Top-Rated Free Essay
Preview

Human Characteristics

Better Essays
1152 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Human Characteristics
Humans and animals share many characteristics, but are still categorized differently. Animals are looked more of being vicious, barbaric, uncivilized, and cruel. Animals do not have a higher conscience; they will do anything to survive in their habitat. Humans are looked at on a different level than animals, they are put on a higher level because humans have evolved to become civilized and have the ability to reason. Animals run on instinct and don’t have the ability to reason like humans, but when human’s minds get corrupted, they start to reason less so they switch over and start inhabiting more animalistic traits. In the novel La Bête Humaine, by Emile Zola, not only is the main character, Jacques Lantier, displayed as a ‘human beast’ but every character is deep down a human beast as well. The characters selfishly resort to killing other people, thinking that it will benefit them, but in the long run it did nothing. Every human being has an inner beast within, but society has tamed them, making the animals hidden. What makes people civilized is being able to hold that animal trait inside them, but every day is a continual fight to not become that animal within. Murder to some people seems to be a problem solver. Some individuals think that their problem in front of them can be solved by simply taking someone off the face of the earth by killing. In the Novel, Roubaud suspects that Séverine has had an affair some years earlier, with Grandmorin one of the directors of the railway company, he thinks that killing the man she cheated with will somehow solve their dilemma. He obviously didn’t put any mental reasoning into this because it happened in the past and there was nothing he could do to change what happened. He just wanted to seek revenge and he thought it would help his relationship because he would feel better after the other man was out of the picture.

“But that was just how things were, he would just have to get used to it; especially as he had to make a real mental effort to put himself back in the frame of mind which had led him, in the make of her confession, to consider the murder necessary to his own Survival. It had not seemed to him than that, had he not killed this man, he could not have gone on living (Zola 161).”

The occurrence of the cheating caused Roubaud’s mind to twist and shift into his primitive mind set. He became selfish and all he cared about was that his problem went away, so his physical emotions took over and his reasoning left his mind, leading him to kill Grandmorin. Many people have control over their inner beast because they do something productive in their life and it takes their mind off their animal ways of living. In the novel, Jacques Lantier has a big problem with women because every time he sees their flesh he has the urge to stab and kill them. The way he controls his problem is in his job. He runs the train and this job he has makes it possible to control his crazy killing of women. Running the train gives him a false sense of control. “He, for his part had a sharp, unfettered intelligence, indeed he was honest, and in love with his job, intoxicated with the omnipotence which made of him, as he sat there in his judge’s chambers, the absolute master over other people’s freedom. His self-interest a lone curbed his passion; he had such an overriding desire to obtain some decoration and be transferred to Paris that, having allowed himself on his first day as an examining magistrate to be carried away by his love of the truth, he now proceeded always with extreme caution at every stage desiring pitfalls in which his future prospects might be swallowed up (Zola 91).”

When he runs the train he thinks that he has total control of everything. This is one trait that humans have. They think they have the ability to control nature and this characteristic keeps some people civilized and away from their inner beast. It is unnatural to have a spouse that at one point was old enough to be one’s father. Human beings are attracted to others that are the same age normally, and this is why Séverine keeps cheating on her husband Roubaud. Her instincts are making her go out and trying to find someone new. This is how she met Jacques Lantier and started an affair with him. She was unable to stay civilized and keep her relationship with Roubaud alive. Séverine was too selfish to keep her relationship with Roubaud strong; she caved into her animal traits and tried to seek another lover, which ironically led to her death. Jealously can affect people in many different ways, In the novel the character Flore became jealous of Jacques and Séverine’s affair, so she thought it would be easier on her if she killed them both. “She didn’t reason it out logically, she was simply following the primitive instinct to destroy. When she got a thorn in her flesh, she tore it out; she’d have cut her finger off if she’d had to. She would kill them, kill them the next time they passed; (Zola 278).” With both Jacques and Séverine dead, Flore wouldn’t have to feel the pain in not being with Jacques, even though they never had a relationship to begin with. She didn’t take time to reason this issue out, and her selfish decision led her to commit suicide. This is the reason Roubaud murdered Grandmorin; he thought that the death would take away his pain that he felt inside himself. Flore and Roubaud shared this common trait of selfishness, leading them to kill, believing that it would take away their sorrows. In this novel Jacques’s character illustrates a perfect picture of how it is nearly impossible to tame an animal once it has become a beast.

“Ah, yes, it’s a fine invention, there’s no denying. People go fast now, they know more… But wild beasts are still wild beasts, and they can go on building bigger and better machines for as long as they like, there’ll still be wild beasts underneath there somewhere (Zola 41).”

