Group+3

Joanna Zhang, Brooke Shivers, Johnny Dunn, Rahul Saha

Self-indulgence vs. self-sacrifice

__Introduction:__ Human nature can be a powerful thing. A certain strength is required to overcome subtle instinct. One widely despised yet widely practiced impulse is selfishness. Many long to rid themselves of incessant conceit, but few possess the moral obligation to succeed. Because humanity searches for and praises selflessness but struggles with the easier route of greed, it is a common aspect in entertainment to use this controversy as a main focus or conflict. Through a mosaic of characters and their distinctive decisions, David Lean, the director of __Dr. Zhivago__, portrays this prevalent theme of self-sacrifice and its association with the very human characteristic of self-indulgence, which is also an acknowledged subject in other media such as comics and literature.

__Body Paragraph-skeletons:__ **I.** A discernable degree of both selflessness and personal gain is revealed through conflicts and motives behind choices in the film __Dr. Zhivago__. A. One such conflict that displays this theme is depicted as Yuri's father leaving him after the death of his mother, in order to fulfill his yearning for personal desire. B. Yuri is acquainted to the disappointing reality of society and selfish humanity at this point, and gradually embodies qualities of both giving and gluttonous natures. 1. Yuri exhibits sacrifice and a giving heart through readily accepting that his house had been apportioned to many other families. 2. Zhivago also selects the inverse choice to sacrifice—indulgence—through his affair with Lara and the refusal of his true family. II. __Ender’s Game__, a science fiction novel written by Orson Scott Card, is an exemplary facet to the motif of self-sacrifice versus self-indulgence. A. The character who provides the example of this major theme is Ender Wiggin, a six-year-old boy with the mind of a strategic genius. B. Ender must eventually decide whether to endure mental and physical brutality forced on him by his teachers to save all of mankind or relish in his childhood while neglecting the enormous responsibility that has been laid upon him. 1. Ender makes the more sacrificial decision to let go of his youthful innocence and undergo military training so he can defeat the bugger fleet. 2. Through the denial of his comfort, Ender sacrificed his well being for the rest of the world—even to the verge of pushing his mind too far. 3. Colonel Graff, one of Ender’s teachers, even implies his understanding of the theme when he reminds Ender, “Human beings are free except when humanity needs them,” and explains that sometimes one should deny oneself for the benefit of others. III. A more recently created film, __Spiderman 3__, presents complete mastery of the controversy that exists between self-sacrifice and self indulgence. A. Peter Parker, a seemingly average teen, doubles as a superhero named Spiderman who protects the innocent people of his city from danger. B. As so famously quoted, the message “With great power comes great responsibility” arrives to Peter Parker during his internal debate. 1. This struggle within himself derives from Peter’s continual obligation to set aside his personal agenda for the welfare of others. 2. Parker must eventually decide whether to lay down his obligation as a superhero and pursue his normal life or continue with his double-sided secret. 3. Peter becomes tangled in a web of his relationships, because if he chooses to deny his life as Peter Parker much longer, his family and loved ones suffer and become estranged from him. If he chooses to ignore his duties as Spiderman, the people he keeps from harm are subject to peril once again. IV. Similar to Peter Parker’s character in the film __Spiderman 3__, Bruce Wayne of the “Batman” comic series faces the dilemma of a dual existence. A. Wayne’s two-faced persona constantly forces him to choose between pursuing personal goals and ensuring the safety of those who cannot always protect themselves. B. This ever-present conflict is never fully resolved for Batman, leaving him always conscious of this internal struggle. C. When this hero shifts from Batman to Bruce Wayne, a uniquely ironic situation occurs—the self-denying hero must wear the façade of an indulgent, petty millionaire. 1. This lifestyle is used to contradict the possibility of Bruce Wayne being the selfless Batman. 2. Pretending to be indulgent and avaricious is also a form of sacrifice for Batman because he does not truly possess those characteristics.

__Conclusion:__ The crucial factor in the inverse relationship between self-indulgence and self-sacrifice is obligation. Simply mentioning the word compels us to cast aside our conventional hedonistic instincts and expend a portion of ourselves, whether emotionally, physically, or both, for the betterment of a greater cause. Because it is human to covet certain commodities such as love or wealth, the concept of obligation can be interpreted as self-sacrifice, a virtue in today's society that is both desirable and scarce. David Lean and various other advocates of the fine arts have illuminated this theme through film, words, and graphic novels of multiple genres.