Read the poem We and They by Rudyard Kipling on pg 701 of your book and write a 1,000 to 1,200 word argumentative essay responding to question #3 on pg 702.
Your essay must be “argumentative” in nature, which means that you must have a clear assertion or claim that identifies the practice you have chosen for your essay and an opinion that clearly states which practice is better and why, without equivocating (saying both practices are equally good). Be sure to underline your thesis or assertion.
The support for your claim must not simply be a litany of personal, cultural, or religious beliefs, such as saying “it is better because we/they have always done it this way, etc.” It must be a well thought out essay presenting verifiable evidence and sources.
A practice you might consider, for example, is the practice of “arranged marriage” that is widely used in many Asian and Middle Eastern cultures. If you were to choose this topic for your essay, you would want to consider the incidence of divorce that may or may not be relatable to the practice vs the practice of marriage by choice (or love marriage), the financial and social impacts upon society, the advantages or disadvantages relatable to each practice, and so on.
For your convenience, I have included a copy of the poem and a copy of the question here.
ENGWR 302 – Essay #1
Q#3 – pg. 702
Write about an American practice “we” assume to be a normal, reasonable, right, or correct practice and then compare the practice of a different culture that “we” might (at least at first) consider to be inferior in some way. Now, assess the question of which practice is “better.” What standards are you using? Do you have a basis for evaluating which is better or worse? What would an opponent say? How would you respond?
We and They
by Rudyard Kipling
Father, mother, and me,
Sister and Auntie say,
All the people like us are We,
And everyone else is They.
And They live over the sea,
While We live over the way,
But — would you believe it? – They look
Upon We
As only a sort of They!
We eat pork and beef
With cow-horn-handled knives.
They who gobble Their rice off a leaf,
Are horrified out of Their lives;
While they who live up a tree,
And feast on grubs and clay,
(Isn’t it scandalous?) Look upon We
As a simply disgusting They!
We shoot birds with a gun.
They stick lions with spears.
Their full dress is un-.
We dress up to Our ears.
They like their friends for tea.
We like Our friends to stay;
And, after all that, They look upon We
As an utterly ignorant They!
We eat kitcheny food.
We have doors that latch.
They drink milk or blood,
Under an open thatch.
We have doctors to fee.
They have Wizards to pay.
And (impudent heathen!) They look upon We
As a quite impossible They!
All good people agree,
And all good people say,
All nice people, like Us, are We
And everyone else is They;
But if you cross over the sea,
Instead of over the way,
You may end by (think of it!) looking on We
As only a sort of They!
