Giving In by M. Stahl

Peer Pressure in the Real World

18novaka — 2015-09-18 19:19:34 UTC

In the article, "Students Work Ethic Affected By Peer Groups, Desire To Be Popular" by NPR, they talk about new research that shows that students thrive to fit in with their peers. The article states," If their peers are not motivated, this can affect the academic choices students make"(Vedantam, 1). This shows that students that would normally have a strong work ethic will change their behavior to be considered cool, giving into peer pressure to follow the crowd.

Peer Pressure in the Real World

18novaka — 2015-09-18 19:25:37 UTC

Later in the article "Students Work Ethic Affected By Peer Groups, Desire To Be Popular" they talk about SAT prep courses. It says , “When they believed that the other students would find out about their choice, the sign-up goes down by 11 percentage points. So instead of 72, we see about 61 percent, big drop. Many students are forgoing this opportunity just because they don’t want their peers to find out” (Vedantam, 2). This showings how wanting to fit in and succumbing to peer pressure can influence behavior. Eleven percent of teenagers who would normally sign up didn't in fear of being ostracized by their friends. They felt the pressure to be "cool" and gave in to the mob mentality.

Lord Of The Flies

18stahlm — 2015-09-19 20:33:54 UTC

As the boys hunt for 'the beast', darkness begins to fall over the island. Ralph suggests it may be time to head back. Jack disagrees and challenges him to continue the hunt. Ralph's answer alarms readers and allows us to see he is hoping with this action, will come acceptance into the savage tribe. Jack starts the conversation, all the hunters attention now looking at the wannabe leader. “I'm going up the mountain.’ He looked at Ralph, his thin body tensed, his spear held as if he threatened him. ‘I'm going up the mountain to look for the beast-- now.’ Then the supreme sting, the casual, bitter word. ‘coming?’ Ralph after moments of hesitation, replies. "I don't mind." (Golding, 120)

Lord Of The Flies

18stahlm — 2015-09-20 00:44:03 UTC

Ralph often gives in to the hunters and their savage ways in hopes of fitting in and regaining their trust. While on a hunt for the beast, the boys come across pig tracks. Jack begs Ralph to allow them to go hunting. Ralph accepts. While on the exploration for the beast, the boys run into the boar, and Ralph quickly becomes overcome with excitement. "I hit him.’ said Ralph indignantly. ‘ I hit him with my spear, I wounded him.’ He tried for their attention. ‘ He was coming right along the path. I threw, like this--’ everybody laughed"(Golding, 114). Unsuccessful at killing the boar, the boys remake the hunt using Robert as the boar. "Hold him!’ They got his arms and legs. Ralph, carried away by a sudden thick excitement, grabbed Eric’s spear and jabbed Robert with it"(Golding, 114). Ralph becomes absorbed in the boys savage ways in order to impress them and become re accepted into the "mob mentality."

Lord Of The Flies

18stahlm — 2015-09-20 00:56:16 UTC

Near the end of the novel, Piggy and Ralph decide to head to Castle Rock in hopes that they can maintain control over some of the events occurring on the island. Upon arrival, they find Jack sitting like a king and the boys dancing and eating meat. All is well until the boys notice a figure bounding out of the forest. Thinking that it is the beast, when in reality it's Simon, the boys begin to reenact the hunting of the boar. Ralph and Piggy hold back at first, but quickly become intrigued. "Piggy and Ralph, under the threat of the sky, found themselves eager to take a place in this demented but partly secure society. They were glad to touch the brown backs of the fence that hemmed in the terror and made it governable.” (Golding, 152) Piggy and Ralph succumbed to the mentality and trend around them and participated in what would lead to the murder of Simon.

Lord Of The Flies

18novaka — 2015-09-20 16:57:57 UTC

Throughout the novel we can see examples of mob mentality. One of many on-going situations is Ralph and Jack clashing over what is more important, fire or hunting. When Ralph and Simon were building shelters, they saw a ship on the horizon. Unfortunately, there was not a smoke signal coming from the mountain like there usually is. Jack had used peer pressure to convince the watchers of the fire to go on a hunt with him. The boys felt obligated to go since the rest of the hunters were going, even though Ralph was chief and told them to stay to watch of the fire. Jack came back and says, "The job was too big, we needed everyone"(Golding, 71). This relates to the thesis because Jack pressures people into joining him using a bandwagon, even when hunting at that moment wasn't the right thing to do. The mob mentality moved the fire watchers to go against their morals and follow the group in their hunt.

The Destructors

18cusanos — 2015-09-21 00:47:05 UTC

In the beginning of the short story, the author describes Trevor's background and his nickname. He simply calls himself "T" because he believes the gang members find him and his real name amusing and the opposite of defying. He also believes that he does not belong because of the nature of his family, describing his mother as she "considered herself better than the neighbors"(Greene, 1). Trevor asks himself "What but an odd quality of danger, of the unpredictable, established him in the gang without any ignoble ceremony of initiation?"(Greene, 1) Trevor feels that he needs to use a nickname to fit in with the mob mentality that you must be an edgy and dangerous person. This trend influenced his decision to call himself "T" unless he absolutely needs to state his real name.

18stahlm — 2015-09-21 13:33:48 UTC

The Destructors

18cusanos — 2015-09-22 01:16:55 UTC

When the boys began their project, Mike was not able to arrive on time for the because he had church. Blackie told him "Come over the wall and whistle. We'll let you in"(Greene, 7). The next day, Mike arrived on time despite the fact that "he was told to go to church alone with many warnings of what would happen if he strayed" (Greene, 7) because his parents were not able to go with him. Mike did not want to disappoint, so he skipped church to go to the destruction site. Mike gave in to the peer pressure Blackie put on him the day before even though he had an obligation to attend mass.

18stahlm — 2015-09-22 13:23:01 UTC

18stahlm — 2015-09-22 13:30:23 UTC

18cusanos — 2015-09-22 13:33:57 UTC

Morals through Simon's Eyes

18stahlm — 2015-09-25 00:38:54 UTC

Simon, we find, is a very odd character who does not take part in the savagery occurring on the island. When the boys meet and talk about 'the beast', Simon chimes in. "Maybe, maybe there is a beast. [...] What I mean is.... maybe it's only us." (Golding, 84) Here Simon goes against peer pressure by how he refuses to follow the trend that everyone else believes in (the existence of the beast), showing us he would not ignore his morals in order to be accepted by the rest of the boys.

18stahlm — 2015-09-25 01:17:13 UTC