8/9/2019 Brittany's Essay Outline for HeyNostra&StRalph

1/1

Essay Outline

Thesis: Success in religion is viewed as being closer to God; people feel they need to beaccepted by the community to acquire that power, to be worthy to go to heaven.

First Argument: The power gained is used to form ones own understanding of thereligion, and to make stronger divisions between those who understand the religion, and

those who do not.

Evidence: I was drinking big time by then. [Reg] liked it because it kept me in oneplace, and because when I was drunk, he didnt need to speak to me (Coupland, 120).

Reg doesnt feel the need to associate with his wife, because she is not as involved with

religion as he is. Reg is only focused on leading those who follow him, and does not feel

the importance of giving away his apparent wisdom to those who do not follow him.

Second Argument: People look up to those in higher power, who are seen as better and

closer to god, to be more like them so they are worthy to go to heaven.

Evidence: He asked my father, Reg, do you think a clone would have the same soul asits parent, or perhaps have a new one? Another friend, Riley, cut in here: But then

what about your twin grandsons You think that one of them has a soul and onedoesnt? [Reg had] obviously been thinking hard (Coupland, 82, 83).

Others look up to him and ask questions like Reg knows all the answers. They have a

certain faith in Reg to know the answers to tough questions, because he is supposedly

closer to God, by being faithful to the religion.

Final Argument: By being a part of a religious community, people sometimes feel

hopeless for gaining power; to be unique, special and powerful within the crowd.Evidence: Ralph is always beaten down by those of higher power because he has sinned

so many times. He feels excluded from the community, and if he is not part of thereligious community, he has no one to lead, and no leadership role to aspire to, from areligious point of view.

Evidence: Nothing makes a person less special than conversion but then how special

can any person really be? (Coupland, 32).Cheryl reflects on when she became religious, and the irony of feeling special, yet not at

all unique. The religious community is looked at being an exclusive club of people, but

once one is a part of it, they do not feel at all unique. The uniqueness is non existent in

the community, because there are so many people with the same beliefs. Therefore,people struggle to be different from everyone else, while still being faithful to the

religion.