I

/ .,

CHAPTER 15
ESSAY WRITING

Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, you'll be able to:
* know about the types of e.ssays,
* find the components of an essay, and
* learn ltow an effective essay can be written.

Introduction
Shakespeare has said, "The pen is mightier than the sword:' It is true because writing can
bring about a revolution without shedding a drop of blood. It is an effective medium of
expression. Feelings, emotions, thoughts and opinion can be expressed through writing
in an effective manner. Whatever one thinks deep in mind, is reflected in her /his writing.
Essay is such a means of writing which reflects writer's personal views on a subject. It has
a greater significance in social as well as professional life. Most of the tests and
examinations for employment lay stress on essay writing. Candidates are .asked to write
an essay on a particular topic. The main purpose of this exercise is to test the writing
skills, language, knowledge, and views of the candidates. Schools, colleges and universities
practice the students the art of essay writing in order to nourish their talent of writing
skill and comprehension of different topics. They are asked to write essays on different
topics to attain proficiency. , .

15.1 Essay
~n essay is a short piece of writing on a particular subject, issue or topic. It is a short
literary composition that evaluates and analyses the topic or issue. The writer outlines
15•2 \ English Cornrnuni·cation
.
h er/ h 1s
. perspective
. and presents persona1 pom· t O f view on the topic. S/he need s to use
appropriate . 1y correc t 1an guage which make the reading of essay
• words 'and grammatical
a pleasurable experience.
Precision and clarity are the hal1mar ks O f a good essay. An essay is non-fiction and often
expository. Essays can be written. on the topics, such as .matters related . t 0 da1ly
.
happenings, current affairs,. •
science and ,technology; socia , economic ' pol·t·
1 1 icaJ,
educational, and psychological issues.
E ssay wn·t·mg is. matter of skill and practice. It demands discipline of mind and
a f" d d" f· ·
reg1mentat10n o oughts · Even many fluent speakers m
. . f th . . if .iculty m putting <low n
. t hought s on paper· The reason is that they lack
th eir . . wntmg skill. Hence one needs to
learn the skill by constant efforts because good wntmg does not happen by accident.

15.2 Structure

There is no rigid format of an essay. It is a creative activity and cannot be confined within
boundaries. But there is a basic structure that is generally followed while writing essays.
This structure helps the writer to contain the essay within a framework which shapes the
essay, and restrict~ the writer from straying of the topic. Generally an essay is divided
into three to five paragraphs, but the number can change according to the requirement.
The paragraphs are divided into following parts:
Introduction
Body
Conclusion
(a) Introduction

Introduction is the first section of an essay. The writer introduces topic of the essay for
very first time in this section. It is placed in the beginning of the essay. It states the
purpose and goal of the writing. It includes detailed background information of the topic,
and strategy that is going to be adopted by the writer to explain the topic. The writer ~an
also give a very brief synopsis of the essay in this section. It is commonly brief but arreStlng
and pertinent to the topic. It creates reader's interest.
h
T ere are numerous ways to get creative in the Introduction of an essay. This creativity
helps the writer to draw and keep reader's attention. The writer can start the essay wi th a
quote or a proverb. S/he can also start with a definition or a question.
(b) Body _
Body . th . . . tent of the
is e mam crux of an essay. It includes the most vital and important con rhe
essay. It can extend to two or more paragraphs depending on the content. nted
developme t f
n ° . . f h t ic is prese
topic takes place in this section. Detailed analysis o t e op
essay Writing
1 1s.3

here in order to prove the points raised by the writer. It covers all the relevant information
about the topic, different viewpoints, Arguments (for and against), pros and cons.
usually the writer has a lot of information to include in the body. Sometimes the writer
places the informa~ion in a haphazard manner which leaves the reader confused. It is
important to orgamze the thoughts and content, and place the information in a systematic
way. If the content contains different arguments, they need to be placed in separate
paragraphs. The paragraphs should be well constructed and related to each other.

(c) Conclusion
Conclusion is the last section of an essay. It is a place to sum up the arguments presented
in the body. It includes the summing up of arguments and final conclusion drawn out of
the subject matter. The writer sums up the main points in this section; rounds up and
closes the discussion. It caps the discussion with a conclusive statement. The Conclusion
can also be summary of the essay.
Conclusiop. is considered a difficult part of an essay to write. Many writers feel they have
nothing left to say after presenting points in the body. But it is most important part of
the essay. It should not be taken as an afterthought. The conclusion should be effective
and satisfying, leaving no hanging threads. An abrupt or feeble end can spoil whole-effect
of the essay. Sometimes the conclusion mirrors the introductory paragraph, but the
words and syntax need to be different.

15.3 Important tips to Write an Impressive Essay

Writing of an essay is a matter of skill and practice. It requires collection of thoughts,
presentation of facts and arguments, their arrangement in a logical order, correct language,
and many more. To write an impressive essay, the writer should keep the following points
in mind:
• The writer should visualize the whole essay in mind, and note down the poss_ible
points on a separate sheet of paper that can be related to the topic. It ensures
that no significant aspect is left out. S/he should organize the thoughts, and plot
a rough draft before writing the essay.
The writer should give an interesting and appropriate title to the essay. It helps
to draw readers' attention and pique their curiosity.
The writer should present the arguments in a logical order. Succeeding arguments
• should flow out of the preceding ones. Examples, illustrations and data should
also support the arguments .
• There should be coherence between two sentences. The sentences should not
seem as separate entities. Each paragraph should be logically related to the other.

