General overview
Being a part of human relationships, gratitude refers to concepts that characterize the level of spiritual and moral development of society, and establishes emotional and behavioral frameworks acceptable for a particular individual.
Traditionally, the definition of gratitude is interpreted as the emergence of a feeling of gratitude and a desire to reciprocate kindness to someone who paid attention, expressed sincere participation, or provided some kind of service. It carries not only an emotional component, but also the knowledge that someone has performed certain beneficial actions towards another person. Without knowing that you will benefit, it is impossible to be grateful. Usually this feeling occurs when attention from others exceeds the everyday level, that is, the standard “thank you” and “please” from a well-mannered person.
On the other hand, even ordinary words of politeness can lift your spirits, bring joy, and improve your relationship with mom and dad, at school or at work. You need to express your feelings sincerely and not be tactless, because accepting goodness correctly is gratitude. With the help of pleasant words or kindness, people show each other signs of attention and respect, but callous and selfish individuals take participation and help for granted, and they themselves provide support only with the hope of reciprocal services.
The feeling of gratitude can flare up for a moment, but can remain with a person for many years. This is a very positive emotion, even if the person was unable to help, you need to thank him for trying. Receiving gratitude feels good - it gives you a sense of self-worth and value to society, family, friends and strangers. Anyone who does something good and feels a grateful response fulfills their need for recognition and respect.
"For my name"
A rather striking argument can be made even from feature films. For example, the film “For My Name” highlights the essence of the problem very well. It is worth noting that even children are capable of such an incredible feeling. The main character Anya is grateful to the clergyman for giving her this name. She completely trusts this person and reveals all her deepest secrets.
Ingratitude is a moral problem that concerns many people, which is why it is often found in texts for preparing for the Unified State Exam. In this collection we have given several literary examples on this issue. All of them are available for download in table format.
- Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev, “Fathers and Sons.”
Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov raised his son Arkady alone and tried in every possible way to give his son the best. Arkady respects him and feels gratitude towards his parent. So, upon arrival from the university, the young man shows attention to his father, worries about how long he waited at the station, kisses him, asks for news. That is, despite the fact that Arkady does not directly talk about love and gratitude, he expresses this in his actions. Moreover, Arkady reacts with kindness and understanding to the sometimes inappropriate and funny statements of Kirsanov Sr. - Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy, “Childhood.
Adolescence. Youth". Nikolenka is brought up in a large family, where both father and mother love their children madly. The boy admires his mother, has the most tender feelings for her, respects her requests and decisions. After the death of her mother, Nikolenka remembers her childhood and understands that his childhood years were so happy thanks to his parents, especially his mother. Despite the fact that the hero no longer has the opportunity to thank his mother, he often remembers her and always feels grateful.
Forms of gratitude
As a phenomenon of social empathy, gratitude manifests itself in various forms that have psychological and religious-philosophical foundations. It is expressed:
- externally - in verbal words of gratitude or in a letter of gratitude;
- internally - the desire to perform a reciprocal useful or pleasant action.
A grateful impulse most often manifests itself individually, but it can also be collective when events of an ideological nature occur.
You can experience these feelings:
- to a specific person;
- in relation to a community of people - ancestors, military personnel, rulers;
- to non-personal objects - nature, God, luck, the Universe.
The expression of gratitude in everyday life is ritualized, which is expressed in the use of certain words to express it in certain patterns of behavior. In the broader picture, people thank their parents and other relatives for their good upbringing and education; youth - veterans for victory in the Great Patriotic War; many are grateful to luck or higher powers for introducing them to their loved ones. A person should thank loved ones, teachers and friends - they gave him everything they could, so he became exactly what he is.
Service and Virtue
Most world religions assume that a person should feel gratitude to the Creator for the life he has received . Christianity considers it a duty associated with mercy and humility. A person’s entire life is aimed at eradicating passions in favor of virtues, and God must be thanked not only for joyful events, but also for trials.
Islam is characterized by consistent gratitude to parents, the Prophet and Allah - one cannot express gratitude to divine powers without gratitude to loved ones - father and mother. Buddhism sees grateful expression as the integrity of the human person, including joy, compassion and loving-kindness. Each of these forms appears only after a meaningful manifestation of gratitude for life, certain experiences, present and future incarnations.
