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Hiroshima Essay Assignment

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When a human sees another one in need, they tend to help them even if it puts their life in danger. This is an act of selflessness and there is always a reason behind why one decided to help another. In the non-fiction report, Hiroshima by John Heresy, the author reports the lives of six survivors of the Hiroshima atomic bomb and their selflessness. All six survivors were under immense radiation and had to deal with radiation sickness, yet they still put others’ lives before theirs. Heresy’s work displayed to the reader that empathy, self-worth, and acceptance compels an individual to put the needs of others over his/her own needs. Empathy is the act of understanding and sharing one’s feelings with another person. Furthermore, people do …show more content…

For some, being needy and always placing themselves first before others brings feelings of guilt and shame. Those were the feelings Mr. Tanimoto felt when he was wandering around the ruins of Hiroshima. Fortunately for Mr. Tanimoto, he wasn’t harmed or in awful critical conditions as the people around him were. However, he couldn’t bear the shame of leaving people alone to die: “...overwhelmed by the shame of being unhurt[, he] prayed as he ran,” (30). He ran, searching for his loved ones. Once he found his wife and his child, though, he departed immediately to help the injured and sick in Asano Park. He knew very little about medicine and how to handle individuals. Furthermore, the fact that there were little to no doctors there at the park enraged him even more: “Mr. Tanimoto, ashamed of hurting wounded people, embarrassed at being able to walk upright, suddenly thought of the naval hospital ship, which had not come (it never did), and he had for a moment a feeling of blind, murderous rage at the crew of the ship, and then at all doctors” (46). As a result, he moved those who couldn't up and down the river in a boat that he had found and comfort others because it was the best he could do. He believed it was his duty to aid those in need. Instead of protecting himself and his family, he chose to protect as many people as he could. His dedication to feel worthy pushed him to become selfless.

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