Cause Effect Essay 2

So here is my most recent paper. I did another Cause Effect Essay. I read Edgar Allen Poe's story, "The Masque of the Red Death," and then wrote about it. Basically, I am trying to discuss the effects on society if we, as Christians, cloister ourselves and do not extend the hand of service. I used Poe’s “Masque of the Red Death” to support my points by comparing Christians to Prince Prospero and the partiers. It may have some wordiness, but I think it compares Christians to the story fairly well. If you want to read "The Masque of the Red Death" to get a better idea of the Essay, click here.

Enjoy.

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 “Importance of Serving”

“There were buffoons, there were improvisatory, there were ballet-dancers, there were musicians, there was Beauty, there was wine. All these and security were within. Without was the “Red Death.” In Edgar Allen Poe's story "The Masque of the Red Death," similarities can be made found between Prince Prospero, the partiers, and the Christian life. Prince Prospero and his friends remove themselves from the Red Death and hide from it in order to protect themselves. In their safe worlds, Christians may be oblivious to what goes on outside. They may even become removed from it, trying to forget and hoping someone else will come along and help.  However, it is wrong for Christians to try and escape because they have been called to do something for those in need. When Christians do not extend the hand of service to society, Christ is poorly represented to the world, Christians become deadened to the world’s suffering, and the world does not hear the Gospel.        

            As Christians, we represent Christ; however, we represent Him poorly when we do not extend a hand of service to society. When Christians do not reach out, they not only make a bad name for themselves, as representatives of Christ, they give Him a bad reputation. Prince Prospero sabotages his own name. He holds back from aiding his people and uses what he has to indulge himself not caring for those around him. Prospero’s reputation, as a king, gets put on the line. Christians also dishonor Christ when they do not listen to His commands for them to “Open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.” (Deuteronomy 5:11.), When they disobey this command, Christians tell God that what He says does not matter and that it is not important. Again, they represent Christ as someone who does not care for the hurting. Similarly, a king or prince’s job is to rule justly and kindly, making his people’s well-fare of his priority.  “But Prince Prospero was happy and dauntless and sagacious. When his dominions were half depopulated, he summoned to his presence a thousand hale and light-hearted friends … and with these retired to the deep seclusion of one of his crenellated abbeys.” Prospero does not only give himself a bad name, he is a bad example to his one thousand friends encouraging them to ignore those less fortunate. He possesses privileges of a prince yet he fails to fulfill the obligations that come with this honor. If he is not fulfilling his duty as a prince, he does not accomplish what it means to be Prince thus giving that title a bad name. Similarly, believers who do not love not only dishonor Christ name, they become a poor example to those who watch them.           

            Becoming desensitized to the suffering and the needy in society may result in Christians failing to reach out to society.  Poe writes, “The scarlet stains upon the body and especially upon the face of the victim were the pest ban which shut him out from the aid and from the sympathy of his fellow-men.” The victim would be left to die, unaided, uncared for, and unloved. His grotesque and contagious sickness offended and warded many away. As a Prince, a man with much wealth and many comforts, Prospero could have made a difference. However, “the external world could take care of itself. In the meantime it was folly to grieve or to think.” Likewise, Christians can become misled, thinking that helping others is not their problem. They may leave it up to the church or government to help those less fortunate then themselves as reaching out to people is not always fun or glamorous and can be offensive and uncomfortable. Safe in their comfortable world, Christians do not feel the need to share their riches and help others, being sheltered and happy. Because they do not experience and see it, they may become ignorant of the many needs outside them. They may know about the desperate needs in society, yet hope that someone else would take care of the problem. Furthermore, Prince Prospero should be different from his people. He possesses more resources and power than his subjects. However, this prince does not make a difference, choosing to flee, with his friends to his abbey which has a “strong and lofty wall girdled it in.” In hiding away he becomes desensitized to his people’s very really needs. This can also happen when Christians desire to stay comfortable; slowly suppressing sensitivity and compassion, they begin ignoring the desperate needs of society.

Christians miss many opportunities to share God’s love. Giving to those in need becomes a tangible way of sharing God’s goodness. Prospero had a chance and the ability to change lives. “The tastes of the duke were peculiar…His plans were bold and fiery, and his conceptions glowed with barbaric lustre.” Prince Prospero could have reached out to his dying people in many ways.  He could have shared his provisions and clothes with those struck with the red death and give them these small comforts. Instead, he left his own people to fend for themselves, retreating to his comfortable and wealthy dwellings. Prince Prospero showed no love for his people. Like Prospero, when Christians do not help the needy, they are not sharing love. Not helping people closes opportunities to share God’s kindness that could have only happened because of service. Prince Prospero had many doors open to him in which he might have shared compassion to his people. However, he did not care for his people, he did not aid them, and the doors shut. When people hurt like in the red death, from illness they cannot give back, so they are most open to help and hearing God’s word. Christians failing to share with the less fortunate, will close doors that could have been open to the furthering the Gospel.

            When Christians fail to reach out, secluding themselves, they hinder the spreading of the gospel and ultimately, disrepute Christ’s name. These become the effects on society when Christians isolate themselves and do not offer aid. In the end, Christians are much like Prince Prospero as they have been given the opportunity and resources to extend the hand of service. Likewise, they, as does Prince Prospero, have a duty as Christ’s servants to fulfill that obligation. However, prince Prospero did not assist his people and dies in the end. He did this out of selfishness in order to try and save himself.  Christians should act out of love since they have a perfect example of how to love in Jesus. People can learn much from the “Masque of the Red Death.” Christians should remember the importance of service and how they too can impacts society for Christ.