In ancient times, motives of gratitude were closely associated with justice and related to thoughts that elevate souls and unite people. Philosophers of that time considered gratitude the mother of all virtues, but some did not deny the principle of mutual benefit: you - for me, I - for you.
Such relationships developed social ties and strengthened personal respect, that is, they were a prerequisite for the development of society. Parents and gods received especially sincere gratitude. Its value lay not only in mutual support and practical gifts, but also had a moral component - a good deed brings profit by its very act.
With the advent and development of Christianity, all revered virtues acquired a religious meaning, and gratitude to God became especially important. In classical philosophy, it is believed that gratitude is a person’s duty to himself; it can never be completely repaid, since the benefactor will forever remain with the one who first committed a noble deed.
At different periods of history, the concept of gratitude was filled with meaning, depending not so much on the internal beliefs of people, but on the socio-political structure and cultural traditions. Orthodox Russia is characterized by its close relationship with mercy and charity.
Examples from life
Most often a person feels gratitude towards his parents , who need kind words for teaching them the things necessary for life. It's easy for teachers and coaches to send a greeting card or write a thank you letter. It is very important for people in such professions to know that they are remembered, especially for those who have already reached old age. Without a doubt, teachers should be especially thanked, since they give much more than they receive. There are often life stories when doctors receive words of gratitude and gifts for saving the life or curing a loved one from a dangerous illness.
During emergencies, rescuers and volunteers pull victims out of the rubble, save people during fires and floods, and provide them with first aid. Of course, those rescued remain grateful for their preserved health and life. Everyone has encountered a situation in a foreign city when you need to ask passers-by for directions, and knows how unpleasant it is if local residents brush off questions. Conversely, participation and responsiveness evoke a desire to thank hospitable people.
There are situations when you can praise or criticize for some actions; wise people advise in such cases to express encouragement so that the desire to help does not disappear. For example, a daughter, in response to her father’s request to feed him dinner, simply puts the food to warm up and leaves. You can scold her for not setting the table, but it’s better to praise her for even minimal care. This will create a positive attitude so that the girl wants to receive gratitude again.
There are smart and purposeful people who seem to have everything for a happy life, but they are dissatisfied with themselves and those around them and constantly feel dissatisfaction. This situation means that they simply do not know how to be grateful to life, the world, and fate for the opportunities they receive, and therefore do not experience happiness as a state of internal comfort.
The concept of "gratitude".
Gratitude is expressed by a willingness to reciprocate with a good deed.
The moral requirement to pay good for good arose in primitive society, and without it the existence of humanity is impossible. Gratitude is an important part of humanity as a character trait and a competent reaction to help and service. Gratitude is a manifestation of attentiveness, sensitivity, nobility, indicating that a good attitude is noticed, accepted, and appreciated.
Sometimes people forget to be grateful, and sometimes they deliberately fail to thank. Meanwhile, a person, no matter how much he denies it, needs gratitude. For self-esteem, for positive self-esteem. No wonder it has been said: “We are never as grateful for anything as for gratitude.”
Gratitude presupposes a willingness to return kindness for kindness, love for love, respect for respect. Ingratitude destroys this harmony and deals a tangible blow to the foundations of morality. Therefore, not a single significant good deed, word, or impulse should be left without attention, without a moral response.
If gratitude disappears, humanity will suffer and will lose. This will weaken the motivation of human actions. It was not for nothing that Kant emphasized:
The reaction to real or imaginary misunderstanding, lack of recognition and ingratitude of others can be anger, rage, isolation.
However, a certain duality arises when assessing gratitude. On the one hand, gratitude is necessary for a person, on the other hand, according to the laws of ethics, when performing actions, he should not expect it.
Therefore, in ethics it all comes down to ensuring that everyone knows, remembers and accordingly fulfills his duty of humanity and gratitude, and, if possible, concentrates on the kind attitude of others towards him, and not on the extent and form of recognition of his own deeds.
