Analytical Essay - Johnson, Aristotle, Cervantes

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Clayton Vannata Professor Manter Seminar 001 May 16, 2013 Analytical Essay “Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend” (Albert Camus). A true friend can either be in a romantic relationship or a completely platonic one. This type of friend, in either category, knows when what’s being asked of them is too far; they are also those who want to see the best in you and will always be by your side, even when the going gets tough. Most of all, a true friendship is a mutual symbiotic relationship and it’s these relationships that are an essential part of life because friends help us through tough situations, they offer hope make someone feel worthwhile. Many books and/or short stories try to capture the importance of these relationships and in any form of literature we see either healthy friendships or ones that will never last. The last three pieces that we, as a class, had to read we were able to see how “friends” interact and how friends are supposed to act based upon the teachings offered by Aristotle on the subject matter. All three of the texts of “Melvin in the Sixth Grade” by Dana Johnson, “Book IX” by Aristotle, and “The Man who was Recklessly Curious” by Miguel de Cervantes are written on the subject of friends, however all portray their message in different light. We have Johnson writing about a young couple, but the relationship is one-sided, Aristotle writing a pamphlet that should teach his reader how a true friend should act and the guidelines of what it means to be a true friend, and Cervantes writing of a friend that tries very hard to remain true, but due to the other’s pushiness rendering him incapable. True friends have a mutual relationship like has been stated earlier; both are very happy and content with what they have. Usually this means that both parties are

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