Hello everyone!
I've written a discursive essay for Higher English, as one of the two required pieces for the exam, which count as thirty percent of the grade. Fairly important!
I should probably explain, Highers are what us in Scotland sit at the age of sixteen to seventeen, in the fifth year of senior education. While you can leave at the end of fourth year, after sitting Standard Grades, Highers are what are used to get into university. With the professions, you would then have to go on and do Advanced Highers in your sixth year (which are the equivalent level of second year university exams over in America). In your sixth year, you can also pick up Highers you might have not done last year.
It is your FIRST sitting of the Higher that matters. If you fail them all, then try again in sixth year, you will be disregarded by almost any university. This makes it extremely difficult to get into Medicine (ie. 5 A's at Higher level AT ONE SITTING). It is not possible to repeat your exams past sixth year.
Considering the difficulty of Highers, achieving a 1, 2 or 3 and in some cases 4 (a '1' is 100%-75%, a '2' is 74% to 65%, and so on) at Standard Grade is required. People can also crash the subject, meaning they can take up the subject at Higher level even though they have never done Standard Grade at that level. Only brighter students have this option available, though, due to the difficulty.
Approximately half of all students will leave after fourth year. Of the half that stay on for a fifth year, only 10% will sit five Highers or more. Most people will sit exams for two Highers at the end of fifth or sixth year, just to give you an idea of the level we're operating at over in Scotland.
While I await feedback, I'd like to hear some additional input on this issue? Especially anyone who is religious/ has done a confession before. I could only write through what I'd read up about regarding 'feeling sorry' in religion, and it's be great to have someone who knows how things are done first hand.
I must specify that I am not asking for you guys to write this for me, I'd just like a little more perspective on what is quite a controversial issue. Although if you feel you could tidy anything up, please feel free to suggest changes!
Thank you very much!
I'll leave a copy of my essay, as it is, in spoiler tags below:
(The essay should be no longer than 1300 words, and no less than 1000. You are penalised severely if you go over.)
[spoiler]What does is mean 'to be sorry'? In western culture the use of the word sorry is deemed as extremely important. It is often the one thing that victims of crime or injustice want most from the person or persons responsible for these acts. Children are taught from an early age that to say sorry is required of them when they have been caught out. The word is loaded with implications of guilt and remorse.
It is therefore important to understand what the word actually means.
The Oxford English Dictionary definition of sorry has a number of contexts in which the word is used.
For example, to express empathy with another person's distressing or sad situation. To feel sorry for someone. There is also its use as an expression of apology or as a request when someone has misheard or misunderstood a situation. It can also be used in an attributive way as an adjective to describe someone in a pitiful or poor state. The use, however, of the word sorry as predicate, in that the person is sorry, can also mean that they are full of regret and remorse.
It is hardly surprising that with so many definitions the use of sorry finds itself rooted in ambiguity. This ambiguity is not exclusively found in English however.
In Japan, the term 'sumimasen', shares the same uncertainty as sorry does in English. Though it is defined as sorry or excuse me, it is much more - a versatile expression laden with cultural background, carrying many subtle shades of meaning when thrown into the various contexts of Japanese interaction.
Sumimasen is a ritual expression: its repeated use is more often a social routine than an expression of heartfelt emotion. It could be argued that to say sorry in English has also assumed a similar practice. In that it has become devalued through its continual usage.
According to the works of Erving Goffman, ritual expressions can be categorised into one of two sub-fields in linguistics: 'Remedial expressions' and 'Supportive expressions'.₁
Remedial expressions 'allow for the re-establishment of relations that have been breached by the infraction of norms.', and are in the form of 'explanations which strip the infraction of its offensive character': This is when the offending party are trying to appease the offended party, with words such as 'sorry', 'I apologise', and the like.₂
Supportive expressions are used on a daily basis to maintain a level of normality with people in our lives: A 'hello, how are you?' in passing, as opposed to treating the person to silence.
Ritual expressions will fit into either of the two categories. The expression 'excuse me' would be remedial, whereas 'thank you' would be supportive.
Sumimasen is neither, however. In a test done by Risako Ide, she found seven different uses of the expression in public conversations.₃ It is a unique expression in that it functions as both remedial, supportive and everything in between; just like the word 'sorry'.
This is a useful illustration of how the word sorry is used in so many different situations in Japan. But equally in western culture sorry is used in possibly just as many if not more ways.
Therefore, acknowledgement of the many differences between 'being sorry' and 'an apology' is crucial. An apology is a formal admission of doing wrong. It may or may not be heartfelt. A person could undergo the 'ritual' of apologising without actually feeling sorry.
'I apologise' is not the same as 'I am sorry' but the two have become interchangeable.
So what it is to be truly sorry? Does one have to have other feelings and acknowledge other qualities, such as guilt or shame?
In modern day society we have people pushing the limits of what is acceptable and feeling less shame and, consequently, less guilt for their actions.
With no feeling of guilt, why should people feel a need to apologise? The moral philosopher, Bernard Williams, noted that; "If we come to understand our shame, we may also better understand our guilt".
A notable example of 'shame' is Rodin's sculpture of 'Eve after the Fall', a portrayal of an erstwhile innocent Eve hiding her nakedness. Her posture and piteous attempt at concealment solidify this example.
We have previously noted the link between guilt and 'being sorry', so does Eve feel understand her shame, and feel guilt? Consequently, does she feel sorry?
