"Compassion literally means to feel with, to suffer with. Everyone is capable of compassion, and yet everyone tends to avoid it because it's uncomfortable. And the avoidance produces psychic numbing -- resistance to experiencing our pain for the world and other beings."
Joanna Macy
What does this quote mean to you? How do you feel about compassion? How might you feel compassionate towards Lennie? George? Or any other characters in the story?
22 comments:
To me this quote means that even when people are capable if feeling things, most of the time they avoid it. I agree with this quote, i think everyone has compassion for something. I have compassion for a lot of things. I usually dont like to show it because i can be very emotional. I have compassion for sports; i love to play them. I suffer through things so that i am able to play. For example, this year we had a new varsity volleyball coach and she was really hard on me. I cried a few times throughout the season but i kept playing because i love to play. I think i would feel bad for Leinnie. He is a really nice guy and just wants to be happy. I feel bad for him because he doesnt understand what is right and wrong. I think i would feel bad for George too because he has to constantly take care of Lennie. It would be really hard to deal with everything that lennie does. I would also feel bad for Candy and Stable buck. Candy has had his dog since he was a pup, and they killed his dog. Stable buck is just hated because he is black, and i think that is unfair
This quote truely defines how people feel about compassion. However, not everyone feels that it's uncomftorble. Some tend to avoid it. It could be for many reasons, like you just don't want to get involved with whatever the situation is or you just don't want to feel anything for them. Compassion to me is very important and I'm not afraid to feel it. I feel it twords lennie because people judge him without giving him a chance. They just assume things about him and I just feel for him. I feel it twords George, because people make fun of him for traveling around with Lennie. Compassion can really change how you feel about a person and to give them a chance would most likley mean alot to them.
To me this quote means that everyone is able to feel things but sometimes we avoid it because it might hurt us or we just dont want to. I agree somewhat with this quote i think everyone is capable of having compassion but not everyone chooses to. For me i choose to have compassion most of the time instead of avoiding it. I feel compassionate towards lennie because he seems like such a sweet person. It makes me want to know him because he seems to have sucha kind heart and set of mind, he many harm things but not because he means to. I feel some compassion towards george. I think it is very nice and kind hearted that he takes care of lennie but he also seems kind of mean and blames lennie for his problems.
To me this quote means that every single human being is capable of compassion but I think we're all too scared to show it. We're all afraid that if we show we care about someone else then we might get hurt or dragged into their problems and nobody wants that. I definitely feel compassionate towards Lennie because I could imagine how difficult it must be to have to live in society and not be sure what's going on all the time. I am a very alert and observant person and I could never be in Lennie's situation of the unknown. George is also easy to feel compassion for. He has sacrificed so much of his life and given up so many incredible opportunities just for Lennie's sake. I also feel some compassion for Curley's wife due to her loneliness and candy because of his dog situation.
To me, this quote means that everybody should feel compassion but some people are afraid. They may not be able to open up comfortably or they feel feelings are for the weak. Obviously George feels compassionate sometimes but may not show it because he wants to keep his "manliness". I feel good about compassion and am comfortable with it. I care a lot about my family and would go through anything to help them and be with them. I am compassionate towards Lennie in a way that i know he is a nice guy and its sad that he gets judged by the things he does, not knowing what he is doing. I feel bad for George because it seems like he is trying to be too tough . It makes me feel good to know he has feelings though because he probably could have ditched Lennie so many times now but chooses to take care of him and loves him.
-Taylor Matteson
This quote to me means humans are capable of showing feelings but most dont. I tend to not show much feelings im not really the emotional type of person. Im really laid back, pritty much im cool with everyone unless they prove to me otherwise. Lennie i feel he is very scared at times and people are more afraid of him because hes so big. In the fight with curly lennie was crying like a child. George is very compassionate tword lennie he cares very much about him also lennie does about george. George has to be tough for lennie and he has a soft spot for him as well. I also feel compassion for candy. He was probibly really sad and lonly when his dog was shot.
this quote means to me that if its possible to have feelings or anything they try and obstacle the feeling s or to avoid them. i think everyone has compassion, like me of all people has compassion for somethings, idont show this because its not how i was raised.i feel compassion for lennie because hes a big guy that just does what he does and doesnt do anything to hurt anyone but people pick on him and has a down poor on him. he also cant tell right from wrong and it sucks. i also have compassion for george because hes a nice guy that only wants his and leenies dream to come true, but lennie not knowing ight from wrong affects him and puts bad stuff onto george not knowing it.
