight or flight" response to a perceived harmful event provides us (as it did our prehistoric ancestors) with the mechanisms to respond to threats. Some fears are well-founded and, indeed, healthy. Of course, fear can also be counterproductive, hindering us or even crippling us. Four hundred years ago Shakespeare advised, "Extreme fear can neither fight nor fly."
Consider Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman. One avenue into his character is an analysis of his fears. Other than death itself, what is Willy afraid of? Select one of his fundamental fears and explain it in your own words. Then, compare or contrast that fear to these two other perspectives:
• the way Edna Pontellier confronts her fears in The Awakening
• the way Nora Helmer confronts her fears in A Doll's House
In this assignment, you will assess how fear comes into play for these three characters. President Roosevelt, in his first "fireside chat" urges the American people, "Let us unite in banishing fear." While certainly a noble sentiment, we know that we can not banish fear. Perhaps our goal should be to reduce irrational fears. Help draw the line between good fear and bad fear in this research project.
What do Willy, Edna, and Nora teach us about facing our fears? How can we duplicate their good efforts and learn from their errors? You will need to have at least three citations in your paper (one from each of the three works). Incorporate the words of the authors into your own sentences, making sure that you are showing how to think about healthy fear and extreme fear.