Arguments from literature
The problem of gratitude is raised in many works by Russian and foreign authors. Eduard Asadov's poem “To My Mother” talks about the courage of a woman who sent her son to war. The author in it thanks her mother for teaching him not to bend and understands how heroic her heart had to be in order to send her own child with her own hands towards mortal danger when the defense of the Motherland demanded it. Other examples of gratitude in literature:
- The story of A. S. Pushkin “The Captain's Daughter” - Emelyan Pugachev saves the life of Pyotr Grinev, thanking him for the hare sheepskin coat he once gave him.
- L. N. Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace” is Natasha Rostova’s relationship with her mother, when she pays good for good, bringing her back to life after the death of her son.
- F. M. Dostoevsky’s novel “Crime and Punishment” shows how gratitude for the selfless love of Sonya Marmeladova literally resurrects Rodion Raskolnikov.
- The main character of Charles Dickens's Bleak House, Esther Jellyby, is involved in charity work and helps poor families, but pays little attention to her own children. In contrast to her, the young bourgeois Rounsawell is shown, who treats all workers with understanding, and in return they feel respect and gratitude for him.
A. S. Pushkin dedicated many poems of gratitude to his nanny Arina Rodionovna - she not only raised him, but was also the first person to introduce the poet to the best examples of folk art. In A. I. Kuprin’s story “Taper” one can see the grateful feelings experienced by an unknown young tapper - the talented pianist Yuri Azagarov - towards the composer Anton Rubinstein, who helped him become a real musician.
The main character of V. G. Korolenko’s story “Children of the Dungeon,” a man nicknamed Pan Tyburtsy, despite his poverty, has pride and dignity, since his adopted son Valek becomes close to the boy Vasya from the judge’s family. When Vasya brings a doll to Valka’s sick sister Marusya, which makes her happy for a while, Pan Tyburtsy goes to the judge to shake his hand as a sign of gratitude for his son’s kindness.
The problem of gratitude: arguments from the literature
What is ingratitude? How should children treat their parents? It is these questions that V. Sukhomlinsky reflects on in his text. In it, the writer poses the moral problem of filial ingratitude.
The author, discussing this topic, gives an example from the life of the main character who committed a heartless act. Blinded by the unprecedented beauty of his own wife, the young man began to be indifferent to his own mother. The author notes the callousness and callousness of the son, who “killed his mother and took her heart out of her chest,” which proves the lack of moral qualities of the hero. According to the writer, the ingratitude of children is “...the deepest condemnation of human vices.” The prose writer leads us to the idea that we need to treat our parents with care and love. We must appreciate every minute we spend with them.
2 pages, 837 words
What events and experiences in life help a person grow up? (2 options)
... I would take care of my property in a chest - in a bag it will break and become wrinkled.” Before us is no longer a child, but an adult. ...over time, the wasteful Count Rostov began to have financial problems. All his son’s attempts to help... he realized his duty to the fatherland. Therefore, when the rebels attacked the fortress, Grinev ... the proximity of cheerful comrades and other joys of life as a rich heir. Nikolai was not interested in where...
The author's position can be formulated as follows: sometimes children do not think about how many bitter thoughts their mother's heart experiences; the ungrateful attitude of children towards their parents only causes condemnation.
One cannot but agree with V. Sukhomlinsky’s point of view.
Indeed, an ungrateful attitude towards family is the worst quality of any person.
An example of the ingratitude of children is K. Paustovsky’s story “Telegram”. Nastya, daughter of Ekaterina Petrovna, lives a busy life. However, she is indifferent to the fate of her own mother; the girl did not even have time to come to the funeral. Despite the daughter's heartless attitude, the author is surprised by the mother's boundless love for her child. This example illustrates to us the heroine’s indifference and ingratitude towards her own mother.
Confirmation of this problem can be found in A.S. Pushkin’s story “The Station Warden.” The main character did not appreciate the love and care of her father, who doted on her.
Forgetting about her only loved one, the girl leaves with the hussar for the sake of a good life. After his daughter refuses to return home, Samson arrives at his station, where he soon dies. However, realizing the bitterness of her action, Dunya came to her father’s grave. The author leads us to believe that ungrateful children are capable of repentance for their heartless actions.
Thus, the problem raised by the prose writer makes each of us think about the ingratitude of children towards their parents. After all, we must treat our dearest and closest people with love and care.