This quote to me just shows another way of the human race being lazy. Being a jerk to someone is so much easier than having empathy for another human. Personally, I'm going to admit, nine times out of ten I'm not very compassionate towards others. Well, on the other hand, nine times out of ten we all decide that we need to exaggerate on the details to make our lives seem worse to get attention and have people feel sorry for us. One example on where I feel compassion is for Lennie in the book Of Mice and Men. Lennie really doesn't understand that what he's doing is socially "unacceptable". He really does try to fit in and be normal but he can't grasp the concept of it. I feel bad for George also, George has to take care of Lennie even though he really doesn't want to. Even though we still don't know the whole story about how George got stuck with Lennie I still feel like he feels obligated to, and for that I respect him. With respect, comes empathy, under the right circumstances.
To me this quote means that everyone has their own feelings, but sometimes there scared to show them. I think compassion is something you really have to believe in. Its not something where you can be like oh yeah, Im compassionate. You really have to show that you are and your feelings actually have to have compassion. I feel compassionate towards Lennie because he's kind of a lonely guy. He's slower on things then most people and needs more time for understanding. I feel compassionate towards George because hes the only one that stays with Lennie. He takes care of him and does what he needs to do. He makes sure Lennie isn't picked on and that he doesn't get into trouble.
To me, this quote means that to be compassionate is to feel emotions, good or bad. I feel that compassion is vital to a good human being. This emotion can make you feel humble and it drives your motivation. I feel compassionate towards Lennie because of his mental slowness and the fact that George treats him poorly sometimes. Towards George I feel very compassionate because he has to deal with Lennie who can be somewhat of a trouble to deal with. In a way I feel compassionate for Curley's wife because she is very, very lonely. She has to go around flirting with the ranch hands just so she can feel noticed because her own husband doesn't do a good enough job of it. I feel compassionate towards Candy because his dog that he has seen grow up had to be shot and I bet it was horrifing for Candy. Overall, compassion is a very important emotion.
This quote is basically telling of how compassion is part of everyday life but it is hidden. Most people don't want to show compassion because it could be seen as a sign of weakness. I feel that compassion is a thing that most people are to afraid to open up and show true feelings for other people and things. People may feel compassion towards Lennie because of his disability. People feel compassion for people in Lennies predicament because of the everyday struggles he has to go through. People also may feel compassion towards George because of how he can look after George for so long and have his back.
To me this quote means that even when people are capable if feeling things, most of the time they avoid it. I agree with this quote, i think everyone has compassion for something. However, not everyone feels that it's uncomftorble. I definitely feel compassionate towards Lennie because I could imagine how difficult it must be to have to live in society and not be sure what's going on all the time. I care a lot about my family and would go through anything to help them and be with them. In the fight with curly lennie was crying like a child. I also have compassion for george because hes a nice guy that only wants his and Lennie's dream to come true, but Lennie not knowing right from wrong affects him and puts bad stuff onto george not knowing it. I think it is very nice and kind hearted that he takes care of lennie but he also seems kind of mean and blames lennie for his problems.
Chris Daniels
This quote makes a good point. People don't want to be too close to a person because if they suffer, so do you. But if you experience their sufferings you will know how to deal with them when they get put on you. I think people need to have compassion to get experiences. I feel compassionate towards Lennie because he isn't accepted in the story because he is mentally challenges. I feel compassionate to George because he decided to stay with Lennie instead of ditching him on the side of the road. The person I don't feel compassionate about would be Curley. Curley is too stuck up and wont listen to anyone.
