The Test of Morality Essay - 1899 Words

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; â€Å"The Test of Morality† nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Throughout American Literature we often see in the works of writers, how the character are torn between doing what is right and doing what is wrong. Like the transcendentalist who believed that experience was valuable way of learning, we also see in the works of William Faulkner’s The Reivers as well as in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"My Kinsman, Major Molineux,† we see elements of this belief. In my paper I will discuss the major themes of The Reivers and My Kinsman, Major Molineux.† I will also show how the main characters in each will use their free will overcome†¦show more content†¦nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Lucius learns a lot about himself during this time. He learns about temptation, and when faced with it how he becomes weak. He also learns that there is a dark side to life as well as the dark side of himself, and when you lie and deceive people, there are consequences. To be only eleven years old Lucius learns that h e learns that he must make a lot of adult decisions, and it isn’t easy. He soon realized that of the people that he is traveling with, he was the most responsible. He reaches manhood when he learns from his Grandfather that no punishment can take away his shame: quot;A gentle-man can live through anything. . . . A gentleman accepts the responsibility of his actions and bears the burden of their consequences, even when he did not himself instigate them but only acquiesced to them, didnt say No though he knew he should.quot; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Although Lucius gives up his power, to what he calls quot;unvirtuequot; by agreeing to go on a secret trip, that is in direct conflict with the promises he made to his family, he continues to act like the gentleman that he was taught to be. He honors his promise that he made to his mother to not drink any alcohol. He attacks the corrupt teenager who tells him how Corrie became a prostitute and how he used her to make money. Because of this impressive actionShow MoreRelatedWhy Do Stories Of Androids And Slaves Seem Similar? Essay1742 Words   |  7 Pageshatred and uneasiness about differences begin in early childhood. A child learns behavior and morality from adults in the community. 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To understand how he defines this test, we must first take a look at the foundation of his main principle, the Categorical Imperative. Kants way of determining morality of actions is quite different from other philosophers, and many find it extremely hard to grasp or implausible. The central concept of his basic test for morality found in his Groundwork of the MetaphysicsRead More Kants Humanity Formula Essay1646 Words   |  7 Pageshumanity must be valued. Kant proposes a test that ensures that humanity is treated with respect, and not used merely as an instrument. To understand how he defines this test, we must first take a look at the foundation of his main principle, the Categorical Imperative. Kant’s way of determining morality of actions is quite different from other philosophers, and many find it extremely hard to grasp or implausible. The central concept of his basic test for morality found in his Groundwork of the MetaphysicsRead MoreKantian Ethical Analysis1614 Words   |  6 Pagesdoes not depend on their consequences but on whether they fulfill our duty.†( Anscombe, 2001) Kant said that morality is built based on what he called â€Å"Hypothetical Imperatives†, but rather principles called â€Å"Categorical Imperatives† he referred to it as the supreme principle of morality. (Texas AM University, n.d.) Cavico and Mujtaba reported on their book that Kant stated that morality should not fluctuate from a person to another, it should be universal. In other words, one should perform the