• The writer should use simple words to present her/his views. S/he should avoid

.
 ' .·EngJish
, - Commun zcation
. .
ISA I .cated and high sounding words because they break the flo
the use o f co mpll . . W of
n·guage should be simple and cnsp. Slangs and colloquial w d
a sentence. The la or s
should be avoided. Short sentences should be preferred over long ones.
The writer should avoid the repetition of words and phr_ases as far as possible .
• S/he should use correct spellings, grammar and punctuation marks in the essay.
There should be no numbering of the paragraphs, and no headings should be
• given to the body paragraphs.

15.4 Types of Essays

Essays can be formal as well as informal. Formal essays are generally academic in nature
and tackle serious topics while informal ones are more personal and contain humorous
elements. Formal essays can be divided into following types:

(a) Expository Essay

An expository essay is completely based on facts, statistics, data and examples. It is
necessary for the writer to have extensive knowledge of the subject matter to write the
essay. S/he presents a balanced study of the topic. There is no place for the writer's feelings
and emotions in this kind of essay.

ft -'-~-~:-i'\ ,{' - . - \~<j: :--~---: --~~-

lt':it
'"f: ,<'·' '' ;~;, _t ~:,;~;:

· .,.--sJ 1,J?S is sh?r~ fo1; _,A cquire? Immu~.? Defi~Je!"icy Sf*dr~nie . . ca~se,~)?Y,., r,~1JP, of
, related retroviruses known as HIV_(HumariJmmuno.:deficieP:cy Vihis). The;chimps have
been presumed to be the carrier of tliis virus. The vif lis· ddfr'oys J, J ay's i~htune system.
, [The first ~ase of AIDS was reported in the U:SA in 1981, but_-t od~y; -~h~ d1s~a~e has been
. ,reported m almost ev~ry coul!-HY of the world. "
k.Th~'dis~~s~:-is ~pread by the HIJ infected persons to the healt~~-ones./:Ihe vi! us enters the
·_'bo~y of ~.healthy-p~rson tµrqugl:fphysical contact with -an HIV infected person.,Itindudes
b?th homosexual as,well as heteros'~xual contacts. Sex whrkers?are supposed to be th e
:~gest carri~r of th_is ~~~ease. Sh~ring of contantlnated needlesjqr,,sftinges,of a drn~ addict
d Jranffusion of infected blood are some other reasons for ,tli~fspread>'Ao HIV infected
mother,can also tran 1·t th d" : · :,, , , - ' ·
· _ - }m , 1sease to her child during the pre-nat:~ ,stage. - ·.
Afte_r·entying into the h b d _ , , . !: . · · but it
can b · . · uman Q , y, the retroviru,s remains dormant for a'long time,
· ecome •active eve · ft · . ,· ,,. , - · • f the
body. It takes the for ., .:l) a er ;ye~rs. At first;', it sittacks· hatur;i~·d~f~nce ~er~amsm O . e!ll
under ch k Wi m 9f protective cells and dam~ges them, but the antibodies keep th
· ec • 1th the p · f • , d Us gets
decreased d h · · asSmg o time, body s abiJity to replace the damage ce
an t e rate of
neumoni d' h,
1· . f
rep ication o the virus gets increased. S/he suffers rom ak
f fever,
P a, 1arr ea and · , . d t we ·
Ultimately s/h ' non-recovery of wounds. The victim loses weight an ge s
' e reaches to .the death-bed. · . ·
 £sSllY Writing 1. 15.5
'fhere are several myths and prejudices associated ~ith the disease. People take. it as a
communicable disease, but it is not so. It doesn't spread through casual contact with an HIV
infected person, such as hugging, shaking hands, sneezing, coughing, sharing utensils, etc.
People should do away with the irrational beliefs and adopt the fnrected persons. Th~y
should be given due respect.
·precaution is the best safeguard against AIDS. One should always remain faitlfful t~ ,h,(!r/hi~ , .
spouse. S/he should not go to the sex-workers, and lead a content~d life .. $/he shouJd.;;!;
remain away from the use of drugs. The blood should be taken from autligti~Jd )~!,9.<t
banks. Since there is no cure for the disease, one must protect her/him fronfth.e dise;d~i l5y
taking pres~utions. .'

(b) Descriptive Essay

A descriptive essay describes an event, an object, a place, or memory. The writer not only
confines her/him to describing things plainly, but also paints a picture through her/his
words to evoke reader's senses. S/he tries to make the reader aware of her/his emotions at
the moment.

· n(monetizatiort of currency means 'the discontinuity of a particµlar curre~cy frolll, its

