Society is a powerful force. A person cannot live outside of society. However, the huge number of laws written to protect people from society indicates that not everything is normal in the relations between citizens and society. We are afraid to go out in the evening, we are constantly threatened by scammers from social networks. Entering life, we are already frightened by the dangers that this unkind and sometimes downright evil world threatens. How to live your life according to your plan? How not to break under the blows of fate?
In the famous comedy by A.S. Griboyedov “Woe from Wit” main character Alexander Andreevich Chatsky, endowed with intelligence and free-thinking, an open and honest person, finds himself in the hostile environment of the “Famus society”. Having lived for three years while away, meeting, obviously, with the smartest people of his time, having read many books, he believes that society is moving forward thanks to progress. He expresses his ideas directly, expecting to find like-minded people in an environment familiar from childhood. However, everything is so simple. Progress did not affect representatives of Moscow's high society, who were frozen in their development. They remain adherents of the rules that guided their grandfathers; they believe that “there is honor between father and son” and “he who is poor is... not a couple.” In this world, they make a choice in favor of wealth rather than love: “... be inferior, but if there are three thousand souls, that’s the groom.” Their home is open “to those invited and uninvited, especially those from abroad.” These postulates allow the flattering and narrow-minded Molchalins to make a career, and maybe even enter a rich family, thanks to their flexibility and ability to please!
As a result, society declares Chatsky crazy because it does not want to accept his impartial accusations. Chatsky is being driven out of this circle, although he is right in many ways. Leaving Famusov’s house, permeated with lies and hypocrisy, the hero leaves, carrying away “a million torments,” crushed by arrogance, he remains true to his convictions, although his heart is broken.
The hero of another classic work, Eugene Onegin, despises society. The novel of the same name by A.S. Pushkin shows three circles of nobility: local, Moscow and St. Petersburg elite. Onegin is not shown only in Moscow. How are his relationships in these circles? The St. Petersburg society immediately accepted Onegin, thanks to his ability to “bow at ease,” speak perfect French and his ability to dance. “What else? Light decided that he was smart and very nice!” Yes, St. Petersburg society does not tolerate only open flattery and ridiculous imitation. Here Onegin feels quite comfortable. His relationship with the local nobility is completely different. Already at the very beginning, the young rake with all his behavior shows disrespect for the guests who are trying to visit him. On Tatyana’s name day, he draws cartoons of primitive provincials on napkins. He doesn't care about the opinion of this society. But he, afraid of being condemned by these people, accepts Lensky’s challenge to a duel, instead of sobering up his young friend and preventing the murder. Thus, the absurd fear of being condemned by society turns into a tragedy for Onegin.
Society can affect anyone's life. No one is immune from discussions, condemnation and various kinds gossip. We can all find ourselves in a hopeless situation, and a lot depends on how society behaves. His influence cannot be ignored.
FIPI comment: "For topics in this direction, the view of a person as a representative of society is relevant. Society largely shapes the individual, but the individual is also capable of influencing society. The topics will allow us to consider the problem of the individual and society from different sides: from the point of view of their harmonious interaction, complex confrontation or irreconcilable conflict. It is equally important to think about the conditions under which a person must obey social laws, and society must take into account the interests of each person. Literature has always shown interest in the problem of the relationship between man and society, the creative or destructive consequences of this interaction for the individual and for human civilization." .
So, let's try to figure out from what positions these two concepts can be viewed.
1. Personality and society (in agreement or in opposition). Within this subsection, you can talk about the following topics: Man as part of society. The impossibility of human existence outside of society. Independence of judgment of an individual. The influence of society on a person’s decisions, the influence of public opinion on a person’s tastes, his life position. Confrontation or conflict between society and an individual. A person’s desire to become special, original. Contrasting human interests with the interests of society. The ability to devote one’s life to the interests of society, philanthropy and misanthropy. The influence of the individual on society. The place of a person in society. The attitude of a person to society, to his own kind.
