Values Of The Cadets At The Institution example essay topic

The Lords of Discipline Life in the Military School To the average person, school is a place to learn where one may speak their mind freely, yet stay orderly through a light set of values and order. In The Lords of Discipline, we learn of a different type of school. The Institute is a military academy with rigorous mental and physical standards, and very straight-forward and rigid policies. What is learned at the Institute is to stay loyal to your classmates. The upperclassmen do their best to keep this primary rule imbedded in the minds of the plebe's. In this story, we learn about an open-minded student at the academy whose own pride and determination allows him to stay in the system and not give up.

He disagrees with the ways of the academy, but finds himself able to deal with the cruelties of the academy's nature. Being that the Institute is a military school, there are certain things which are unchangeable to the cadets. The order will always remain the same way, a cadet must comply obediently and without hesitation to commanding officers. For the main character in the story, Will McLean, this order defies everything that he knows is right in the world. Life is harsh for him, he came there an unconditioned young man like the others and was groomed by their system to somewhat fit their standards.

For a cadet, any knowledge about respect and rights prior to the institute must be forgotten so that one may be remodeled. Another of the aspects that is key to life at the Institution is values. The values of the cadets at the Institution don't really exist at times. The one that will always remain true is the honor to not 'shit on your classmates. ' Courage and bravery can put a person in the 'in crowd' and failure to meet the standards will place you in the 'out crowd. ' Will has found himself in the middle of these groups.

He is still in the school because he simply has done nothing wrong according to policy, but in his heart he does not wish to be known as an 'Institute man. ' Structure is important to most of the cadets at the Institute, even to Will it means something. The structure has Will in a love / hate relationship with the Institution. He sees the benefit of going through this system, but has absolute animosity and loathing for what it does to people.

Upperclassmen may do what they please to anybody of class below them and it will go unquestioned, this is the way the structure is and it is unchanging except for Will who stands alone in his ideas of the Institution. Life in the military school is the same for everyone who attends it. The Lords of Discipline tells a story of how these people faced its hardships either emerging victoriously or suffering great loss. Forever will they share the memories of these times, but not all will ever truly become 'Institution men,' a title which is held high by the graduates and seniors of the Cadre.