·4"'f irculation'. In this process, the currency notes or coins of a particular denomination do not.
~~~_ID;,ain a legal tender. Tl~ey are removed from the system, or replaced with a new currency.
,,," .J:, ~, -,;;p; ' 1/ • ' ' ,,

i .µi 'tlie_·present context, the term is associated with the demonetizati_o n of 500 aQ.d 1000
": !u¥~ecdrrensy notes in India. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi,' on 8 th November 201_6,
*1 ~n1o!:1n~ed tha( the 500 and 1000 rupee currency notes would no ~ore be a·legal tei:der Hf .
. tu;tuti\ and tl)e notes would be replaced with new currency notes. It was a revolµtionarytc: 3
v«'steF. Iis main motive was to curb black-money, arrest the circulation of fake currency, check. '1<?e ·
iJlfJatio.,n, :tl);ake India corruption-free, and ban the availability of funds for illeKal activities;. :c
4
but it cpu\d not p,ro1uce desired results. -~ , , , •

ltwas n0t ·f ;u~'d; n;d,f!cision. The government had taken a number of steps in this.<.lirec;tion
much oefore Its announcement. As a first step, the government asked the citizens tq ·operi ...
the1r bank-accounJs so fhat they can deposit their money in these accounts., Itlal,:\nched t}:te . •.. """
;ch~me na~ed,,'Jan Ohan Yojana', to facilitate the citizens. It alsp ~sked t~e R,~setve Bank of ·
nd1 a to pnnt new currency notes of rupees S0Q and 20Q0, and 1t had started six months h
~ack. Then the government launched a scheme for the citiz~n~ fo declare their undisclosed
income.

Demonetization was taken as a financial reform in Jndia. It was believed that the move
wi·t~uld help to unearth black-money. Individuals, having unaccounted cash, would deposit
c into
· th.eir
· b ank accounts and the money would be used for developmental activities of the·
ountry. They wou Id h ave to show the. source of the_ir
, mcome
. . mcome
~nd pay . tax. It would

re rt iii
1s.6 I English Communication

enhance tax collection as well as income of the government. The move would also hel
India to become free from corruption. People would refrain from corrupt practices as ?
would be difficult to keep their unaccounted cash with them. It would stop the circulation;~
fake currency because most of the fake currency that was in circulation, consisted of high
value currency notes; and the move would eliminate the fake currency from the system. It
would also curb the menace of money laundering. The government would be able to track
such illegal transactions and the Income-tax department would be able to catch the offend-
ers. It would control the funding to unlawful and criminal activities thriving due to fake
currency and unaccounted cash flow. ·
But the move failed to meet its objectives_. It caused huge inconvenience to the general
public. The sudden announcement made the situation chaotic., It created panic among the
masses. People started running towards Banks to exchange, deposit their demonetized
notes, or withdraw money. The delay in the circulation of new currency worsened the
situation. There were long queues outside the Banks. Some corrupt Bank officials ex-
changed the black money in bulk and received huge sums in bargain which caused inconve-
nience to the general public. The government fixed the withdrawal limit which created
problems for the people who had fixed the marriages of their near and dear ones. In spite
of having sufficient funds in their Bank accounts, they were not able to meet their needs.
· Demonetization also affected the business activities because of cash crunch. Many poor
daily-wagers had to lose their jobs because their employers did not have enough money to
,pay their wages in cash. The 2000 rupee currency note proved to be another burden on the
people as transacting with such high value currency became cumbersome. The notes also
made it convenient to hoard black-money in cash. The government had to bear the cost of
printing of the new currency notes. Moreover, fake 2000 rupee notes also hit the market.
. .
However the government claim that the move has been successful to meet the objectives,
and the result will be realized in the long run, but it could not produce the desired results. '
'!he Reserve Bank of India received almost the same. currency back as it was in circulation
'before the ·announcement of demonetization. It could not curb black money. On the flip.
sid~, it slowed down economic growth of the country.

(c) Narrative Essay

A narrative essay is the one that tells a story, a particular incident or series of events, an!
describes the same in detail. It is usually filled with the details that are carefully select~e
to explain or support the story. It relies on personal experiences of the author or t n
t
protagonist, and includes plot, character, setting, climax and ending. It is a firS pers:in
narrative and the writer can use first person as well as third person pronouns. Tbe_mwas
aim of a narrative essay is to make the reader feel as if s/he was right there when ~thol 5
happening. The writer outlines a vivid and real picture of the time. S/he tries to
rather than 'tell'.
EsSaY Writing
Ir

. It was the"month
. . .of June and. the sum mer h eat was as bhstermg
. . as ever ifi Delhi. I decided
. .a 4ill
.to ·go to 1 st at·ions ear1·1er, but ,Mussoone
'f statio_n for-· rehef. J had visited a number·of h'll ,
· le .!;i He~ce, I ~ooked a hotel for three nights, an~ tickets for the travel.
e.weath
· ;' _er_
..J''_·. remainspleasant
. throughout the year in Mussoone.
· Th, ough greenery
· can. .be.
1
ee~ .itJts .~ oommg best between September and November, but can also pe visited be-
'Y:~en Apriland June. Though rain was expected in the month, but the weather remained
X~~r ' dufin~· ~Y; stay. I reached my hotel at eleven. I dropped my bag in the room and
I
~oved ou~. V1s1ted a number of tourist spots including Camel's Back Road. It resembles .
the ~hape of a camel's hump. I also travelled to Gun Hill. Here, the cannon had,been{ired
at nud:.d~y for many years. It is also accessible by cable car on the Mall road. ·
Next morning, I travelled to Kempty Falls, situated on the Chakrata Road, 15 lqlometers
from Mussoorie. Its beauty mesmerized me. But more than .that, another beauty
lfr~w my
attention. I had hardly seen such a pleasing personality. She was there with her
friend. But she was a stranger to me. In the end, we would have to take different_paths.
i · C)n the way back to Mussoorie, I stayed at Lake Mist. Accommodation a~d restaurant
·,. facilities were available there. The lake had many small waterfalls made by the river Kempty.
l,, t:. l <lecided to enjoy boating on the lake. But I did not know that this decision would change