2. Social norms and laws, morality. The responsibility of a person to society and society to a person for everything that happens and the future. A person's decision to accept or reject the laws of the society in which he lives, to follow the norms or to break the laws.
3. Man and society in historical, state terms. The role of personality in history. The connection between time and society. Evolution of society.
4. Man and society in a totalitarian state. Erasing individuality in society. Society's indifference to its future and bright personality capable of fighting the system. The contrast between the “crowd” and the “individual” in a totalitarian regime. Diseases of society. Alcoholism, drug addiction, lack of tolerance, cruelty and crime.
HUMAN- a term used in two main senses: biological and social. In a biological sense, man is a representative of the species Homo sapiens, the family of hominids, the order of primates, the class of mammals - the highest stage of development of organic life on Earth.
In a social sense a person is a being that arose in a collective, reproduces and develops in a collective. Historically established norms of law, morality, everyday life, rules of thinking and language, aesthetic tastes, etc. shape human behavior and mind, make an individual a representative of a certain way of life, culture and psychology. Man is an elementary unit various groups and communities, including ethnic groups, states, etc., where he acts as an individual. Recognized in international organizations and in the legislation of states, “human rights” are, first of all, individual rights.
Synonyms for "Man": face, personality, person, individual, individuality, soul, unit, biped, human being, individual, king of nature, someone, working unit.
SOCIETY- in a broad sense - large group people united by a common goal with stable social boundaries. The term society can be applied to all of humanity (human society), to the historical stage of development of all of humanity or its individual parts (slave society, feudal society, etc. (see Socio-economic formation), to the inhabitants of the state (American society, Russian society, etc.) and to individual organizations of people (sports society, geographical society, etc.).
Sociological concepts of society differed primarily in the interpretation of the nature of the compatibility of human existence, the explanation of the principle of education social connections. O. Comte saw such a principle in the division of functions (labor) and in solidarity, E. Durkheim - in cultural artifacts, which he called “collective representations.” M. Weber called mutually oriented, i.e. social, actions of people the unifying principle. Structural functionalism basis social system thought social norms and values. K. Marx and F. Engels considered the development of society as a natural historical process of changing socio-economic formations, which are based on a certain method of people’s production activity. Its specificity is determined by production relations independent of people’s consciousness, corresponding to the achieved level of productive forces. On the basis of these objective, material relations, systems of corresponding social and political institutions, ideological relations, forms of consciousness. Thanks to this understanding, each socio-economic formation appears as an integral concrete historical social organism, characterized by its economic and social structure, value-normative system of social regulation, characteristics and spiritual life.
For modern stage The development of society is characterized by an increase in integration processes against the background of an increasing diversity of economic, political and ideological forms. Scientific, technical and social progress, having resolved some contradictions, gave rise to others, even more acute, and confronted human civilization with global problems, on the solution of which the very existence of society and the paths of its further development depend.
Synonyms for "Society": society, people, community, herd; crowd; public, environment, environment, public, humanity, light, human race, human race, brotherhood, brethren, gang, group.
