Influence of Hope

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The Influence of Hope The feeling of hope is something that is instantly recognized in human nature. It provides a glimpse of light in an otherwise dark situation. It can be the trigger for motivation and perseverance. Hope also, as demonstrated in the movie Awakenings, can be devastating when taken away. Much like the old phrase “It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all,” hope has a positive effect whether it is lost or not. With regard to the treatments given to the patients in the movie, it is better to be given hope and lose it than to remain hopeless because it initiates an overall stronger mindset that excludes giving up, even a brief period of a great experience is better than none at all, and it benefits other people as well. It is better to have hope because otherwise a person may totally give up on themselves. In noticing constant ticks that begin to return to Leonard as he begins to deteriorate back into his Catatonic state, Leonard at one point asks Sayer to film him, in hopes to contribute to research to help people. Leonard’s gift of hope combined with his years of disablement made him a better, more empathetic person. In recognizing that this feeling was wonderful, and the moments spent outside of the wall of hopelessness that dominated a majority of his life would return, Leonard decided to make the best of things out of appreciation for this feeling. He as a person was stronger, and he was more aware that he could make a difference. Therefore, in contrast to his inability to help the world overcome the disease that impacted him so significantly that would have occurred if he had remained hopeless, Leonard developed a stronger mindset in that he believed that in the future, it is possible that his disease could be cured, that through his helping in research, he could be a person who gave both himself more,
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