The history of A
Message to Garcia is very interesting, as we found out in class today. This
essay written by Elbert Hubbard sold over 40 million copies, which is crazy
because the population in the United States at the time was hardly 200 million
people.19 It grew so much popularity that it was even transferred into 37
different languages so that everyone could enjoy the meaningful essay. Paper
copies weren’t the only way that this essay was enjoyed, it was also made into
two different movies in 1916 and 1936! This essay grew fame quickly and
eventually people were using the title as a message and everyone knew exactly
what this essay was.
These facts
show just how impactful and meaningful the essay was to people, but this wasn’t
all that was learned today. The Greek word, arete was also a major topic of
discussion. Arete is an excellence, moral virtue, fulfillment of purpose, and/or
the act of living up to one’s full potential. This is a word that one should
always strive to follow because if you aren’t being excellent or at least
trying to be, you aren’t being your best person you possibly can be. I personally
always strive to be my best I can be because if I am not, then why even try?
Arete is potential that is available to each and every one of us. When you
follow arete, you gain knowledge and once you have your knowledge, you can
reach your highest which is knowledge about knowledge. Arete also applies greatly
to Lieutenant Rowan because if he didn’t strive to follow arete, he would have
just accepted the task of delivering the letter. He would have either
complained or asked several questions because doing what he needed to do. A Message to Garcia is truly a very
important essay in our history with so many hidden messages and meanings. I
wish this essay is talked about more because it would show people to only be
excellent and to always work their hardest.
No comments:
Post a Comment