After reading this quote, it seems to me that compassion is another word for loyaly. This quote is telling me that people don't always show loyalty towards others because it's too complicated and most people put themselves before others. This isn't always the correct way to deal with things. I think that George is very compassionate towards Lennie in the sense that he stays with him instead of leaving him behind. It also seems that George and Lennie are starting to feel compassionate towards Candy. Although Candy is contributing money to their dream get away if they let him in, they are also giving Candy a place to stay. He said that once he gets canned by the ranch, he has no where to go and no family to stay with. Candy was also compassionate towards his dog but not everything lasts forever.
this quote means that people can be compatinate but alot of times avoid it because they dont want to truble themselves with it. they dont want to because it dosint affect them and they dont want it to. by numming it means that things dont affect them like they usto. like someone who was in a war might not feel as bad about seeing death because he was usto it. i guess if someone is compatianet there someone who is caring. i do feel some compation tword lennie and goerge because the situation there in. and how hard it must be for them.
This means that when people feel an emotion that they are uncomfortable with they try to hid it. This is not good for a person to bottle up their emotions like this. Everyone needs to express how they feel and who they are. I am fine with compassion. Sometimes poeple go to far with it I think, but it is all on who they are as a person. When this happens I can only respect them for being who they really are. The compassion I have for Lennie is that I feel sorry when everyone picks on him for being slow and that Geroge used to make him do bad things. The compassion I feel for George is that he is doing a very nice thing by helping Lennie get work and money. I also feel compasion for other characters because of how they are treated on the farm.
This quote basically means that people avoid their feelings. In this case, compassion. Everyone can feel it, they just choose not to because it can be painful for them. It takes away from experiencing life to its fullest. I feel compassion towards Lennie and George. Lennie, because he is disabled and cant help it. And George because he has to take care of Lennie. Everyone should take down their wall they have put up and feel compassion.
this quote speaks out in my opinion to mainly males due to the fact that men lack that compassion part of there brain. this quote means little to me because i take this in as truthful but doesn't speak to me. Compassion is the sign of mental strength, you need it but not all whole minded people use it. you could feel compassion towards Lennie for obvious reasons. first his guardian/ aunt died and nobody could care for him, and second he is a little slower then most people. for George you kinda have to feel compassion towards him because he gave his life away for Lennie. this is how compassion effects me and what this quote means to me.
Jane Matta
This quote is very true. This quote describes compassion in ways I had never thought about but I think are very true. For example, "compassion literally means to feel with, to suffer with." Meaning when you have compassion for someone that you feel their pain and can understand what they are going through. I feel compassionate for Lennie because he has a problem and he doesn't understand normal things in life. I feel compassionate towards George because even though he loves Lennie, he wants to be able to do other things that he cant do with Lennie around. I also feel compassionate for Candy because they shot his dog, who acted like best friend.
Most people today chose to seclude themselves from compassion or experiencing emotions. Good or bad, we will cut ourselves off from the rest of the world in order to look out for ourselves. If we don't have to suffer, we won't allow ourselves to. I agree with this quote in the fact that we will numb ourselves to the hardships of others so that we are not forced to endure with them. To me, there needs to be more compassion in the world. I personally encourage myself to practice compassion. Even when other people tell me i shouldn't, i still feel like i could make a difference in the lives of the people i meet if i am compassionate and actually care about someone more than just myself.
Compassion can be applied to almost any character in Of Mice and Men. In regards to Lennie, I feel for his mental affliction. It has to be so difficult to live life constantly in fear. Fear of authority, fear of failure, and most prominent, fear of alienation. A life governed by fear is no life to live at all.
This quote means and defines how people feel to compassion. I totally agree with this quote. Everybody is capable of feeling compassion. everybody is compassionate about something! I have compassion toward cheerleading; I LOVE and enjoy doing it. I feel compassion for Lennie. Lennie does not know what is right and wrong. He does things that are not right. I feel really compassionate towards George. He has to deal with Lennie. He has to struggle keeping Lennie out of trouble.
Oddly enough, this quote means absolutely nothing to me. I don’t think much of compassion, or feel much about it. Instead of compassion for Lennie rather I feel kinda of bad for him, he wasn’t smart enough to control his own strength, and that herts both other people and himself. As for George, I feel bad for him that he has to deal with Lennie all the time. Between the two of them it has to be pretty horrible. I also feel a bit bad for candy, but for different resins then George and lennie. Candy had his dog killed, and he’s afraid he might be fired even though he’d lost his hand to it.
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