The Importance of Being Earnest (Earnestness & Seriousness)

Cassi Mecham

Mr. Gowans

LA 12

4/8/2013

Earnestness and Seriousness

Being earnest means that you are showing depth and sincerity of feeling. By having the trait of being earnest it means that you as a person are serious about everything that you do and how you feel. You go about things by what you feel inside yourself and you put full effort into it. To some this trait can be admirable and to some it may not be. It can be a very good thing to have as a trait, because if you are passionate enough about something go about it with earnestness. You put how you feel into your actions are you are completely serious about them. Some people are exceedingly good with that, while others are not. To go about things being earnest is something that could either help you or ruin you.

In the book the Importance of Being Earnest, it shows so much earnestness and seriousness. The characters have their own ways of showing each trait in a good way or a bad way. Earnestness is an admirable trait because it is something you feel deep inside yourself and you know that it is something that you are very passionate about. “Miss Fairfax ever since I have met you, I have admired you more than any other girl” (Wilde 18). To mean this screams earnestness. Jack is so passionate about marrying Gwendolen, and he goes about it in so many wonderful ways. There is nothing that he wouldn't do for her. “Darling you don’t know how happy you have made me” (Wilde 19) This also makes earnestness admirable because happiness truly is the key to everything. Without being earnest how could you be happy? Earnestness is what gives you true feeling about something.

Ways that I think that it can be viewed as a less admirable trait is how you go about things. Because I know there are times where you really just can’t put your whole entire heart into something and end up coming out with nothing. For an example going into every single relationship you have with earnestness is not always a good idea, because when you are so young you need to keep your options open. You cannot just abuse the true feeling of earnestness. When things are supposed to go about in a somewhat non serious fashion it makes things not as good as they should be. Because it would give you no fun in anything. If you get ahead of your heart it might leave you in places that you definitely do not want to be. I do not wish that on anyone. All that I can say is that there are times where you need to hold back and make sure you know exactly what you are doing.

Earnestness and Seriousness are two very similar yet different words. “Seriousness - requiring much thought or work” (Merriam - Webster). Seriousness is giving a very long thought process about something. “Earnestness - an intense and serious mental state” (Merriam - Webster). Earnestness is going about something you feel in a serious manner. These words can be used to go about the same things. They share some of the same intentions and can potentially mean the same thing. Because if you are being earnest you are being serious. Someone who is serious about getting a college education is also earnest because they are working toward that goal and wanting to achieve it. Also someone who is completely serious about running a marathon they earnestly train because of how badly they want to do they best they can in their race. This is what makes these words so similar they share some of the same qualities.

To contrast these two words to me they share the same thing but yet they are so different, being earnest means being serious but being serious does not always mean you are being earnest. “To be earnest means you are taking a step further than being just serious” (Allyson Mecham). This I believe is very true. You can’t be serious and be earnest. Earnest takes all seriousness to the next level because it puts your feelings and your heart into everything and you mean everything you do and say. There are times you can be serious but you don’t have full meaning behind it. You aren’t doing it for a good cause. Because when you earnestly go about something every part of you means it. There is no way that you can cheat yourself because a person who has the quality of being seriously earnest about something is better off than someone who is just serious about something. “You will of course understand that for the future there is to be no communication of any kind between you and Miss Fairfax” (Wilde 26). Lady Bracknell was being absolutely serious about what she was saying but it turns out she wasn’t earnest about it because she ended up letting Miss Fairfax have her way and be with Mr. Worthing. Throughout this play people are serious and people are earnest. It can be a very good thing but at times it can always be a bad thing. Knowing the difference between these words makes these characters stand out so much more in this book.

Works Cited

“Earnestness” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2013. Web. 15 April 2013

“Seriousness” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2013. Web. 15 April 2013

Wilde, Oscar. The Importance of Being Earnest. Simon & Schuster paperback edition. New York, New York: Simon & Schuster. Print.

Advice (April 15 - 21)

The times in my opinion that it is wise for a friend to give advice when they and you both know that you are getting yourself into a big mess. Like when they legitimately know that you need help then by all means they can help you with anything in the world. The times I think that friends should just listen is when they do not know anything about the situation you are going through or what has happened. It drives me insane when a friend will not listen to you AT ALL but expect you to listen and be there for them through everything. In reality sometimes all you need is for someone to listen too. Not to make judgments or make you feel so low. 

It helps a lot when you really need someone and they are just there to listen to you and let you spill your thoughts and your heart. Some friends need to learn how to do that. Pretending to listen just does not cut it what so ever. Because when tragedy hits you, you need someone. When a friend tries to give you advice about something they have never gone through is just plain ridiculous to me. No one should have a say in what you should do if they have never experienced it.

Struggling Financially (April 8-14)

If I was struggling my whole life financially and I won the million dollar lottery I do not know if I would give to charity. I think if I did give to any it would be something to help out kids in orphanages or something like that. Possibly even helping the homeless. Even though it would be a miracle for me to have all that money I would still feel the need to do what I can to help out someone else. But all in all I think I would help out my parents as well. Definitely help out people who mean the most. I know that isn't giving to a charity but it would be something that would mean a whole lot to me. To see my parents debt free and happy.

Winning the lottery would be such an awesome thing. I mean there would be so many amazing things that I could do to help out myself. Get me through college and achieve my dreams and goals. Cause not every has the chance to pretty much pay everything down for school. Most people struggle with it and I think personally that's what my main focus would be. I want to go to college and get a degree more than anything. I don't want to be stuck doing some dumb job that will never get me anywhere.

If Someone You Loved Was Seriously Injured or Killed (April 2-7)

If someone that I loved was was seriously injured or killed by a texting driver it would completely change me life. I would never EVER think about texting and driving ever again. I mean I don't do it now, but I have done it before. It is such a distracting thing and it's not worth it to text and risk getting hurt or killing yourself, or someone else. People don't really understand how big of an impact it can have on your life or someone else's. It breaks my heart when I see people on the freeway doing it and they are swerving and it DOESN'T stop them.

To me my life and the others around me is way to important to risk losing. I mean when you are the driver and you pull out your phone, YOU are responsible for the people in your car. To make a stupid mistake to ruin someone's life it just not worth it to me. I would be devastated if something like that happened to me, because it is something that you can't take back no matter what. I would never want to go through it or watch someone I love go through it. People need to be more smart and stop driving like idiots. It may seem like you can check your phone for just a second but in the long run it really is NOT a good idea.