In the beginning of the novel he had an obsession in killing women, which made him a beast to start from. The relationship he has with Séverine and his train, prolong his savage killing. In the end of the novel Jacques is absent from his train “la Lison”, therefore his mania returns and he murders Séverine just as he murdered the other women. His false sense of control was not strong enough to keep his inner beast tamed.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Matthew Boyle of Harvard University puts it this way in his article, Essentially Rational Animals, saying that “Other animals . . . are capable of sensation and appetite, but they are not capable of thought, the kind of activity characteristic of the rational part of the soul” (1). No animal known of possesses a rational mind that understands morality or the significance of it. Animals choose to do things because of their instincts, they don’t choose to do something on whether it is right or wrong, because they can’t. They base their actions on their instincts. This absence of a rational mind makes as well as their lack of moral limitations on their actions makes animals “higher animals” than humans. If an animal feels threatened there is no rational reason stopping it from trying to destroy that threat. If a human feels threatened he or she contemplates the situation and decides what to do by their using their rational mind.…

    • 555 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    I, like Rifkin, agree that animals deserve more respect. Animals have been proven to be more like humans than we think. In the article Rifkin uses Koko, a 300-pound gorilla as an example stating “…Koko who was taught sign language and has mastered more than 1,000 signs and understands several thousand English words and on human IQ tests, she scores between 70 and 95” (8). According to http//www.iq-test.learninginfo.org the average score of an IQ test is 100, therefore Koko is just barely below the average human. Rifkin also uses a story about an elephant that doesn’t leave its dead kin for days, and occasionally touches the kin’s body with its trunk. Rifkin gives examples that both prove how animals can show emotions and the intelligence similar of that to humans, which should alter the way humans treat animals.…

    • 578 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ladies & Gentlemen. Survey & Report. Some may believe that being “gentleman” or a “lady” in today’s society is an outdated notion, but others may disagree. (1) Briefly summarize the main characteristics of a well-rounded person, “l’u omo universal,” referring to specific sections within the excerpt from The Courtier which identifies these characteristics. (2) Create a “survey” based on the identified characteristics and “ poll” at least ten people to find out whether or not the characteristics are relevant for a “gentleman” or “lady” of today. (3) Tabulate and discuss the responses in terms of gender, age, vocation, etc. of your survey participants, making note of any interesting or surprising results which show up in your poll answers. (4) Finally, explain whether or not you agree with the characteristics expressed by Castiglione in The Courtier.…

    • 760 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    More than three decades ago Peter Singer heralded the need for a new kind of liberation movement, one calling for a radical expansion of the human moral canvas and more importantly, a rejection of the horrors human beings have inflicted for millennia upon other sentient beings, treatment historically considered as being both natural and unalterable. Often regarded as being the father of the modern animal liberation movement, Singer contends that the campaign for animal liberation today is analogous to the struggles for racial and gender justice of the past. (1976, p. 34-36) This essay will attempt to highlight the distinctions made by Singer between sentience and self-conciousness and what implications such a distinction suggests for the moral status of animals. Furthermore, this essay will attempt to identify and contrast the moral status of animals with that of human animals and identify the bases of such standing in ethical deliberation.…

    • 1819 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    One of the prevailing charges on humanity proposed by champions of animal rights is that humans act in violation of ‘speciesism’. The term, first coined by psychologist Richard Ryder in 1973, is used to…

    • 1830 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    “Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages.” This quote about animal abuse is from Thomas Edison, an engineer known for his life changing innovations that continue to impact on our world today. Animal abuse is a long-debated problem, often causing the world’s population to split into two sides over the dispute. On one side, are those who say that humans are far superior to animals and other living beings who have been put here solely to feed or entertain us. On the other hand, there are those of us who recognise that these “inferior life forms” should have the same rights as us, and so they deserve the same treatment.…

    • 1074 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Five Basic Traits

    • 629 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In your own words, describe each of the five basic dispositional traits. Then, select one of the adjective pairs listed in the table for each of the five trait categories in Table 1.2 on p. 7 of the text and describe where you think your personality falls in the spectrum of each adjective pair. For example: Extraversion: Talkative - Quiet; I am generally more talkative than I am quiet. I favor the talkative end of the spectrum. When I am at work, however, I tend to be quieter.…

    • 629 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Life Of Pi Theme Analysis

    • 353 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Humans and animals are two different things; however, they can be the same. We consider ourselves different from animals because we don’t walk on all fours, don’t eat off the ground, we have manners, we know the difference between right and wrong, and we have free will. Although, animals have the ability to do what they want when they want,…