Many people feel no need to apologise for upsetting or offending others. Expressing an opinion has become synonymous with saying and behaving in a way which would previously been shameful. For example social media allows for the expression of opinions publicly which would have previously been kept as private or that the object of these opinions would never had the opportunity to hear about. When confronted, the offender's apology is mandate, but are they truly sorry?
For some individuals to be sorry means to repent in a formal way. That is, through the rituals of organised religion.
Ezekiel 14:6 says, "Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations."
Repentance is a crucial ritual in religion; the words "repent," "repentance," and "repented" are mentioned over one-hundred times in the Bible ₄- a hint to the significance of the act. A soul is unable to attain salvation without undergoing the practice, and therefore denied ascendency to Heaven and its equivalents. The aforementioned practice is normally an admission of guilt to a figure of authority in the religion, for example; a priest. It should be noted God's 'forgiveness'; the main reason for repenting, is not earned by acts of repentance alone. Instead forgiveness is said to be a gift from God, to those who he saves.
In the 'Psychology of Feeling Sorry: The Weight of the Soul', Peter Randall examines the impact of emotions like vengeance and forgiveness and relates these to contemporary psychology theory. He highlights that true repentance must include a conscious change of mind.[4] This change of mind is to not engage and act on thoughts that conflict with the biblical commands: an intentional turn towards 'pleasing' God instead - a turn which is for the morally better. Only when this is done to the satisfaction of all the individuals involved is repentance achieved.
This is not to say that the idea of being truly sorry, or repenting, is exclusive to those involved in religion. States of change of mind can be achieved out with religious ritual, for example, by the perpetrator of a crime writing a letter to their victim or even face to face meetings. What is important is that all involved parties are truly convinced that the perpetrator is truly sorry. Being sorry is as much about the recipient as the person who is saying it. Only when the recipient believes that the perpetrator is truly sorry then the phrase as any meaning and validity. This appears to be the fundamental and unifying requirement no matter how small or large the act of contrition is.
Bibliography
[1] "Interaction Ritual" - Erving Goffman (1967) Pantheon Books
[2] http://cdclv.unlv.edu/archives/interactionism/goffman/blumer72.html (http://cdclv.unlv.edu/archives/interactionism/goffman/blumer72.html)
[3] "'Sorry for your kindness': Japanese interactional ritual in public discourse" by Risako Ide (1998) for the Journal of Pragmatics
[4] Stagg, Frank. New Testament Theology. Broadman Press, 1962. ISBN 0-8054-1613-7, pp. 118-119
[5]" The Psychology of Feeling Sorry: The Weight of the Soul" - Peter Randall (2012) Routledge[/spoiler]
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woc; the saga continues
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Quote from: zwimmy on December 10, 2013 10:05 PM
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i think zwimmy speaks for everyone on this one
Try to use less line breaks and condense them into bigger paragraphs. Besides that, I suggest you try giving your sentences more flow. You've joined a lot of small phrases together. It stops the flow too often. It makes it harder to define the important words we give emphasis to. (Like this.)
There are also a few sentences that could have been worded better, but you'll definitely work on that when revising the text, so I won't nitpick. The theme you've chosen is very interesting and you carried it well throughout the essay, but in the final paragraphs you made it sound like "being sorry" as it relates to religion is just a part of a ritual; it is my understanding that religious guilt has, generally speaking, changed our usage of "sorry" to a considerable degree - maybe even invented it.
I'm aware that addressing Christian or Catholic guilt properly is impossible in a small essay, but try to mention it at least en passant as something that has shaped the whole of Western culture, including the topic of your text.
Quote from: soup on December 10, 2013 08:28 PM
woc; the saga continues
you're such a little shit, I'll fucking crack you an absolute belter when you get home
Quote from: zwimmy on December 10, 2013 10:05 PM
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I understand you were obviously too busy picking out a dress to wear for your New Year's party - I recommend a nice shade of scarlet to compliment your skin tone (of pasty-basement-dweller)
Quote from: Flash on December 11, 2013 01:51 AM
Try to use less line breaks and condense them into bigger paragraphs. Besides that, I suggest you try giving your sentences more flow. You've joined a lot of small phrases together. It stops the flow too often. It makes it harder to define the important words we give emphasis to. (Like this.)
There are also a few sentences that could have been worded better, but you'll definitely work on that when revising the text, so I won't nitpick. The theme you've chosen is very interesting and you carried it well throughout the essay, but in the final paragraphs you made it sound like "being sorry" as it relates to religion is just a part of a ritual; it is my understanding that religious guilt has, generally speaking, changed our usage of "sorry" to a considerable degree - maybe even invented it.
I'm aware that addressing Christian or Catholic guilt properly is impossible in a small essay, but try to mention it at least en passant as something that has shaped the whole of Western culture, including the topic of your text.
Thank you for your input
Quote from: Thievin' stealberg on December 11, 2013 04:20 PM
Quote from: zwimmy on December 10, 2013 10:05 PM
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I understand you were obviously too busy picking out a dress to wear for your New Year's party - I recommend a nice shade of scarlet to compliment your skin tone (of pasty-basement-dweller)
that nigga's black
jsyk
Excellent. You'll be getting Exceeds Expectations on your NEWTs for sure.
(I don't know much about testing standards across the pond, but it seemed pretty decent for a 16 year old.)
i'm a wizard, harry