Walls Essay Exam

Writing Prompt: Walls have been built throughout history for several reasons. Write an essay
explaining the effectsboth positive and negativeof walls built, including the contributing
factors (reasons why the walls were built) and consequences (negative outcomes). Cite
evidence from at least three sources to support your argument.

Have you ever stood in front of a wall, and thought Why is

this here?. All around the world people have built walls for many
reasons. Some people see these walls negatively and others see it
positively. Three of those reasons is that they divide society,
protect people from invaders and terrorists, and for privacy. Even
though, walls were built for many reasons, they both have
negative and positive effects.
First of all, some walls have been built to divide people from
society. For example, the rich-poor divide in Brazil was built for
sanctuary from inner city crime and to divide rich and poor
neighborhoods. The website The rich-poor divide states
Alphaville has now become a franchise, with similar gated
communities in cities throughout Brazil, a reflection of a wider
global trend that has seen thousands of miles of walls erected
between rich and poor neighbourhoods around the world. This
shows that they built a wall between the rich and poor
neighborhoods to divide them. Also, in the website The rich-poor
divide Antnio De Oliveira says Theres a prejudice against poor
people in the way the residents are separated from the workers.
When the workers come here, they have to come through
security, like at an airport. It reminds me of apartheid. Thats not
an exaggeration though in this case its not by race but by social
class. This is evidence that they divide them by social class and
not race. Also, it proves that they prejudge poor people, and that
they check the workers because theyre not on a high social class.
The consequences of this wall is that it isnt treating everyone
equally because it divided the poor from the rich. Overall, the
reason why they built this wall is positive and negative for many

people because now people are much safer but they are
discriminating poor people.
Second of all, many walls have been built to protect
something or someone from invaders and terrorist. For example,
the Great Wall of China was built to protect from invasion. Also,
the US-Mexico border was built to protect from terrorist and from
people crossing to the other side illegally. The article Why Build a
border wall? says Invariably, the barriers are justified in the
language of securitythe country must be protected from the
terrorists, drug cartels, insurgents, or suicide bombers lurking on
the other side (4). This shows that they build walls and barriers
to protect people from terrorist and criminals. Also, it proves that
barriers and walls are justified in the language of security which
means that walls are meant to act kind of like securities because
they protect people. Also, the article Who, When and Why Built
the Great Wall of China? states After Emperor Qin Shihuang
unified the six states, he ordered General Meng Tian to connect
the existing walls and to extend them further as a front line
defense against possible invasion. Thus the Great Wall was
formed (1). This shows that they built the Great Wall of China as
defense against invaders. Also, this is evidence that they built it
for protection. Overall, building walls for protection is positive
because people need to be protected from invaders and
despicable people .
Third of all, walls are built for privacy. For example, the poem
Mending Wall by Robert Frost states My apple trees will never get
across / And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him. / He only
says, 'Good fences make good neighbors' (25-27). This shows
that by his neighbors saying Good fences make good neighbors
he is saying that neighbors must have their privacy because they
wouldnt really get along if his neighbors knew everything they do
behind that fence. Also, the poem Mending Wall states And set
the wall between us once again. / We keep the wall between us as
we go. (14-15). This shows that sometimes people dont want to

be with people either because their not social and that they need
their space. Overall, building walls for privacy is a positive
because people need their privacy because maybe some people
arent really social and they would like to be alone.
In conclusion, many walls have been built all over the world
for many reasons and they have positive and negative effects.
Walls can be viewed positive and negative from many people.
Walls are built to protect people, for privacy, and to divide society.
Several of these are positive but they can also be negative. Walls
have several purposes and they can both be anti-positive or
positive.