my life . .
'. An untoward incident happened during the boating. While I was in the middle of the lake,
the boat overturned. I was helplessly floating on the water. I did not know how to swimr b_ut
' I :was' t; ying. Suddenly a miracle happened. Another boat came ne~r and rescue_d me. JJ was
hard to believe that the rescuer was none other than that same girl. She was m the ot~eJ
"' :.1_ 'th h f · d I was p·erplexed They brought me to the shore and consoled
boat w<>ng w1 er nen . · · · .
me. I thanked the girls and went back to my hotel.
.· 'd e' I found the same girls in my hotel. I was amused on seeing them. I said
Wliat fl comc1 enc . . ·ndin me in the hotel. By now, I had un.?et
hel\o to them. T'hey too were surprised on fl g N' h d Khushboo Strange!"':.Both
' ·' h Th . t oduced themselves as is a an . .
stoo d q,o d s w1s . ey m r numbers with a promise to meet again:, ·
were 'from' E>elhit We exchanged our phone ·.
. , , . d to various places nearby. But I was n<;>t _mter~s~ed
Now we wete friends.1:11 of us tr~vell~ a She too was drawn towards me ..I could ,;-eal~ze
in places. Rather, I was mtereS t ed m Nish . h
No doubt t e scenic
of
. beauty Mussoorie was mesmenz-
. d kn
h er attraction throug h h er eyes. '
st
t d talking to each Qther. Only Go ows
ing, but it faded before Nisha's beauty. We are meeting in Delhi as well. After a few
when we came so close to each 0th er. We kept on h other Soon we decided to marry.
lementary to eac · Th k ·t0 the
meetings we found ourse1ves comp · · fter ten years of marriage. an s
' ried life even a
We have been leading a happy mar h
boating incident which brought us toget er.
1s.s I English Communication
(d) Persuasive Essay
A persuasive essay is written to persuade the reader to agree with the writer Th · .
· · h d · e Writer
Presents the facts m order to convmce t e .rea er to accept her/his point of v·
Presents both sides of the argument and tnes to persuade the reader that her/h'1s side
.
carries more weight.
----•----T-------,_;.,-:--...,-,..:,----,.~~-~,,-~,,.._--~--~---
Example.
,

• Advantages and Disadvantage~ of Online Shopping

Internet has revolutionized our lives in so many ways. It has brought comfort and con~e-
nience. We can receive not only information, but can also shop online.
Online shopping is the act of purchasing products or services over the Internet. It is the
method of purchasing goods through online portals. It is one kind of E-business where the
consumers can shop over the internet. It has become popular among the masses. There are
a number of available web stores that sell goods through their online portals and deliver
the goods at the customers' address. Millions of products are being sold through this E-
business model all over the world.

Most of the people prefer online shopping because it is convenient and less time consum-
ing. They need not to visit the stores in search· of the produ,ct·from one store to the other
until they find it. The elderly, disabled persons and women can purchase the products and
services of their need from their homes. The online shopping websites provide the feature
of search engine and the customers can search the product by using this feature. It saves
their valuable time. If a product is not available with one web store, s/he can switch to the
other. The customer can compare the prices, offered by different web stores, and save their
money. Online shopping facility is available all the twenty four hours of the day and all the
days of the week. One can surf the website at any time and order the product. The online
shopping web stores offer the facility of home-delivery. The products are delivered at
customers' address. It also saves their valuable time as they need not to visit the stores to
purchase goods.

There is cut-throat competition among the different online sellers. They offer maximum
discounts to the customers. Customers get cheaper deals and better prices with discount
coupons and rebates thrown in by these sellers. The sellers purchase goods in a lar~e
quantity and receive heavy discounts from the manufacturers. They purchase goods di-
rectly from the manufacturer which cuts the margin of the mediators. They also offer th e
goods cheaper because they do not bear the cost of running a shop.
It'is not t h at on1·me shopping is only advantageous, it has disadvantages as we11 · There eris
neither ~ands-on inspection, nor physical impact for the product's suitability. The shoPh\
canno t see an d 1ceeI the product, or try on the size. S/he takes the word of d escnp
. tion w icks
·is cIeverIY era fted by the seller to make it sound appealmg. . Sometimes
. h
t e pro duct Joo er
att rac t'ive mt
· he visual
· image but does not have good quality. Many-a-tune · s the sh0dPPct,
. att r~cte d bYt he name of the company, and orders the product. On receiving
is · · the pro u
s/he fmds her/him cheated.
 p55a)' wri• _ . . ...;. . .. _. . . I. 15.~
, ·"'·0 ·d re delivered at buyers address. It takes some time t· h ·· , . .
u goo s a .. . h d 1· f . . " . . o reac the b , , ,
'f1,e . akes along time 1.n t e. e 1very. I a person needs the-p· d ... . uyer s. Some-
. es it t . h. 1 ro . uct unmed. I
n.Jll . of no use. Sometimes t e se ler cancels the otder d. c · iate y, online
•,ping 15 · an m1ohn th b
sh this"'..
0 P ...~y the shopper does not. get the product. M.oreover . -· , on·li' ne sh oppmg . s e duyer . later.
I11• ec . t·on for the purpose. If a person does not have intern · e·t c· · .. nee s internet
1 · . · , · onnection O kn
co00 ·t· . r s/he may not be able to use the service. r owledge of
cotnP0 e' ·
·"' t•""'es the onlipe shoppers have to face·fraud and security co· . .
-some~-- . ·a1 . ncerns. Hackers t I h
.ered't-ca.1 .
l d.· detail
, .
or soc1
•
security
. •
numbers,
.
and misuse
,
the data S f
• ome rau ulent
d . s eab .t e
, )t th~' dttail, and misuse 1t. Many people have been cheated by such b . _we sites
as ,.. ,,, . , . 1· h t h' /h d' we sites. It is neces
.sa" it6t "' ~n-ol} mes opper o use 1s er ere 1tor del;,it cards-with d
. .• . ue care. -
. o.. .•. c.lu.de, cohve11ience apd, cost saving are main advantages of on·I·
. ·" <'''- ·' dh d . ... . me sh oppmg . .
while
~s~cuiltu-Jsks and reduce an s-on purchase gratification are"its 'disadvant w 'h
·u·~-.. !F'.& .\l.itre. shopping With due• care. We should check
· ,,. .,., . · •
the complete i'n'"oargmes.t·
. 1' a ione sh e1ore
~uld
p}~d~ .~L~rder to reap max1m~m benefi~ of onlme shop:ping.
'~1°mt~A_d'flt.~ , /

(e) Thesis Statement

There can be different arguments for a topic. Some can be in favour of the topic, and some
