freedom

freedom Essay Examples

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Published: Friday 25th of January 2013

Tips and Examples on How to Write an Effective Freedom Essay

Freedom is a word that can have so many different meanings to different people that it always makes for an interesting essay. Writing about freedom can force a student to examine their own experiences and gain a better understanding of the term. It's why teachers often assign this particular topic to students of different levels and majors. At first, it may seem like an easy subject to write about, but many students get stuck trying to define exactly what freedom means to them. Are we truly free? Is it possible to achieve total freedom as a society? The more we dig, the more we get confused. Here we will introduce you to some easy to follow tips and examples that will help you write a top-notch essay that actually has some meaning to you.

What Does Freedom Mean?

Because the idea of freedom can be different from one person to another, giving it definitive meaning can be hard. Of course, everyone wants the freedom to do what they want, but there have to be limits on freedom as well, right? All societies consciously give up certain freedoms in an effort to live in peace and harmony with one another. For example, in the United States, you can't just pick a place and move there! You have to purchase the land. You also can't go around threatening people with bodily harm. Even though technically that is encroaching on your personal freedoms, the laws are meant to keep people safe and maintain peace in the society. Exploring the different ways freedom has affected you and your family means that you can really get into it and write about something you know. An essay is always easier and more fun to write when you have a personal attachment to the topic.

Get Personal with the Essay

The best way to make a freedom essay interesting for the reader and yourself is to write about how freedom has affected you personally. Did your family move from a more oppressive country where you didn’t have the same freedoms you have in America? How has that affected you and your family? Do you have family who served in the military during a war? Children of veterans may have a different perspective on the topic. This essay gives you the opportunity to examine your past and write about what freedom means to you.

Freedom Essay Outline Tips

If you are still having problems writing your essay, remember that having an outline can help the writing process immensely. Since freedom is so important, you'll want to write something that not only relates to the readers but also encourages them to examine what freedom means to them. Here are some tips and examples for creating an effective outline that will help you write an excellent freedom essay:

Introduction

  • Begin your freedom essay with an attention-grabbing fact: A great way to make your essay relevant and exciting to read is by searching for some of the most recent articles and surveys on freedom. For example, “A recent article in Freedom House claims that populists and autocrats are the biggest threats to global freedom.”
  • Open with a quote on freedom: Using a quote at the beginning of your essay is a great way to start. For example; legendary rocker, Jim Morrison once said, “A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself.” This is also a great way to add some creativity to your essay. Just make sure that the rest of the essay is relevant to the quote you use.
  • Compare how other authoritative sources define freedom: If you’re looking for a simple but fool-proof method of starting your freedom essay, you can choose to examine and dissect the definition given by a well-known dictionary or encyclopedia. Find a definition that you most agree or disagree with and then defend your point of view through examples and experiences written in your paper. For example; “The Oxford Dictionary defines freedom as the right or power to speak, think or act as one wants, but is there really a place in the world where one has total freedom?”

Body

  • Critically analyze another person’s idea of freedom: You may choose to begin your essay by introducing how a certain person views the idea of freedom and then critically analyze it. For example, your essay's introduction includes Albert Einstein's quote: "Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom." Then you need to have at least 3 critical points you can make either agreeing with this quote or disagreeing with it. Give practical examples to support your viewpoint (personal experience is always best), and describe how your examples support or undermine the quote.
  • Controversy can help your essay: If you really want to catch the reader’s attention, you can choose to argue against a generally accepted interpretation of freedom. This can be more challenging, but if you truly believe and stand by your point of view and can offer a strong argument to defend yourself, the results can be very satisfying. “They say freedom is the state of not being enslaved or imprisoned, but are we not all enslaved to our debt and financial responsibilities?”

Conclusion

Finish the essay with your own definition of freedom: You've just written an entire paper on why you agree or disagree with a certain definition of freedom, now you need to present your own take in the concluding paragraph. It's important to be creative, but you must also be able to support your conclusion with the body and examples given.

Ideas for Freedom Essays

There are many different aspects of freedom that can be examined, so choosing a theme can be difficult. We all have different backgrounds and cultural histories that can shape the way we view freedom. For some people, freedom can represent a sense of sacrifice and honor, while for others it’s about hope and sense of commitment.
We’ve come up with some fresh ideas that may help you find the perfect theme for your essay:
  • Amendments: If you're thinking about describing the freedoms you experience living in the United States, then the Bill of Rights has all the information and ideas you will ever need. Each amendment guarantees us the rights we enjoy today. However, even those freedoms have limits. For example, we should have freedom of the press and censorship, yet the government has put limits on the amount of freedom allowed. Is this real freedom then?
  • Freedom over Equality: This can be quite a controversial subject. Which is more important, equality or freedom? One side feels that freedom is more important because equality is impossible since not all people are born with equal skills or abilities. The other side claims that true freedom cannot be achieved unless everyone can have access to equal economic and educational options. What side do you agree with and why?
  • Freedom in America vs. Rest of the World: This is a topic that can be tackled from a number of different angles. The US has long been considered the land of the free, but does it meet the expectations the founding fathers had for the country? How does freedom in America compare to other countries? Is America still considered the leader of the free world today? For many people who grew up in America and have always had freedom, it can be something they take for granted.
  • Freedom vs. Peace: Although we are allowed a wide variety of freedoms, there are also limits aimed at keeping peace in the society. You're allowed freedom of speech, but you're not allowed to scream in a crowded area with the intention to cause panic. Because your action can cause harm to others, it is illegal. You can argue how total freedom can cause chaos and anarchy. "Most dictators believed their actions were necessary to keep the peace." You can also argue how too many constraints on freedom can also stifle creativity and progress. "Many communist countries failed to progress and keep up with the rest of the world."
  • Value of Freedom: Many people who have always enjoyed living in freedom may not understand the value of it. Wars were fought, and millions of lives were lost in the name of freedom. People would spend their life's fortune for a good lawyer if their freedom were in jeopardy. What would you sacrifice if you were about to lose your freedom?
  • Freedom of Love: This is a controversial subject that resonates with what’s happening in the world today. Is love really a liberty everyone has? In some countries, you can be killed for your sexual orientation. Are you really free to love whoever you want if it means losing family or friends? Should the government be involved in personal matters such as sexual orientation or who you choose to marry?
These are all exceptional topics to write about, but if you really want to make the essay great, choose one that you can best relate to. This is a personal topic and using your own experiences is the best way to write an impressive freedom essay.