Essay Review
The authors that I selected from the 1950’s essays are Maximilian Hodder and James A. Michener. The two similar themes addressed in the two essays made me choose these two writers authors. The themes are brotherhood and friendship. I learned the following ideas. Despite the cultural, social and other differences that people have, there is brotherhood since we are similar in creation; and that to co-exist we others, we need respect their way of life. Also, our similarities should be a bond to strengthen the brotherhood and that that can be realized through our services to others.
The authors of the modern essays that I chose are Matt Harding and Eve Birch. I chose them because they emphasize on the importance of hospitality and courtesy. The ideas that I learned are the significance of humane in assisting those in dire need without necessarily delving into who they, and how we can foster humanity in the world by showing our empathy to a neighbor who in turn will chart anew someone else’s course of life; and looking beyond our differences with the rest of the world and in turn, enjoying our similarities.
Formatting tips in the essays include literature allusion to emphasize relevant points such as Maximilian’s reference of the Adam Mickiewicz’s poem, “The nectar of life is sweet only when shared with others”; the authors emphasize their points such as the description by Eve, “They started to teach me a belief in a different American dream — not the one of individual achievement but one of neighborliness.” Also, Matt emphasizes his point in concise terms, for example, “My brain was designed to inhabit a fairly small social network of maybe a few dozen other primates— a tribe” (NPR, 2012). Personification is also used in the context to drive the point home such as where Matt describes his brain as “inhabiting.”

Reference
National Public Radio (NPR). (2012). This I Believe. Retrieved on April 9, 2012 from http://www.npr.org/series/4538138/this-i-believe