against. However the writer can discuss both the aspects, but thesis analyses only one oi
them. Mainly, the thesis statement is a clear and one sentence explanation that tells the
writer's position to which side s/he is. The writer makes her/his position clear 1n the
beginning of the essay and leaves no doubt in reader's mind. It follows slightly different
structure and aims at making it easier for the reader to navigate the ideas that are put
forth in the essay.

" . . ··. . . ,, . h • !:1:/ ess • arid working together is

oming tog· ether is a beginning, staying toget er is.* · ,? i . · 't be
.. " , . . . . . . . -, . . •. d •fftcult to cJefii,le b_~ca11se success ~an .
to.
·\ Success IS desired b~ all, b-q,t,!b~ t~r~-1-s loss.ibl~ Irieas:ure success in physical
4
,to£a specific meaning. ~vepit 1s ~,\f · · · · .
x . • e · Ions.
. ·•
.•

.
- .·•· ·x•',,...,,.
:: . ·, ,., h · Other Some persons take it as
.

· . . , •· · d·· success-to t e • 1 e person

Suc~ess to qp.e· person C?:,ll t be Vl~we } s <,:. • , · ent dreams. For examp e, _on
0
al
fuJfillm~ntof dr:!ln\ b ;p t diffeI.e.~t P~f t ~:r~,~:~t;fie:r~f tp , ;~a.JPe, It is h~i!~ ~~::gh
dreams of acqmrmg, enQrmoq,s , ~-- · . "" , \:cess··and •sense of well gt ·0 that
. . . . . '· . ., . . . . ' ea . su< ... · . . . ' b 0 tit is not cer a1 .
success. But it IS not !\P.J?rQpf,
· · · · . . · acqg1re }\..'"··. ·. "".r.. • ·ous• · w.
. e~tb.,• · sfu1111e
m.· .c wi·thout beU1g
"'v material possession. ·s/lie may , ·. e ·. · ·,;,.•.•· <<,··. 1 leYt.b .hav:.e. a $U~ces h' s whatever s/he
· 1·t·•·•·1t'l ·' alsoRQS +.s ;• . c, d' /h ac1eve /
0 s/h,e may lead a suc~essfuh !~~'.,;;, ,;!,!4'M ::•Hi '~~~-~4ucation aIL s eit~ble employment, h~r
·.~fa' • '

4 wealthy. Some 9ther dreams of,~etting ·f~ ·,11; fails to sec¥re a ,s11 _ .
. uccess But 1 ..s1 . . ' -, .
wants. It's her/his aca dem1.c s . ·. :, ·. _;.'Oth.ers'.•eyes: . ' .
. • ; " .c,,.lure
h1s success· would become a w.- · ·, . • ·;cc,
1 m · ·
z:•
, , - - _,A.
1s.10 I English Comrnun~ca,tion

"The sweetest victory is the one that's most difficult:' Every successful person had/have to
face difficulties to obtain it. S/he needs to overcome adversaries, obstacles and barriers in
life. S/he needs to convince her/himself thats/he can succeed regardless of these obstacles
and adversities. It is true that everyone is not positive by nature, but it is ,necess~ry to 'have
a positive attitude 't o achieve success. , ,
"Life rewards us most when we approach the world with a positive attitu:de:' ,lt rilak~s ~s ,
abkto learn the lesson from failure and continue to push ourselves forward. Success ~nd
failure go hand in hand. Before achieving success, one should be rea4Y:, t~ embrac~h he
prospect of failure. It is a necessary step for unprecedented success, We can take the exam,Ple
of famed American inventor, Thomas Edison. He is famous for the invention .oflightb,ulb\
He had not been successful in his first attempt, but it took him more than one thousand .
, , a\tempts to make the first incandescent bulb. He did not lose patience a~d lean:it from ,
failures. As he himself says, "I did not fail a thousand times, but instead succ:eede<t in
finding a thousand ways it would not work." ·· ,
Failure and defeat are life's greatest teachers. Great suq:ess depends ·on gJ eat risk ,and
failure is its by-product. It is necessary to take risk to achieve a worthy goal, but .the risk
should be calculated one. One shouldn't mourn the mistakes; rather parlay them into
future gains. •
Brian Chilubano says, "Success is a hidden power placed in the human spirit:' It is:important
to ha~e confidence and paint a picture of success in mind: One g\lould have self~confidence
not only in her/himself, but in her/his efforts as well. S/he must study the expf riences of
others, and apply them to achieve success. S/he must make proper plan and work accordingly.
Heath says, "One of the biggest secrets to success is operating inside your strength zone but
o.u tside of your comfort zone." As each type of success is different from the,other, so their
,paths•will be different, but there is one thing in common and that is 'hard work'. Hard worK
is the key to success and never goes unrewarded. Often, successful persons are J nvied for
wrong reasons. People think that they're gifted and more intelligent. They do not ne~d
,much hard work. Intelligent persons are not born with everything stored in their heads, but
. :wlia~ever they know is learnt by them. They put in effort to learn and work hard tpwards its
\ attainment. ,
'To ~ .ondude, success is not an unachievable task, but can be obtained with the ·help of
efforts and planning. Motivation, positivity, hard work, and learning from failures are
· some of the key factors that contribute to obtain success in life. ·•

15.5 Essays on Technology, Education, Social, Environmental and General Issues

(i) Technology

Internet: A Boon or a Bane

Internet is short for international network. It is the widest network that connects millions
of computers all over the world. It is an intricate web of satellites and optical cable networks.
 ,

essaY Writing I 15.11

the function of a superhighway through which the messages can be d . d.
1
It perform~ the world within no time. It is the most sophisticated· media thate ~ver: m
any P art do by far. It is used not only through computers, but can also be used tabs
deve1ope
eenh
roug
mobile phones.
Internet has proved its significan~e in all walks o_fl~fe. A person can have all the information,
gctnews reports . ' send and receive messages
. d s1ttmg
. at home. S/he can transact business ,
purchase goods, make bank _transact10ns an get railway or air t~ckets at home. Payment of
bills can be made through mternet. Students can get mformatton on any subject matter,
make notes, fill up online forms or download them, go through the examination results.
Academicians and researchers need not to visit libraries as internet has become a vast
ocean of knowledge. They can download books and get information oflatest advancements
sitting at their place. One can listen or download songs, watch movies, TV programmes
and videos, do chat, video confere_ncing, send mails, make online shopping, etc. The list is
endless.
In this fast paced world, internet has become part and parcel of human activities. It has
revolutionized man's life considerably. It has appeared as a boon for mankind. ·
It is not that internet is only advantageous; there is flip side as well. People have become
addicted to internet. They spend hours on internet and waste their valuable time. Some of
the persons share their personal informatiqn with their online friends and get trapped. The
