Arguments on the topic of life goals. Literary arguments for writing an essay in the Unified State Exam format

How great and noble in its meaning is the concept of “purposefulness”. Life is multifaceted. And philosophical orientation allows us to determine the life position of a person, his goal and worldly purpose.

How often does society hang familiar labels on people like “this one will certainly achieve his goal, despite all the hardships of fate.” The other "appears to be a clear failure, leading a meaningless existence." But why is it important to have a goal in life, what are the arguments?

The goal is important

Each one is unique and distinctive in its own way. And not only by external characteristics, but also by internal concepts: morality and worldview. The worldview of any person, young and old, includes a path illuminated by the sun's rays and aimed at achieving the primary goal.

What seems to one an unattainable dream, for the sake of which one will have to go out on the warpath and overcome a ladder that lasts for years, for another it is a phenomenon of no paramount importance, ordinary and unremarkable.

It often happens that, having not fully set life’s priorities, a person is at a crossroads: rushing from one goal to another. Thus, he stands absolutely still, not one iota closer to his dream.

Arguments from the biography of Jack London

Why is it important to have a purpose in life? Arguments from the biographies of great people perfectly sort out internal contradictions. Everyone knows the world-famous American writer Jack London - the author of adventure stories and magnificent works about friendship, love, gold rush and dedication to his work.

But few people know that for success and recognition, the genius of the great style had to fight hard with stubborn publishers who did not want to have anything to do with the unremarkable young man.

Jack London's currently popular novel "Martin Eden" is the autobiography of a recognized writer. The book serves as an excellent impetus for the reader who knows how to correctly filter information and draw conclusions based on the mistakes of others.

A person who does not have a goal in life is not able to achieve unprecedented heights. Everyone is capable of giving up and giving up, but acting against the will of fate, stepping towards obstacles, is already a manifestation of fortitude and inner core.

Arguments from the book "The Wolf of Wall Street"

In literature, in many works, you can easily find the answer to the question: why is it important to have a goal in life? The arguments given by the authors of business literature are easily digestible and motivate readers to their own achievements.

Take, for example, the vivid character revealed in his own book of memoirs, “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Jordan takes a decisive step towards dramatic change. He sets a goal - to achieve heights at any cost and enjoy the delights of life to the maximum. And how wonderfully and successfully he follows his dream, step by step embodying and developing more and more new ideas.

Such cases seem unnatural and unattainable. But it is precisely such people who teach an important lesson and give an incentive to believe in the limitlessness of one’s own capabilities.

"War and Peace". Arguments from the book

As another equally expressive example, we can cite the epic novel by the world classic of Russian literature Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy “War and Peace”.

The main character Peter Bezukhov has an extraordinary imagination, which leads him to achieve his goal. In his reality, love and understanding of the world are easily embodied in hope and faith. A man whose purpose was the supposed meaning of life haunted him for many years. He overcame many hardships and vicissitudes of fate and came to the conclusion that it was necessary to live morally and improve the world.

The character of Lev Nikolaevich is another excellent proof of why it is important to have a goal in life. The arguments are undeniable.

"Quiet Don"

When talking about overcoming obstacles, it is impossible to ignore the example in the book by Mikhail Aleksandrovich Sholokhov “Quiet Don”.

The revolutionary element sweeps away the destinies of people. One of the main characters, perfectly complements the relevance of the topic. He is at a crossroads, but his inner nobility prevails over the baseness of what is happening, and he opposes the evil and injustice of the world around him.

Quite versatile, but such beloved characters from works not only brighten up our loneliness, but also give an answer to the question: why is it important to have a goal in life. The direction indicated by them is a good incentive to achieve your own peaks. The process itself is an excellent implementation on the path to satisfaction and defending your positions.

Last arguments

It is often very difficult to identify one main goal in a person’s life. The reasons and doubts are varied. There are many examples in life when difficulties break the desire for personal growth and development. Having lost their job, many perceive this as the onset of a dark streak in life.

It really all depends on perception. Perhaps this is a new chance and a quick leap towards long-awaited changes that you were not previously inclined to make. It is best to keep everything under your control. Life is a game, and the strongest makes the rules.

Problem How to determine the goal and the position itself? Choice is an aspect that is significant in the life of every person. Quite often, aspirations are confused with desires that have the form: playing sports, traveling and other things that satisfy needs, but do not have time limits.

The desire can be conscious or vice versa. The basis for achievement should first of all be the realization of the goal. Each person necessarily highlights something different, and by taking a closer look at the people who are close to you, you can determine what is paramount to them.

The list of goals is multifaceted. And in stock there will always be your own goals that cause misunderstanding among others. Exactly the same and vice versa.

