1

SOCIOLOGY ESSAY
Student's Name
Institution Name
Course

Date
 2

Option 1.
The Gingerbread Man
Summary
Jim Aylesworth, the author of the fictional tale the Gingerbread Man, begins the fairytale
with an old man and woman who lives alone in a tiny cottage in an unmentioned location. We
see no other characters associated with the two elderly folks and assume they have always been
alone. The old woman decides to try and bake and tells her husband. The old man excitedly
prepares the oven, anticipating what the old woman is preparing.
The old woman prepares gingerbread with a little twist; the soon-to-be baked product is
shaped like a man. Once in the oven and ready, the old woman hears some noise coming from
the oven and rushes to see what it is. The gingerbread man springs to life and runs straight for the
front door. He taunts the two at the top of his lungs, saying, "Run, run, as fast as you can. You
can't catch me - I'm the gingerbread man!" despite the old couple's protest.
He later encounters a cow set on having him as a snack. He runs away, repeating the
exact words to the cow, and speeds off. He also faces a horse and has the same encounter as the
cow. He finally meets the sly fox who tricks him by lying to the gingerbread man. He "helps"
him cross the river, but before they get to shore, the fox already has his stomach full of the baked
good.
Identifying with the story
The story of the gingerbread man is a familiar fairytale told to children worldwide. There
are more than hundreds of such stories, but this resonated with me the most. The gingerbread
man is a story that shows how different people encounter each other in the outside world. The
gingerbread man first faces his makers, who have only one intention, to eat him. However, some
stories also relate the gingerbread man to the child of the two. He also encounters a cow and
horse who want to eat him but are neither fast enough nor intelligent enough to do so. These are
different people who have similar ideologies but cannot implement their ideas. This was a quick
realization for me while learning about the gingerbread man.
My favorite character was the sly fox. He probably realized that the gingerbread man was
too fast for him. And he may have learned that he would not taste as good if he were soggy. He,
therefore, resorted to lying to the gingerbread man. This fascinated me as a child; how the
gingerbread man escaped several captors who used force, only to meet his demise at the hands of
a cunning brain of the fox. The fox shows what happens when the effort is put in and
consideration before diving into something. Although considered the antagonist alongside all the
characters that tried to eat the gingerbread, I found his character to be the best in the whole book
Symbols used in the story
One of the symbols used in the book was repetition. The gingerbread man used the same
line, "Run, run, as fast as you can. You can't catch me - I'm the gingerbread man!" with all the
characters that tried to eat him on the spot. There is also repetition in the behavior of all the
antagonists in the book. There is also a theme of conflict, whereby all the characters conflict with
the gingerbread man from the word go. They all seem intent on eating him and satisfying their
own needs. The overall moral of the story would, however, be put as never trusting anyone. The
gingerbread man encounters the fox, who does not immediately put his intentions out there. He
waits to ask about the gingerbread man and his need to gain his trust. Ultimately the gingerbread
man ends up trusting the fox, and this turns out to be his ultimate mistake
Fairytales As Agents of Socialization
 3

The purpose of the fairy tale is to help children grow up and is introductory to the real
world. Fairy tales mimic the world that adults live in and help children confront fears they might
not be able to express. The gingerbread man teaches children to think outside the box regarding
situations other people find hard to solve. It also teaches children that the world is not as good as
they believe it is.
It forces children to be careful not to trust everyone they encounter. They learn at a young
age that not everyone has their best intention. Fairy tales help mold social behavior by providing
a way for children to grasp the contradictions of human nature and explore fear at an early age.
This benefits them to learn at a young age and not when it is too late. These stories also
encourage interactions with other children and individuals to strengthen their ability to perceive
intent and to see who they can trust and who they should not. Fairytales help children understand
the complexities that are part of society. They allow children to confront and explore any
confusion that they may have.
Option 2
Mass Medium and Socialization
Socialization is a lifelong process by which an individual accepts the rules, customs,
conventions, and behaviors essential to interact with others in society. Mass media significantly
influence individuals' opinions and behavior. It is a highly effective socialization tool due to its
vast reach and ease of use.
During my lifetime, the function of the media in socialization has experienced a
significant transformation. Mass media consists of newspapers, television, radio, video games,
comic books, and journals as socializing agents. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have
nevertheless been added to the definition. Previous generations of children enjoyed reading
comic books and playing video games. Today, everyone seeks access to social media sites and
participation. Newspaper articles and academic journals contribute to forming a perspective on a
particular problem, whereas the internet provides information regarding the origins of that
perspective.
Roles and Norms of the Internet
The internet has performed various roles throughout its time. For one, the internet is a
tool that illuminates individuals about certain occasions that may or may not have an impact on
their lives. The events hold significance to the world around the user, and the internet is a crucial
tool for learning more about the occasion. The norm of the internet now is advertising all events
and occurrences that may interest the user. The internet collects data on the person and uses it to
create more appealing ways to inform the user on occasion.
The internet acquaints individuals with a wide assortment of individuals. It is now a norm
for people worldwide to communicate with each other easily. People laugh, troll, or,
unfortunately, bully each other on the internet because it provides a vast network for individuals
to socialize. The internet can also give a variety of perspectives on current issues. Everyone has
their own opinion on different issues. The internet has created various platforms for everyone to
air their views on the issue. It is now a norm to see everyone and anyone commenting on an
important figure's poll, tweet, or review and not be ridiculed for doing it
The internet assists in trade by helping people be mindful of items and administrations
that, if they buy them, will, as far as anyone knows, help individuals to be acknowledged by
others. It creates popularity while boosting people's knowledge of specific objects and items. It is
now more common than not to find information about everything before purchasing it or being
involved. And finally, the internet engages individuals by giving them a chance to live
 4

vicariously and safely through the experiences of others. Their stories are shared more often than
not, and people are careful of what to do next. The internet performs more than one role as a
socializing agent.
Real-life comparison
The situations seen by the internet connect with my life in that I learn more about the
outside world and connect with it better. It is easier for me to talk and laugh with individuals on
the other side of the screen than with someone I have direct interactions. However, at the same
time, the internet has become a teaching tool allowing me to socialize better through books found
there and interacting with other humans on the other side of the world. The internet also has
delicate information that supports the goals and ambitions that I may have had. The internet also
has other people's experiences that I can learn from to avoid making mistakes in the future to the
same extent.
The internet is also a learning tool for me. I get to learn about the world and experience it
from the comfort of my home. I learned how to handle issues ranging from my personality to
global problems like climate change that would impact my life.
Effects of the Internet
Some of the positive effects of the internet as seen is the instant global connection that
maximizes the socialization that occurs between people globally. The internet lets people all
around the world communicate with each other regardless of race and their differences. The
internet allows for visual connection compared to other sources such as the radio and
newspapers. Finally the internet allows for a barrier free interaction
However, for children and other individuals, myself included, the internet has some
negative effects. The internet and the real world can often be different and the people we interact
with may not be real. I cannot be certain the relationships I created are real. It can also have
adverse effects on local communities and contribute to feelings of isolation for those who do not
have a "real" person to turn to in times of need if people spend a great deal of time conversing
online and not interacting in their neighborhoods.