information is misused for wrong purposes. The information is not safe and can be hacked
and viewed. A number of frauds have resulted because of this service. Many persons have
been cheated by the hackers. Children visit pornographic sites which are harmful for them.
In conclusion, Internet is a very powerful tool. It has both advantages as well as disadvantages.
It is at us what we derive from. We should use internet for convenience, and keep its
disadvantages in mind; only then we would be able to utilize it fully.

(ii) Education

Present Education System in India

India has remained the 'centre of learning' for a long time. Its education system can be
traced back to 7000 years. There was Gurukula system of education in which the student
went to the teacher and requested him/her to be taught. Teachers were given the highest
st
atus in the society. Nalanda and Taxila Universities were the renowned institutions of
higher learning. Students from all over the world came here to get education. But today's
education systeip. is totally different from th;it one. We got independence seventy-two
years back, but the system we decided to create for our citizens was not very much different
from what we inherited from the British. They replaced the system with a new system that.
suited to their own inteJest, but we did not adhere to our needs. "
The main aim of education is 'preparation for life', but present education system does not
:erve the purpose. The system ·is focused on goin_g through a curriculum_ a~d passin~ the
xam. The curriculum is based on theoretical subJects. There are no or mm1mum subJects
'
5.12 I Ettglish "communi~cttion
. , / ;:r,
,m

that are practical based. Students cram their lessons and produce during the. exams. The;y · ; ')
have nothing to do with lived reality. It has also been observed that educational institutions
do not allow the students to perform practical. The time is consumed on theoretical sub-
jects.

The system has been producing a large number of graduates who are unemployable. They
lack even basic communication and problem solving skills. Educational institutions do.rtot
focus on creating employable graduates. They are forced to stick to the old curriculum.
They ·have no choice with them. The students are not made aware of l.atest happenings.
There are unlimited career options available today, but schools and colleges are not aware
of them. They fail to pass them to the students. As a result, the students stick to the
traditio.n al careers, like doctors, teachers, engineers, or so. ·
Education does not mean the evaluation of a child through board examination, but to grow
him./ her as a critical thinker and an active worker. The education shoµld be relevant and
su~tainable. It should be based on knowledge and forward looking. The focus should be oh
knowledge rather than scores. The knowledge should be based .o n practical aspects of life.
More ~4, more practical-based subjects should be included in'.' the curriculum. The stu-
dents should be given ample time to carry out their practical.
The educational institutions should also improve their teaching.methodology. They should
be given freedom to teach whatever they want. The curriculum should be restructured. ·1t
should include more and more vocational courses and training Pt ~gramm~s. As a result,
the Employers may get skilled, unskilled, semi-skilled employ~es and .s tudents may get
~mployment. The government should also modify the education system time to time ..Only
th~n :t he desired results can be drawn and a good society be' aev:eloped. · ·

ii) Educational Menace

Effects of Ragging
Ragging refers to 'persistent harassment in a cniel or annoying way'. It involves physical,
mental, psychological or sexual harassment of newcomers by the senior students of the
same· ins\itutio·n. It is a damaging form of interaction of the senior students with the
newcomers. It is m.~ant to make newcomers familiar with their seniors and inject confidence
among them, but it has. become a menace in educational institutions. Some seniol students
tease, torment, and even rough up the. newcomers under the exercise of 'intfodt.tctio~
which generates fear among them. Sometimes it starts with harmless leg p~lling and goes
to harsh physical and mental assault. It is the latter type of ragging that is objectionable and
a matter of great concern.

Ragging often takes a malignant form wherein the newcomers are subjected to physical or
psychological torture which leaves an indelible unpleasant scar in victim's mind, and haunts
her/him for years. It sometimes leads her/him psychologically shattered and physically
wounded. There are numerous examples when the victims of ragging, unable to bear the
unimaginable pain and shock of physical and mental torture, have lost their mental balance,
or committed suicide. Many-a-times, the students, succumb to ragging, drop out, thereby
essay Writing I 1s.13

hampering their career prospects. There are cases of many bright students whose careers
have been ruined because of ragging.

The main objective of ragging is to break ice between the senior students and the new
ntrants, but it has lost its purpose. It creates intense fear among newcomers and shatters
;heir trust. It, in fact, is a blot, a slur on the face of our so-called educated and civilized
society. The court and government have already declared ragging as illegal, the students
should understand its consequences and refrain from this practice. The educational insti-
tutions should also take strict actions against the students who are involved in this heinous
act.

(iv) Social Issue

Women Safety
Women are an integral part of our society. They play a pivotal role in the progress of the
society. But are they safe? The obvious answer is 'no'. They are not safe whether it is home,
street, club, office or some other place. They are soft target for men. They_are teased,
abused, molested, and even raped sometimes without any fault of their own.
Modern women .cannot be confined within four walls of homes. They have to go out for
work, to office, school, college, or so. They are not safe anywhere. Hooligans and young
boys, prowling in buses, markets, metros and streets, pass nasty comments, tease, and
even sometimes molest them. They cannot traveLafter dark. Few incidents of rape portray
the condition. Police take no action against such elements, and become active only when
these cases are reported by the media.

Even girls are not safe at home. _They are molested and sometimes raped by their so called
relatives, like uncles, cousins, etc. They are victims of physical torture. They are badly