Basic goals

The main goals that can be found in life, based on psychological surveys:

1. The first priority for many is the creation of a family nest. This is perhaps the most basic human need, no matter what anyone says. But the thirst for family warmth is inherent in everyone at the level of instincts. Over time, these instincts acquired a more perfect form. In a civilized society, instead of promiscuity, there is a monogamous system, which has demonstrated its relevance in modern times.
2. There is also a humorous saying that is not without meaning - “Give birth to a son, build a house, plant a tree.” Having acquired all three points, you will realize why it is important to have a goal in life. The arguments and reasons speak for themselves. After all, only by creating and building do you get a sense of your significance in this world. A sign that everyone leaves behind after going their own way.
3. When it comes to work, you need to love what you do and do what you love. Only by using this formula can you feel inner harmony when choosing an activity. A person spends almost half of his adult adult life at work. Therefore, it is important not to make a mistake in choosing the path.
4. Successful people tend to have a sense of expansion. They want everything new: more and always. The constant search for opportunities, friends, new skills and abilities will give life a bright contrast, make it interesting and rich.

Conclusion

Everyone can continue the list based on their preferences and goals, the main thing is to remember that only perseverance and unfading optimism can conquer all the peaks.

The question related to the search for the meaning of human life has been raised in literature more than once, and it is this question that can be called initially rhetorical. The heroes of many outstanding literary works tried to understand what the meaning of our existence is, each of them did it in different ways and chose completely opposite life paths.

But despite the ideals created over and over again in their lives, they were faced with almost the same reality. Is it possible to find a definite answer to the question about the meaning of life? And how did his search for literary heroes end, whose images have become so close to many readers?..

Does life have meaning?

An exemplary example of such a hero can be called Evgeny Onegin, the main character of the story of the same name by A.S. Pushkin. In the first part of the work, the image of Onegin is revealed to us, who is a nobleman, a secular dandy, whose life is full of entertainment, amusements and love affairs. Despite the fact that his life seems eventful, over time he becomes bored with it, and wanting to stop the boredom, he goes to the village. Onegin begins to take an interest in the life of the village, tries to alleviate the situation of the peasants and take up farming. But this activity also bores him, and gradually his taste for life cools down, human feelings and emotions disappear from his soul, and he completely cools down inside and out.

The main plot of the story can be called the moment when the main character, having already turned into a soulless and cold egoist, mercilessly rejects the feelings of the young and sincere girl Tatyana. And in the future, he does not spare her wounded feelings; Evgeniy openly looks after Olga, which makes his close friend Lensky suffer. Thus, Onegin loses all his close people, people who needed him, and most importantly, whom he himself unconsciously needed.

This loss means for him the loss of himself, and only such sad changes make him change his outlook on life and its meaning. Onegin tries to improve, he finds Tatyana to tell her about his feelings - but it’s too late, she changed and got married. He made fatal mistakes that could no longer be corrected, and understanding this allowed him to realize that until the moment of the destruction of his life, his own existence had no meaning.

Ideal and reality in literature

Similar tragedies haunted and continued to haunt the heroes even after Eugene Onegin. The eternal search for the meaning of life is one of the fundamental themes in Russian and foreign literature. In their literary works, writers highlight the difficulties of such searches for any person, reveal their ideals and show the bitter reality that they ultimately have to face.

This is the fatal tragedy of the heroes who are in search of the meaning of life - relying on their ideals, they have to deal with a sometimes cruel and unfair reality. Sometimes their life becomes unbearable precisely because of incorrectly chosen life guidelines, sometimes they have to suffer from continuous contradictions and struggle with the discord between their ideals and what actually exists. In the same way, they go through a long and thorny path, during which they try to find the meaning of a difficult and sometimes completely unfair human life.

The problem of life values

arguments for an essay

What is the meaning of life? Why is a person born, lives and dies? Is it really just to eat, sleep, just go to work, give birth to children? Almost all world literature strives to answer two interrelated philosophical questions: “What is the meaning of life?” and “What values ​​should a person be guided by in order to live a life worth living?”
Life values ​​are those concepts and ideas that become the main ones that determine the life of a particular person. It is customary to distinguish between material and spiritual values. Based on them, a person builds his life, his relationships with people.

