Classification and Division in
Student Example Essay
By: Sean
Savoie
In the last issue of the New York Community Times, I requested students write a
classification and division essay as an example for other students to see. The
essay submitted by Lucy Qian clearly uses the
techniques necessary for a strong essay of this type. Notice how she surrounds
the main idea with many examples of various types of people who exemplify the
nature described in her controlling idea. The development of the essay is very
well organized and accessible to most readers. Most impressive to me is the fact
that Lucy is only 12 years old and has come to the
Classification and Division of Anger
By: Lucy Qian
Have you ever gotten angry before? How did you release your anger? Some people get angry often, while others remain calm before bursting with fury, but the anger soon disappears. Everybody has ways to extinguish their burning mass of energy inside them. Most people use very harsh ways to vent their anger, while others have easy-going methods that are less harsh and wiser.
People who use violent ways to solve their anger issues usually perform the following: kicking hard and solid objects, punching random objects that will not create much pain, throwing fragile and expensive items on hard floor, bending any stick-like things till they break, and causing other people or themselves physical or mental pain. These people are often the ones who can not manage to control their little mass of energy; as their temper gets out of hand, they start to express their anger on random objects.
Kicking and punching brings more pain to the kicker or puncher, but when angry, people do not feel much pain and can not think clearly, sometimes releasing their anger unwisely. This aggressive act will quickly tire them down until they can kick or punch no more. When people drain their energy, they are happy to rest and enjoy a period of peace.
Throwing fragile and expensive items on the floor is another harsh way to destroy anger. Throwing something on the floor and watching it break, one might experience a slight happiness for his power to destroy helpless things. If the “soon-to-be-destroyed” thing is alive and makes every possible resistance to be thrown down, the thrower will only be more furious. If the thing is something that is not quite fragile and does not easily break, the thrower will be even more furious. But if the “not so fragile” thing breaks, the thrower will be more relieved. But in order avoid experiencing more anger, one’s best choice is to throw something made out of glass.
The angry person who attempts to break a stick-like item such as pencils will choose an item that is thin and long, for it will be easier to break. However, some people may like to have a bit of a challenge and try to break a thick and short branch of some kind. While breaking the item, one may fear hurting oneself, but feels the item must be broken or he himself will soon explode. So the item must be broken in any way possible. After the item breaks, the person feels a slight relief for he has conquered partial fear, and if anyone is watching this event happening while expressing their surprise, the angry person may feel some pride and forget his anger.
If you are a friend of a person who would like to express his anger on others physically or mentally, you’d better be careful. Your friend might actually use you as a punching bag or taunt you until you are in the same mood as they. That person might also want to hurt himself. When you see your friends, who are constantly clenching their teeth, have white knuckles, or are scratching their own skin, prepare to dodge sudden attacks; they are going to do some great physical damage to either themselves or you, or both. When you see your friend who is now red-faced, prepare for massive taunting. This type of person enjoys others’ pain when he is in pain; they ease their pain slowly but effectively.
People who use easygoing ways perform less destructive acts, like the following: drinking tremendous amounts of liquid, mostly water, until they feel calmer, taking a long shower that will make them feel lighter, crying in a dark corner, taking a nap, focusing on random things other than the cause of their anger, and if that person plays a musical instrument, he/she could release partial anger on their instruments.
When a calm person gets angry, he feels hot all over; his head is dizzy with anger, and the intense heat emerging needs treatment. Cool liquid oozing down his throat both cools and calms him down. It is a very easy way to calm down at any situation easily and effectively. When drinking down the cool liquid or even ice cream, a person may get a brain freeze, which could be good or bad. It might be annoying or soothing depends on the person’s point of view.
On a hot and sticky day, a person might like to cool down from a way even more effective than drinking water; all he has to do is shower in cool water. The water covering him helps him cool down all over, away from the sticky and hot air. After the shower, the person feels refreshed and light all over, feeling clean and without any burden.
People who are quiet and stubborn like a period of silence with themselves in a dark room; they may like the loneliness so they are not disturbed. Crying helps at the end. They could think of different events in their wonderful lives while crying, then after the long moment of silence has finally ended, they feel refreshed and light-headed. Crying always helps.
When someone is weighed down with his anger, a nap might be all he needs. In dreams, his body will be at rest, he will be calmer (unless he is having a nightmare). It should help him calm down. A dreamless sleep may also help; a rest is all he needs to be renewed.
Musical instruments are practiced by some to correct their characteristics; they help when a person needs to be relaxed. A soothing song can relieve the brain and with the whole song going on smoothly without any serious mistakes, the player will be much happier.
There are many ways to relieve anger. The harsh ways are usually the unwise ones, and the easy-going ones are much better and wiser. Yet when some one gets angry, he must have very good control over himself in order to stay conscious. But the anger will vanish soon, as soon as humans use their own ways to solve their troubled minds.