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Good Pride Research Paper

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Argument Essay Scarlet “There are two kinds of pride, both good and bad. “Good pride” represents our dignity and self respect.”Bad pride” is the deadly sin of superiority that reeks of conceit and arrogance” This quote was written by John C. Maxwell, an internationally recognized speaker and author that has sold 18 million books. Putting it another way, Maxwell is saying, pride can be both good and bad depending on the individual. Pride can drive us to greatness or damn us into humiliation and shame. Most instances of pride are negative and take on the less desired path of arrogance, superiority and greed. Pride is an unattractive quality to possess and leads to destruction of relationships, causes arrogance and can lead to someone …show more content…

Pride can motivate a person to reach personal goals. For example, in the short story The Scarlet Ibis, the Narrator said, “They didn't know I did it for myself… and that Doodle only walked because I was ashamed of having a crippled brother”(173). They Narrator pushed and pushed Doodle, not stopping until he got the results he wanted: Doodle walking. Another way that pride can be an attractive quality is the way pride can drive a person to help others. For instance in the short story the Narrator said, “finally one day after many weeks of practicing he stood alone for a few seconds, I grabbed him in my arms and hugged him, our laughter peeling through the swamp like a ringing bell”(176). The narrator had gone out of his way to help Doodle to be able to walk alone. He spent a lot of time and energy helping doodle to walk and eventually doodle could run, swim and a variety of other things no one thought …show more content…

For example, pride can cause a person to become arrogant, and overestimate themselves and others. For instance, in the short story the narrator said, “I should have already admitted defeat, but my pride wouldnt let me” (173). The Narrator was clearly proud of himself and his brother, but when Doodle couldn’t go any further, the Narrator believes he had failed and ran away, leaving Doodle to push himself too far and for his heart to give out. Another example of how pride is an unattractive quality, is the way pride can cause the destruction of relationships between friends and family. For example, in the short story the Narrator said, “The knowledge that Doodle’s and my plans had come to naught was bitter and the streak of cruelty within me was awakened. I ran as fast as i could leaving him (Doodle) far behind”(176). The Narrator of the story knew he should have already admitted defeat, but, his pride wouldn't let him so he left Doodle begging and pleading for him to come back. Yet another example of pride being an unattractive quality is, if an individual has too much pride, it can lead them to hurt others. C. S. Lewis said,” pride gets no pleasure in having something, only out of having more than the next man”. The Narrator believed he was better than Doodle so he pushed Doodle, believing his own feelings and thoughts to be superior to Doodle’s. Therefore, pride is an unattractive quality, pride causes bonds to break and

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