<p>Prompt: Is the way something seems to be not always the same as it actually is?</p>
<p>The presupposition that the way something seems to be is not always the same is a categorical truth. Some would argue that first impressions always tell one what the subject they are looking at is about; however, these critics cannot see the fact that there is always more to see about anything. If one was to base the world on first impressions, then one would never be able to figure out what the world truly has. Three prominent archetypes that exemplify how some things do not always seem the way they are supposed to be are The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, and the Monroe Doctrine.
Set in the mid -17th century, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, illustrates that things may not always be as actually intended to be. The protagonist, Dimmesdale, commits adultery, but he is the town minister, so it goes against all of the Puritan morals. The townspeople never guess that Dimmesdale is a vice sinner because everyone is in love with him. His sermons are known to move the people’s minds and raise their faith about God. However, not one of the townspeople can go beneath the surface of Dimmesdale and figure out that he has committed a sin, even though it can be seen through his sermons. This shows how people can avoid the obvious when it is right in front of them.
Another paradigm that shows how something may not seem as expected is, Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. The main character, Ender Wiggin, is chosen to participate in a government program, which teaches kids to become commanders. This whole program is meant to challenge the kids into thinking the obvious about a situation. Ender is one of the few people to see around this, causing his team to win the simulated battles. His adroit ability to see what others can not see makes him finish the program much earlier than other kids. Then in the novel a real alien force becomes a treat, so the government sends Ender to command the army. When Ender faces the aliens at their home planet, he thinks he has no chance of winning, but, after a few days of meticulous planning, he comes up with a strategy to destroy the planet. Ender depicts how one must look deeper to find the true meaning.
Yet another archetype that shows how first impressions are not always true is the Monroe Doctrine, which states that America will not intercede with European affairs and any country from Europe should not interfere with the Americas. To an outsider, who does not see the true meaning of this, it sounds like America is being the good guys; however, the opposite is true. America just wants to keep the Western hemisphere to itself and have control of the lands in it. If one was to just look at the Monroe Doctrine and not analyze it scrupulously, one would never find out why America really adopted the Monroe Doctrine.
In summation, the notion that the way something seems to be is actually the way it is supposed to be is a fallacy. Society can only achieve success once it realizes that things are not always what they seem like. </p>