    • 353 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Personality traits can be influenced by countless aspects of an individual’s life: genetics, environment, and culture are key ingredients in a person’s traits and personality. According to Erickson our personality traits come in opposites. We think of ourselves as optimistic, pessimistic, independent or dependent which are inborn traits. McCrae et al. (2000) noted the optimal conditions for infant development must take into account the actual circumstances in which children in different cultures live. Culture effects personality in a variety of ways. Behaviors tend to be culturally patterned with childhood experiences influencing personality as an adult and socialization throughout childhood and adulthood shape personality patterns. We often share personality traits with others, especially members of our own family and community. It is normal for us to acquire personality traits as a result of enculturation. Most people adopt the traditions, rules, manners, and biases of their culture.…

    • 372 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Personality Types

    • 1337 Words
    • 6 Pages

    In George H. Jenson and John K. DiTiberio 's article titled, “Personality and Individual Writing Process” they compare someones personality to that of their writing process. Through this examination, Jenson and DiTiberio, come to realize that while teaching the writing process, teachers, professors or whom ever is instructing this process should take into consideration the individuals personality types. Determining the students personality can help prevent things like writers block when it comes to writing a paper or article. Once the individuals personality type is determined then steps can be made to individualize writing instruction.…

    • 1337 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Personality theories, or models, are metaphors for describing something which is intrinsically indescribable, the human personality. Currently, one of the most popular approaches among psychologists for studying personality theory is the Five-Factor Model (FFM) or Big Five dimensions of personality. This essay will explore the 'Big Five ' personality constructs and seek to explain how useful they are to understanding how people are likely to perform in a work situation. In conclusion, this essay will also discuss some of the arguments against the relevance and accuracy of personality testing within the employment context.…

    • 1666 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Everybody has his or her own type of personality. We all act in a certain way that makes us who we are. It is believed that our parents, peers and, the environment we grow up in, shape us. Personality is describes as a combination of emotions, attitude, and behavioral patterns of an individual. There is a reason that we are the way we are and there are many theories that go along with that. Different theorist present their own definitions of the word personality based on their own theoretical positions. Which brings us to discussing Carl Jung’s theory of analytical psychology and Harry Sullivan’s interpersonal theories. Within these two theories, we can relate them to the fictional character of Stewie Griffin from the comedy show Family Guy. Stewie Griffin is a small child around the age of one year old, yet his is very intelligent and witty. Stewie lives in a world of domination and matricide, his first target being his mother Lois. Throughout the show he shows hatred and evil towards her and other characters as well. Some of his main hobbies include reading, inventing, and plotting. Stewie Griffin is considered "Family Guy's" breakthrough character.…

    • 2526 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Human perception and how our mind works are sometimes confusing as we perceive something dangerous to us as monster. However, we are the chief cause of certain living beings to go extinct. We are killing them slowly by destroying their habitat and that causes them to suffer until death. We are the only creature that cuts down trees, to make paper and write “Save the trees” and also we force animals from their natural habitat into cages at the zoo for our mere entertainment. We also built factories to make accessories from animal skin for fashion. Imagine that we made a bag out of human skin, we will indirectly say that the owner is a…

    • 602 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    I, like Rifkin, agree that animals deserve more respect. Animals have been proven to be more like humans than we think. In the article Rifkin uses Koko, a 300-pound gorilla as an example stating “…Koko who was taught sign language and has mastered more than 1,000 signs and understands several thousand English words and on human IQ tests, she scores between 70 and 95”. Rifkin also uses a story about an elephant that doesn’t leave its dead kin for days, and occasionally touches the kin’s body with its trunk. Rifkin gives examples that both prove how animals can show emotions and the intelligence similar of that to humans, which should alter the way humans treat animals.…

    • 250 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Yet, they become more like animal than humans on the island later fighting and killing each other. Prendick must realize that their basic nature as animals has nothing to do with the form they were made into, but only emphasis their instincts. Prendick initially believes they are human but unintelligent. Later, he realizes that the difference is that many of the animals are victims of Moreau’s mad scientific experiments and that they must follow his “laws”. In the scene as Moreau speaks to the beast men as if he is God, Prendick narrates, “When I saw their wincing attitudes and furtive dread in their bright eyes, I wondered that I had ever believed them to be men in a fear that never died, fretted by a law they could not understand” (95). These statements illustrate the main differences between animals and humans- that animals are incapable of understanding. Human beings have reasoning and intelligence and the ability to assess their own actions and understand their world. In contrast, animals do not have this understanding and have no choice but to try to live as the world says they should. This gives human the ability to determine reality for animals, just Dr. Moreau does not do. By showing Moreau taking advantage of this ability, there is a message about the responsibility that goes alone with power and how humans should act towards…

    • 670 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays

Related Topics