FIPI commentary on the topic “Man and Society” :
"For topics in this direction, the view of a person as a representative of society is relevant. Society largely shapes the individual, but the individual is also capable of influencing society. The topics will allow us to consider the problem of the individual and society from different sides: from the point of view of their harmonious interaction, complex confrontation or irreconcilable conflict. It is equally important to think about the conditions under which a person must obey social laws, and society must take into account the interests of each person. Literature has always shown interest in the problem of the relationship between man and society, the creative or destructive consequences of this interaction for the individual and for human civilization. "
Recommendations for students:
The table presents works that reflect any concept related to the direction “Man and Society”. You DO NOT need to read all of the works listed. You may have already read a lot. Your task is to revise your reading knowledge and, if you discover a lack of arguments within a particular direction, fill in the existing gaps. In this case, you will need this information. Think of it as a landmark in a huge world literary works. Please note: the table shows only a portion of the works that contain the problems we need. This does not mean at all that you cannot make completely different arguments in your work. For convenience, each work is accompanied by small explanations (third column of the table), which will help you navigate exactly how, through which characters, you will need to rely on literary material (the second mandatory criterion when evaluating a final essay)
An approximate list of literary works and carriers of problems in the direction of "Man and Society"
| Direction | Sample list of literary works | Carriers of the problem |
|---|---|---|
| Human and society | A. S. Griboyedov "Woe from Wit" | Chatsky challenges Famus society |
| A. S. Pushkin "Eugene Onegin" | Evgeny Onegin, Tatyana Larina– representatives of secular society – become hostages of the laws of this society. | |
| M. Yu. Lermontov “Hero of Our Time” | Pechorin- a reflection of all the vices of the younger generation of his time. | |
| I. A. Goncharov "Oblomov" | Oblomov, Stolz- representatives of two types generated by society. Oblomov is a product of a bygone era, Stolz is a new type. | |
| A. N. Ostrovsky. "Storm" | Katerina- a ray of light in the “dark kingdom” of Kabanikha and Wild. | |
| A.P. Chekhov. "Man in a Case." | Teacher Belikov with his attitude to life, he poisons the lives of everyone around him, and his death is considered by society as a deliverance from something difficult | |
| A. I. Kuprin "Olesya" | Love of the “natural man” ( Olesya) and a man of civilization Ivan Timofeevich could not withstand the test of public opinion and social order. | |
| V. Bykov “Roundup” | Fedor Rovba- a victim of a society living in a difficult period of collectivization and repression. | |
| A. Solzhenitsyn “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich” | Ivan Denisovich Shukhov- victim of Stalinist repressions. | |
| R. Brdbury. "A Sound of Thunder" | The responsibility of each person for the fate of the entire society. | |
| M. Karim “Pardon” | Lubomir Zuch– a victim of war and martial law. |
“Man and Society” is one of the topics of the final essay on literature for graduates in 2019. From what positions can these two concepts be considered in the work?
For example, you can write about the individual and society, about their interaction, both about agreement and about opposition. The approximate ideas that may be heard in this case are varied. This is a person as a part of society, the impossibility of his existence outside of society, and the influence of society on something connected with a person: his opinion, tastes, life position. You can also consider the confrontation or conflict between an individual and society; in this case, it would be useful to give examples from life, history or literature in your essay. This will not only make the work less boring, but will also give you a chance to improve your grade.
Another option for what to write about in an essay is the ability or, conversely, inability to devote one’s life to public interest, philanthropy and its opposite – misanthropy. Or, perhaps, in your work you will want to consider in detail the issue of social norms and laws, morality, the mutual responsibility of society to man and man to society for everything past and future. An essay dedicated to a person and society in a state or state will also be interesting. historically, the role of personality (concrete or abstract) in history.
The relationship between man and society is one of the most frequently raised topics in Russian literature. Many writers in their works created the image of a “fighter against the system,” an extraordinary personality who, for some reason, was not satisfied with the usual way of life. Based on the reader's experience, we will speculate on whether one person can resist the whole society.
The images of “heroes of our time” that have already become classics, characters whose names have long since become household names, are remembered by most readers as the same “fighters against the system”, but this confrontation can hardly be called successful. We are talking, for example, about the main character of the novel A.S. Pushkin "Eugene Onegin". He positioned himself as a person separate from society. On the one hand, Onegin was a black sheep among socialites and did not differ much from those who were fans of balls and theatrical performances. But with the onset of the blues, Evgeniy very quickly cut himself off from all secular society and moved to the village. There he, too, at first not wanting to come into contact with anyone, after a short period of time was already dancing at Tatyana’s name day. Such inconsistency hardly fits into the concept of “resistance to society,” but Onegin often openly expressed his position as a loner, not taking into account anyone’s opinion and rejecting the typical methods of entertainment and leisure for many. But the duel with Lensky showed that the opinion of the village residents matters even to Evgeniy, because he took this step, including being afraid of conversations behind his back.
