2010 – 4th Grade 4th Place Winner

Jaewoo Park, Illinois.

Is the Pen Mightier than the Sword?

The Mighty Pen

The modern-day philosopher and civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral.” King believed that violence is impractical because it leads to destruction for everyone involved; he also believed that it is immoral because it thrives on hatred instead of love. Therefore, as King stated, the sword (violence) is impractical and immoral, and it is less mighty than the pen. The pen has more purposes and is more useful than the sword. The pen can also influence other people’s minds more powerfully than the sword. Therefore, the pen is mightier than the sword.

Many people believe that the sword is mightier than the pen because it is physically stronger. However, the sword is not actually as great as the pen since it only reinforces hatred and malevolence. Violence is dangerous and vile, and it also enslaves people and sometimes even kills them. The pen, on the other hand, does not involve much fighting or death; it encourages peaceful discourse and harmony. The pen does not force others to obey or lead certain lifestyles, but instead, it helps people communicate, understand each other, and rethink their choices in a peaceful manner.

Moreover, words can influence people’s thoughts and feelings through speeches and books. A few examples are the Bible, Koran, torah, and other religious texts. These texts shape their readers’ thoughts, feelings, morals, and beliefs; these believers “live” their faith and become powerful change, and their lives speak volumes to others. Other literature, like Uncle Tom’s Cabin, informed people about life and things that needed to be changed. Also, all throughout history, many texts, such as the Emancipation Proclamation and the U.S. Constitution, changed people’s lives.

The pen is better than the sword because the pen can communicate feelings, influence many people throughout time, give knowledge, and change lives. While the sword only brings destruction and malevolence, the pen uses peaceful means to communicate ideas to others; therefore, even though it is “physically” weaker, the pen is still more powerful than the sword.



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