So,

The life values ​​of the representatives of the “Famus society” were money, connections with higher ranks, power and everything connected with these concepts. In pursuit of them, these people stop at nothing: meanness, hypocrisy, deception, currying favor with their superiors - all these are the favorite methods of Famusov and others like him to achieve their goal. That’s why they hate Chatsky’s freedom-loving and independent ideals so much. His desire to be useful to society, his desire to bring enlightenment to the masses, his desire to achieve success in life only thanks to his knowledge and skills cause misunderstanding and irritation in them. The misunderstanding is to such an extent that it is easier for them to declare him crazy than to at least try to understand his thoughts.
Natasha Rostova

The meaning of life is seen in family, love for family and friends. After her wedding to Pierre, she almost never appears in society, devoting herself entirely to her husband and children. But Natasha’s love and mercy extend not only to her family. Yes, she definitely chooses helping wounded soldiers , temporarily in Moscow after the Battle of Borodino. She understands that they do not have enough strength to get out of the city, where Napoleonic troops are about to enter. Therefore, the girl, without regret, forces her parents to give the wounded carts designed to transport numerous things from their home. The son-in-law of the Rostov family, Berg, makes a completely different choice. The main thing for him now is to make money, to buy things profitably that the owners are happy to sell for next to nothing. He comes to the Rostovs with one single request - to give him men and a cart to load the cabinet and wardrobe that he likes.

Before us is a certain rich man, whose goal in life is similar to the goals of a great many people: to earn capital, get married, have children and die at a respectable age. His existence is monotonous, without emotional outbursts, without doubts and mental anguish. Death overtakes him unexpectedly, but it, like a litmus test, reveals the full value of the Master’s life. It is symbolic that if at the beginning of his sea voyage the hero travels first class in luxurious cabins, then back he, forgotten by everyone, floats in a dirty hold, next to shellfish and shrimp. Bunin thus seems to equate the value of this person with creatures who spend their entire lives only eating plankton. Thus, according to Bunin, the fate of the Master from San Francisco and others like him symbolizes the meaninglessness of human life, its emptiness. A life lived without emotional turmoil, doubt, ups and downs, lived with the sole purpose of satisfying personal interests and material needs, is insignificant. Quick oblivion is the logical conclusion of such a life.

September 13th, 2017 risusan7

Friends, when looking at examples of essays, remember that their author is a person who also tends to make mistakes. Do not write off these works, as you will receive a “failure” due to failure to comply with requirement No. 2:

“Independence in writing the final essay (presentation)”
The final essay is completed independently. Copying an essay (fragments of an essay) from any source is not allowed. or reproduction from memory of someone else’s text (the work of another participant, text published in paper and (or) electronic form, etc.).”

Throughout life, a person sets goals for himself, small and large, high and mundane, feasible and impossible... Behind each of our meaningful actions there is an intention, and the road to it is paved with the means to achieve a result. What is the relationship between ends and means?

I think Aldous Huxley was right. The fact that “the means determine the nature of the end” has been proven more than once by history. World wars, genocide, bloody revolutions have always been hidden behind good intentions. The epiphany comes later, when the means become obvious: ruined destinies and massive loss of life.

Literature has given us many examples of how an immoral goal is revealed by the means to achieve it. So, in the novel by F.M. Dostoevsky convincingly shows how cruelly mistaken the main character was, who believed that great individuals who move progress are allowed to commit monstrous crimes for the good. Raskolnikov tests the theory by committing the murder of a greedy old money-lender. The bloody massacre, the victim of which is not only the “insignificant, evil, sick old woman,” but also the quiet and kind Lizaveta, does not make the world a better place. Rodion did not benefit humanity, but only multiplied the evil of this world.

The true nature of the goal is determined through the means and in the story of A.P. Chekhov. Nikolai Ivanovich long dreamed of his own estate with gooseberry bushes. Not the most lofty goal, but, at first glance, there is nothing bad in it. The Chimsha-Himalayan persistently achieved his goal, using all available means. He “didn’t eat enough, didn’t drink enough, dressed God knows how, like a beggar, and saved everything and put it in the bank.” Nikolai Ivanovich did not even spare his wife; he “kept her from hand to mouth,” which is why she died. Yes, a person has found happiness, but how can a goal be good, for the sake of which a human life was ruined?

The main character of a brilliant novel F.M. Dostoevsky, “Crime and Punishment” Rodion Raskolnikov asks the question: is it permissible to commit a small evil for the sake of a great good, does a noble goal justify a criminal means? The author portrays him as a magnanimous dreamer, a humanist, eager to make all humanity happy, who comes to the realization of his own powerlessness in the face of world evil and in despair decides to “transgress” the moral law - to kill out of love for humanity, to commit evil for the sake of good. However, a normal person, which the hero of the novel undoubtedly is, is alien to bloodshed and murder. To understand this, Raskolnikov had to go through all the circles of moral hell and visit hard labor. Only at the end of the novel do we see that the hero realizes the absurdity of his crazy idea and finds peace of mind.