Attempts to change society and resist established norms were made by the hero of the novel F.M. Dostoevsky "Crime and Punishment". As a young and promising student, tired of widespread evil, bile and dirt, Raskolnikov created his own theory, with the help of which, it seemed to him, it would be possible to completely change the world. This theory about “trembling creatures” and “having the right” was supposed to become the hero’s weapon in opposition to society, but even such a radical approach had no prospects. As the actions developed, it became clear that, firstly, the theory itself was so inhumane that the very character of Raskolnikov, an inherently good-natured person, rejected such a method of fighting the system as murder. And therefore the pangs of conscience for a long time tormented the hero until he himself admitted the inconsistency of the method he had invented to change the world. And secondly, it seems to me that it was a very rash step to start a fight against society without like-minded people. After all, a person, by his nature, always needs approval of his thoughts and actions from the outside. But Raskolnikov met only Sonya on his difficult path, who, on the contrary, convinced Rodion and directed his thoughts in a completely different direction.
So can one person stand up to an entire society? History knows many similar attempts, but from the example of literary heroes one can understand that in order to resist society it is not enough just to have a desire. “Alone in the field is no warrior,” says popular wisdom, and it seems to me that in any struggle you need a “team” of strong-willed individuals who are confident in their thoughts and actions and are ready to sacrifice themselves for the sake of an idea.
The final essay on the topic “Man and Society” with arguments from the literature is presented below.
“Is one person capable of standing up to society?”
Introduction
Society is a whole system with its own way of life, laws and standards of assessment. Each of us is a part of this large whole, capable of either absorbing us entirely or providing us with opportunities for successful coexistence.
Problem
Is a person capable of resisting society? public opinion or is this a losing battle?
Thesis No. 1
“There is no warrior alone in the field,” says the ancient proverb. It is difficult to resist the opinion of the majority; for this you need to have a special gift of persuasion and charisma.
Argumentation
In M. Gorky’s story “Old Woman Izergil” we see a hero capable of leading the people around him. On the one hand, Danko subjugated people to his will, leading them to salvation, convincing them of a better future at the cost of his own life. But on the other hand, what did he get in response? As soon as he led them out of the thicket, the crowd immediately forgot him, trampling on the last sparks reminiscent of his burning heart torn from his chest.
Conclusion
It is very difficult for one person to confront an entire society. But it is possible, and such people exist and will exist. They have a unique gift of persuasion and a special character.
Thesis No. 2
People who can change the world include many heads of state, military leaders and religious leaders. But there are such people among ordinary people.
Argumentation
“And there is only one warrior in the field, if he is Chatsky,” said I.A. Goncharov. Indeed, in his play “Woe from Wit” A.S. Griboedov portrayed a man capable of exposing the vices of an entire generation in which he himself existed. Chatsky came to people living according to already established rules and turned everything upside down. Then he left, understood by no one and needed by no one.
Conclusion
Having fearlessness and a special character, you can influence the social system, at least in your immediate environment. However, this can lead to loneliness.
Thesis No. 3
There are people who, having given up trying to change the world, continue their lonely existence, moving away from everyone. Society does not accept such people, and they do not have the strength to fight it.
Argumentation
Such people include Ilya Ilyich Oblomov, the main character of the novel by A.I. Goncharov "Oblomov". Ilya Ilyich has a number of positive qualities, he is spiritually highly developed, but cannot find application for his talents. The people around him live according to laws that are alien to him - they are deceitful, they are capable of going over their heads in order to achieve their goals. Oblomov does not accept such rules, but is not able to cope with himself and somehow adapt to the laws of life. Therefore, he withdraws from himself and lives practically as a hermit, spending his days on the sofa in a greasy robe.
Conclusion
Society is enough strong system. She can easily absorb an individual who is different from the rest if she is unable to resist him.
General conclusion (conclusion)
The laws of society are such that we are all, each of us, part of one big whole. We are forced to live by the same laws for everyone, even if something doesn’t suit us. Eat courageous people who dared to go against the grain or lead a new direction in development. But only the strongest can swim against the current. Society breaks the rest and condemns them to loneliness.