Henry 1

Melissa Henry Tom Kellerman Honors English 2: L 18 December 2012 Our Sisters Keepers Do we have a moral obligation to watch out for those around us? Should we take care of those that suffer in our communities? Are we our sisters keepers? After studying the theme of dehumanization in the novel Snow Falling in Spring by Moying Li, it is my opinion that we are indeed our sisters keepers. To me, being your sisters keeper means that you take care of and support your family, friends, and community at all times. The main reason for the opinion that we are our sisters keepers is because of Gods teachings. God teaches us to love our neighbors, and to treat them with respect. The Gospel of Matthew recounts Jesus preaching to the Pharisees, saying You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Mt 22.39) This means to respect others in the same way that you respect yourself. Therefore if you are to love your neighbor as yourself, you would do the same for them as youd do for yourself. To me, the meaning of love is to be willing to sacrifice for someones wellbeing. Even if I must sacrifice for my family, friends, and communitys wellbeing, I am very willing to be my sisters keeper. This concept is easily applied to those we are close to, but it is harder to act as your sisters keeper towards someone you do not like or do not get along with. When you witness your enemies suffering, most people would laugh or enjoy their pain. However, Jesus says to his followers, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you,

Henry 2 pray for those who mistreat you (Lk 6.27-28) You should not enjoy anyones pain, whether you like them or not. There are many people in the world that I do not like, but I believe in treating them as my sister or brother, and treating them with respect, even when they dont respect me back. I believe in being my sisters keeper, but also my enemies keeper. The practice of being ones sisters keeper would have been very beneficial during Chinas Cultural Revolution. If those in the higher economic classes had looked out for the lower class citizens, there would have been less poverty and greed. If the government had been the citizens keeper, they would have made choices that benefitted the general population, not just the rich and powerful. If the Red Guards were the citizens keepers, they would have supported Chairman Mao without the horrid beatings and assassinations that dehumanized the citizens of China. So much violence, destruction, and pain resulted simply from the citizens of China not fulfilling their duty to be each others keepers. Being your sisters keeper means to take care of and support everyone, no matter your relationship with them. God teaches us to love one another, and with love comes the respect of having a persons back no matter what. The dehumanization found in the novel Snow Falling in Spring by Moying Li would not have been so prevalent if people loved each other and were each others keepers.