It would be great if I could get some feedback on this essay in the context of the old SAT test. I really want to improve on creating relevance to my thesis within my body paragraphs, and linking support back to my main idea. I also want to know how to make my conclusion and intro stronger, and possibly what score range this essay would be in (1-12). Thank you!
Prompt: Should we trust and accept common sense, or be skeptical of it?
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Common sense is a universal concept; it transcends language but speaks to every person without discrimination. Just like a shared conscience, common sense is the basis of all morals and values. Throughout history and literature, the belief in common sense has been shown to be favorable, no matter the circumstances. In order to progress, we must accept and trust our common senses.
Many times in history, ignorance of common sense has resulted in stagnant development. In colonial America, the settlers recognized that their basic rights and liberties were being uprooted by the British Parliament, which freely taxed and oppressed the colonists. It was not until the American society heeded the common sense of natural rights that they were able to muster the courage to revolt. Thomas Paine even titled his watershed pamphlet decrying the oppression of colonists by England "Common Sense," as it was exactly that which the American colonists needed. Through trusting their basic senses, the American people were able to progress from binding relations with England to national independence.
Literature has expressed the necessity of common sense as well, particularly in coming-of-age experiences. J.D. Salinger's A Catcher in the Rye exemplifies this. Holden Caulfield, a troubled teenager, repeatedly ignores the common sense advice his peers give him. Whether being pleads from his parents to behave more typically and respectably in public, or requests from his professors for him to remain in school, Caulfield ignores it all. It is this renouncement of common sense that leads Caulfield to stay completely put in his life, never maturing in his actions or decisions. By rejecting common sense, he prevented himself from progressing as a person, and eventually wound up in a mental hospital.
Although the consequences of ignoring common sense may not always be as drastic as a war or hospitalization, rejecting it can bring about a multitude of hindrances to our lives. Lack of attention to common sense inhibits our sense of basic values and prevents personal growth, as demonstrated by history and literature. In order to avoid this pitfall and advance further, common sense must be a keystone of our lifestyles.
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Prompt: Should we trust and accept common sense, or be skeptical of it?
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Common sense is a universal concept; it transcends language but speaks to every person without discrimination. Just like a shared conscience, common sense is the basis of all morals and values. Throughout history and literature, the belief in common sense has been shown to be favorable, no matter the circumstances. In order to progress, we must accept and trust our common senses.
Many times in history, ignorance of common sense has resulted in stagnant development. In colonial America, the settlers recognized that their basic rights and liberties were being uprooted by the British Parliament, which freely taxed and oppressed the colonists. It was not until the American society heeded the common sense of natural rights that they were able to muster the courage to revolt. Thomas Paine even titled his watershed pamphlet decrying the oppression of colonists by England "Common Sense," as it was exactly that which the American colonists needed. Through trusting their basic senses, the American people were able to progress from binding relations with England to national independence.
Literature has expressed the necessity of common sense as well, particularly in coming-of-age experiences. J.D. Salinger's A Catcher in the Rye exemplifies this. Holden Caulfield, a troubled teenager, repeatedly ignores the common sense advice his peers give him. Whether being pleads from his parents to behave more typically and respectably in public, or requests from his professors for him to remain in school, Caulfield ignores it all. It is this renouncement of common sense that leads Caulfield to stay completely put in his life, never maturing in his actions or decisions. By rejecting common sense, he prevented himself from progressing as a person, and eventually wound up in a mental hospital.
Although the consequences of ignoring common sense may not always be as drastic as a war or hospitalization, rejecting it can bring about a multitude of hindrances to our lives. Lack of attention to common sense inhibits our sense of basic values and prevents personal growth, as demonstrated by history and literature. In order to avoid this pitfall and advance further, common sense must be a keystone of our lifestyles.
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