treated by their parents-in-law, husbands, or so. They are abused and beaten sometimes.
Theyare victimized, compelled to commit suicide, and even burnt for dowry in many cases.
Women play an important role in the development of a country. They are the builders of
happy homes. They discharge their double duties as a good mother, sister, wife, daughter,
as well as a citizen of a free democratic country. They have become economically self-
sufficient today. Our constitution has provided them equal opportunities in the fields of
education, employment, social, economic and political spheres. Though, legally and theo-
retically, women are recognized as equal to men, but they are still considered as a weaker
sex. Their safety is a great concern in the society.
However there are stringent laws against women harassm~nt, but all the measure_s, to
tackle this problem, have proved ineffective. A woman, who is harassed, can be our sister,
mother, daughter, wife, or so. It is our responsibility to make the women safe. Laws ~lone
can do nothing, but males will have to change their mentality. Only then the women will be
able to survive with dignity in the society.
15.14 .,
English Cornrnu .
nicatlon
(v) Social Menace

Dowry: A Curse
Dowry is the property, money or gift given or agreed to be given as a consideration for the
maI"riag~, either directly or indirectly, by' the parents or family of the pride to the bridegroom
or .his family, before, after or at the time of marriage. It is a custom which is prevalent in all
1
sections'-0f the society in one form or the other. It is a tool of bride's harassment and has
· turned women into a commodity. It is a curse to the bride's parents who have to bear
. enormous cost to meet unreasonable demands of bridegroom's parents. It is a blot on the
face oflndian society.
The practice of dowry has sustained since time immemorial, and has caused immeasurable
. damage to women. There are numerous references to the practice in our ancient Books. It
·: was prevalent with the names 'kanyadan' and 'stridhan'. Kanyadan meant giving one's
daughter away in marriage to a person of good character, whereas stridhan as money,
jewellery, clothes, gifts, etc., that the bride received at the time of her marriage from her
parents, relatives or friends. But now it has been taken in another sense. Earlier, the gifts_
·· given to the bdde by her father were solely at his discretion, but later it got transformed
into a,n.evil practice.
Dowry, which was earlier prevalent among Hindus, has extended to different communities
along different castes and class lines. It has spread among the Muslims, Christians, and
other religions. It has become a symbol of social status. Each bridegroom carries a price tag
which varies according to his physical appearance, physique, salary, position, income and
affluence.
The root cause of dowry system lies in the domination of men in Indian society. Girls are
considered inferior to boys. The dowry is intended to enable the young couple to start their
· life with all the basic requirements needed to establish a home. But it doesn't satisfy the
ay,arice of groom's family. Sometimes it results in the clashes between the bride and her in
laws, suicide by the bride, or her death at the hands of her in-laws.
It is argued that education can help in this regard. If the girls will be educated and employed,
the groom's family may not make demand of dowry. But it is not so. Kerala is the state
where girls are educated, qualified and hold jobs; but surveys reveal that the demands of
dowry continue to be made and met there.
Though government has enforced various laws against dowry, but they are still ineffective.
Any kind of social or legal legislations would remain ineffective if they are not backed by
the public. It is necessary to make people aware of this menace. Women should come
forward to curb this menace. They should refuse to marry the man who demands dowr:
T_hey should keep in mind that boys outnumber girls in India. There are more boys t~~e
girls; hence boys should run after girls if they want to get married. In place of bri de, al
groom s?ould pay for the marriage, Women need parental, social, political and ~o;he
sup~?rt m the fight against this practice. They need to be empowered in order to tak
decmons of their lives. Only then the dowry can be eradicated from the society.
essay Writing I 1s.1s

(vi) Evil Practice

Corruption: An Evil Practice

Corruption is 'dishonest o~ unf~ir conduct by t?ose who are in power'. It includes giving or
accepting bribe, ina~propnate gifts, dou?le dealmgs, under-~he-table transactions, diversion
f funds, or so. It 1s the abuse of pubhc resources to ennch or give unfair advantage to
~ndividuals, friends, their families, and others. It is a menace in all the societies all over the
world. The corrupt officials accept bribe and benefit the persons who do not deserve the
benefit. As a result, the needy persons get affected. The benefit does not reach to them.
Government launch various schemes to benefit deprived sections of the society, but corrupt
officials do not pass them the benefit. They pass it to the person(s) who pay them bribe. A
poor person does not have enough money to pay the bribe, hence cannot reap the benefit
of schemes. According to one study, only twenty p·e r cent benefit reaches to the actual
needy persons, the remaining eighty percent goes to the pockets of mediators. This practice
widens the gap between the rich and the poor. It is responsible to make the rich wealthier
and the poor more deprived.

Though it is difficult to check corruption, but it is not impossible. It can be controlled if

public stands against it. We should pledge that we would neither offer nor accept bribe.
There are stringent laws against corruption. We -should inform the authority about the
corrupt officials so that they can be put behind bars. Let us take a vow to create an atmosphere
free from corruption. That will be our great achievement.

(vii) Environmental Issue

Global Warming
Global warming is the gradual heating of Earth's surface, oceans and atmosphere. It has led
to severe climatic changes, and the environmental changes will ultimately disrupt our lives.
It is a very serious problem as rise in temperature will affect every walk of our life. It ha.s been
warming not only the earth surface, but also the sea water. The rising temperature of earth
surface has been making hot summer days hotter. Rise in the temperature of sea water has
led to major changes in the ocean currents which may disrupt the entire marine eco system.
