Ceilie's Essay #18

Ceilie Moore

Mr. Salsich 

English 9 

April 30th, 2009

A Simple Act of Kindness:

 An Essay on a Poem, a Short Story and an Event in My Life

Kindness, an act of generosity or compassion (SAT Word), is more than than simply holding a door for a stranger, but something that can truly change someone’s life. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Winter Dreams,” the main character lives life according to the girl he loves’ feelings, rather than his own aspirations and is eventually left waiting for some form of kindness to save him from his misery. Not too long ago, I was faced with a situation that pained me so much, but simple gestures of kindness pulled me through and left me feeling thankful. In Naomi Shihab Nye’s poem “Kindness,” she defines what kindness really is and it has it’s own separate connections with a short story, “Winter Dreams” and an event from my life.


TS A poem about the simplicity of kindness and a short story about loss, hope and heartbreak wouldn’t seem to have much in common, but in fact they do. SD Although I don’t see any obvious connections between the two, I see hints of a relationship in short lines and certain phrases. CM For example, in the first two lines of “Kindness,” Nye says, “Before you know what kindness really is …/ you must lose things.” CM These wise words relate to Dexter Green because although the story ends on a sour, cliffhanging note, we know that Dexter has lost a lot, including opportunity to be successful, a fiancée and the love of his life, Judy Jones. CM3 We never find out whether or not Dexter receives an act of kindness after his losses, but we do know that because of what he has lost, he now has a greater knowledge of what kindness really is. (Loose Sentence) SD At the end of the first stanza, Nye says, “You ride and ride …/ thinking the bus will never stop.” CM This reminds me of “Winter Dreams” because for the first chapter of his life, Dexter is taken on an emotional roller coaster with Judy Jones, and her unpredictable lifestyle and emotions. CM Dexter often felt as though his “bus [ride with Judy] [would] never stop” and continue on in this dicey fashion. CS Even though the themes of these two pieces of literature show no clear relationship, within the stanzas and paragraphs, there are hidden lines that bond the two together, creating a connection.

TS There are both connections within the words, and outside the deeper meaning of the poem. SD This connection is between the two people that made these works happen-Naomi Shihab Nye and Dexter Green. CM It seems as though Nye vocalizes Dexter’s feelings about life, love, loss and learning through past mistakes (Tertracolon Climax) in a more poetic, symbolic way. CM Dexter felt his “future dissolve in a moment” and he “journeyed through the night with plans,” and it is clear in both these and other lines that Nye understands the life Dexter is living. SD If Nye were to ever give Dexter advice, she would advise him to be patient with life. CM She would remind him that with all the losses, come gains, which are even more beneficial than the things he lost. CM She would tell him that, “Before you know what kindness really is…/ you must lose things” and that once you are rewarded with that simple act of kindness, “[it] goes with you everywhere../ like a shadow or a friend.” CS There is not only a relationship between the themes of this story and this poem, but also between the main characters of the works, the author herself and the troubled soul being held back by his former love.

TS One distinct event in my life relates to both “Kindness” and “Winter Dreams. SD Two years ago, my grandfather passed away from cancer, and it put a lot of strain on my family. (Loose Sentence) CM While I lost someone who played such an important role in my life, I gained the knowledge of what it means to be genuinely kind. CM As I was going through this difficult time, people reached out to me and my family. CM3 They acted benevolent (SAT Word) towards us and tended to our emotional wounds, making the adjustment to not having my grandfather around much easier. SD This event also reminds me of the never-ending “ride” Dexter went on with Judy. CM For years, Dexter lived an inconsistent life, his emotions towards Judy changed erratically, and one moment they were in love, the next, they were both on separate paths with broken hearts. CM After my grandfather’s death, my feelings went on this roller coaster, unsteadily fluctuating. CM3 At first, I was torn inside, feeling mournful over my adversity (SAT Word). CM4 Soon, I learned to live without such sorrowful feelings about my grandfather, but once a memory of him popped into my mind, or an anniversary regarding his life showed up on the calendar, I fell back into the state of desolation. CS I haven’t experienced the pain of losing the love of my life, and on rare occasions am I graced with an act of kindness, and yet, a saddening incident in my life relates to both “Kindness” and “Winter Dreams.”

In the end, kindness is the ultimate gain from what one lost. It not only brings the person who lost something so special to them, a comforting feeling of happiness, but also something to look back on and realize how thankful they are. It is a simple act of kindness that can do something as special as brighten someone’s day, but it is also a simple act of kindness that can do something as great as get someone back on their feet after a terrible loss.

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Self Assessment

What Am I Most Proud Of In This Essay? 

I am proud of my use of the the writing tools. They were very difficult to blend into my sentences, but in the end, they are both used correctly and fit right in. 

What Was The Hardest Part About This Assignment?

The hardest part of this assignment was comparing the short story and the poem. The two works are nothing alike and it took me a while to really get into the deep meaning of each of them and yank out similarities between the two.