In contrast to the doubting and rushing Raskolnikov, Dostoevsky paints in his novel the image of Svidrigailov, a man who does not think about the means of achieving his goals. Sinking into the abyss of depravity, losing faith, Svidrigailov commits suicide, thereby showing the dead end of Raskolnikov's theory.

Based on a true story, the novel by the American writer T. Dreiser “An American Tragedy” tells the story of the fate of an ambitious young manClyde Griffiths, who dreams of breaking out of the confines of his environment, quickly and persistently walking up the steps of his career, upward to the world of money and luxury. Having seduced an honest girl and being confident in his love for her, the hero soon realizes that this connection is the main obstacle on the way to high society. A classic love triangle is formed, the third “angle” of which is a girl from high society, opening up all sorts of ways for Clyde to gain material wealth. Unable to resist such a temptation, the young man carefully considers the possibility of getting rid of his first love, which interferes not only with his ambitious plans, but also simply interferes with living for his own pleasure. This is how a crime is committed - thoughtful, seriously prepared and cowardly. After the girl's death, the police trace Clyde and accuse him of premeditated murder. The jury sentences him to death and Clyde spends the rest of his life in prison." In the end, he confesses and admits his guilt. He is executed in the electric chair.

A good, kind, talented person, Ilya Oblomov, was unable to overcome himself, his laziness and promiscuity, and did not reveal his best traits. The absence of a high goal in life leads to moral death. Even love could not save Oblomov.

In his late novel The Razor's Edge, W.S. Maughamdepicts the life path of the young American Larry, who spent half his life reading books and the other half in travel, work, search and self-improvement. His image stands out clearly against the background of young people of his circle, wasting their lives and extraordinary abilities on the fulfillment of fleeting whims, on entertainment, on a carefree existence in luxury and idleness. Larry chose his own path and, not paying attention to the misunderstanding and reproach of loved ones, sought the meaning of life in hardships, wanderings and wanderings around the world. He devoted himself entirely to the spiritual principle in order to achieve enlightenment of the mind, purification of the spirit, and discover the meaning of the universe.

The main character of the novel of the same name by the American writer Jack London, Martin Eden, is a working guy, a sailor, coming from the lower classes, about 21 years old, and meets Ruth Morse, a girl from a wealthy bourgeois family. Ruth begins to teach the semi-literate Martin the correct pronunciation of English words and awakens his interest in literature. Martin learns that magazines pay decent fees to the authors who publish in them, and firmly decides to make a career as a writer, earn money and become worthy of his new acquaintance, with whom he has fallen in love. Martin is putting together a self-improvement program, working on his language and pronunciation, and reading a lot of books. Iron health and unbending will move him towards his goal. In the end, after going through a long and thorny path, after numerous refusals and disappointments, he becomes a famous writer. (Then he becomes disillusioned with literature, his beloved, people in general and life, loses interest in everything and commits suicide. This is just in case. An argument in favor of the fact that fulfilling a dream does not always bring happiness)

If a shark stops moving its fins, it will sink to the bottom like a stone; a bird, if it stops flapping its wings, will fall to the ground. Likewise, a person, if his aspirations, desires, goals fade away, will collapse to the bottom of life, he will be sucked into the thick quagmire of gray everyday life. A river that stops flowing turns into a stinking swamp. Likewise, a person who stops searching, thinking, striving, loses the “beautiful impulses of his soul”, gradually degrades, his life becomes aimless, miserable vegetation.

I. Bunin in the story “The Gentleman from San Francisco” showed the fate of a man who served false values. Wealth was his god, and this god he worshiped. But when the American millionaire died, it turned out that true happiness passed the man by: he died without ever knowing what life was.

The novel by the famous English writer W. S. Maugham, “The Burden of Human Passions,” touches on one of the most important and burning questions for every person - is there meaning in life, and if so, what is it? The main character of the work, Philip Carey, painfully searches for the answer to this question: in books, in art, in love, in the judgments of friends. One of them, the cynic and materialist Cronshaw, advises him to look at Persian carpets and refuses further explanation. Only years later, having lost almost all his illusions and hopes for the future, Philip understands what he meant and admits that “life has no meaning, and human existence is purposeless. Knowing that nothing makes sense and nothing matters, a person can still find satisfaction in choosing the various threads that he weaves into the endless fabric of life. There is one pattern - the simplest and most beautiful: a person is born, matures, gets married, gives birth to children, works for a piece of bread and dies; but there are other, more intricate and amazing patterns, where there is no place for happiness or the desire for success - perhaps some kind of alarming beauty is hidden in them.”