~l?bal warming has been threatening our existence, natural habitats, (orests, and even
cities. It begins with the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is a natural process that
~~ms the Earth's surface. When the Sun's energy reaches the Earth's atmosphere, some of
it is reflected back to space and the rest is absorbed and re-radiated by greenhouse gases.
Increased carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases thicken the earth atmosphere which
results · · .
m nse m the temperature of the earth surface.
Global warming is the direct result of human activfties that emit heat trapping gases and
particles into the air. The greenhouse gases arei carbon dioxid~, carbon monoxide, methane
and nitrous
· · absorb atmospheric heat, an d u1tlma
oxide. These greenhouse gases trap and · t e1Y
cause Global warming. Some of the most serious consequences of global warming are
1s.16 I English Communication

heating of earth surface, rise in the sea level, prolonged heat waves, and droughts. It •
found that mountain glaciers have been receding. It may result in rise in the level of is
~ater which ma~ submerge a number of coastal cities and ports under the sea-water.
1
M:; /
sl~d~ may vanish from the earth surface as well as.from the world map. The melting of if

ar~p.cKe~pack may allow the huge amount of Methane which is frozen under the ocean to
esc~pe i~t? 1?e air. Methane is a green-house gas that traps heat in the atmosphere and the
add,e d em1ss1ons may increase the warming process.
Studies.. made by .the Environmental Protection Agencies reveal that ·earth's average
t~~ perature has nsen by 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit over the past century. It is projected that ·
th~ Te:mpe~ature may rise another 2 to 11 .5 degrees Fahrenheit in next 100 years. Awareness
on this issue is must. It is necessary to make a long term planning and strategy that shall
reduce human vulnerability to global warming. It is our responsibility to control it on our ·
own. We can curb the consumption of fossil fuels by using alternate sources of energy and
protect the forests. This is the time to take action otherwise the human existence will face
the most dangerous phase ahead.

(viii) General Issue

Unemployment in India
Unemployment means 'the state of being out of work'. It is a serious problem of India and
has been becoming more and rpore serious day by day. It has assqm~d such a horrifying
dimension that eveµ talented administrators and educationists have been finding difficulty
in getting its solution. The problem has aggravated over the years. The valuable human
resource is not being put to proper use. It has resulted in poverty, adversity, slow rate of
,economic growth and general restlessness among the youth.
' ,'

There are different kinds of unemployment. First, people desire to work, but they find no
work, This is called 'open unemployment'. Second, people are employed, but they are not
, ~atisfied with their job. They are underemployed, and their productivity is zero. This is
~alfed 'disguised unemployment'. Third, India is agrarian economy. A large number of
c ·people,, are dependent on agriculture. Cultivation is not done throughout the year an~
t ·• farmers remain unemployed for a few months. This is called 'seasonal unemployment.
Such situation also prevails in some industries, like sugar mills, hosiery mills, cracke:s
manufacturing, etc. People find employment for a short duration of time and remain
, ,UJ!employed in other months.
'the main reas.ori of unemployment is teeming population. It results in more mou th s _to
ieei;t anl'mor:e hands to seek jobs. There is urgent need to educ~te people towardls Ihts
.
disastrous consequences. The government sh ould ta k e stnct. measures to contro. c ll t e
. I d' till10 ow 5
population. The other reason of unemployment is faulty education system. n ia s tits
the system that was laid down by the British to produce only clerks. This system ~as 1 \he
0

relevance in the present ~cenario. There is need to adopt new teach.mg techmques. ractical
education should be skill-based. The students should be imparted more_and mot pment to
knowledge. The education should be industry -oriented that can provide emp oy
th~e students. The government should focus on vocatfonal courses.
EsSaY Writing
I 1s.17

r - ,
5
outh want name, fame and affluence without putting in required efforts. They are
'foda~ : They expect higher salary right from the start of their career. When they fail to
after JO s. h •ob they either take up any job or move towards crime. They should keep in
re sue J , •
se~ud that one needs to climb the steps slowly and steadily to reach the apex. They should
rntn £ us only on ideal jobs; rather they should go for self-employment. They can set up
0
not_ ~n enterprises. They can work part time or as an intern in some firm to gain practical
the;~~edge. Government provides funds, training and other facilities to the entrepreneurs.
kn hould become job-providers rather than job-seekers.
'fhey s
rruption is another reason of unemployment. It is not that all the youths are
~:employable. I~dians are f~ll of talent. Their talent is recognized all over the world, ~ut
nep Otism and bnbery
. come m the way. These favor the less competent and undeservmg
candidates, ignonng the talented persons. It leads to serious consequences. The Talented
persons migrate to the other countries in search of ~mployment.
It is needed to check corruption from the system. It is not only government's responsibility,
but also ours. We should take an oath not to promote corruption. Parents should not force
their children to go for conventional jobs. They should strive to gather information about
the various areas that their children can venture into.
To conclude, unemployment is not such a problem that cannot be controlled. Some concerted
efforts are required to check this problem. Government has also been taking steps in this
direction. 'Make in India' is such a programme that has been launched by the government
to enhance employability. Youths should come forward to support the programmes launched
by the government. They should go for technical, professional and vocational education.
People should be educated to control growing population so that this problem can be
thrown out of India.

Exercise

Write an essay on each of the following topics:

1. The Impact of Science on Man
2. Examinations: For and Against
3. Population Explosion
4. Women Empowerment
5. Media: The Fourth Pillar of Democracy
6. Agriculture: The Backbone oflndian Economy
7. Make in India Campaign
8. Terrorism in India
9. Globalization
10. Drug Abuse