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About Pay It Forward Book
The Pay It Forward meaning is quite simple when someone does something kind for another person, but that person doesn’t repay the favor. Catherine Ryan Hyde’s book Pay It Forward is about a little kid called Trevor McKinney tasked with making the world a great place as part of an assignment.
This task is one that he takes on with great seriousness, and he promptly gets to work. His deed sets off a domino effect of goodwill and generosity. While Catherine Ryan Hyde’s 1999 book and 2000 movie with the same name popularized the notion of paying it forward, the movement’s origins go back further in time.
Book Summary
In the book Pay It Forward, the protagonist, Trevor McKinney, is a 12-year-old seventh-grader in Atascadero, California, who is tasked by his social study teacher, Reuben St. Clair, with developing and carrying out an initiative to improve the world.
With the purpose of inspiring others to do the same, Trevor resolves to “pay it forward” by helping three others. It is required that everyone do three very helpful actions for others, activities that no one person could perform alone but which would set off a domino effect of goodwill.
Early on, Trevor aids Jerry, a homeless addict with an employment problem. Jerry seems not to do the three deeds before being sent to jail. In fact, Jerry prevents a lady called Charlotte from killing herself but doesn’t tell Trevor.
Mrs. Greenberg’s garden needs attention, so Trevor offers his assistance. Not long after, she passes away, and Trevor is left feeling that his efforts were in vain. On the other hand, Mrs. Greenberg did assist others by leaving money to three less fortunate people. Matt, one of the people involved, helps out another gang member called Sidney.
Teacher Reuben St. Clair is Trevor’s third support system member. Recognizing that Reuben and his mother, Arlene are both lonely, he introduces them to one another. Because Trevor’s biological father, Ricky, has just made an appearance, their connection is sporadic at best.
After some time has passed, Arlene comes to the conclusion that she made a mistake when she ended her relationship with Reuben; nevertheless, it is too late for the two of them to start dating again. Even though Arlene is expecting a child, she doesn’t know whether the father is Reuben or Ricky.
Chris Chandler, a journalist, hears about the “pay it forward” movement and decides to trace its beginnings by doing nice actions himself. A while later, he tracks down Trevor and profiles him and his groundbreaking concept in an article. After the interview is published, the president personally invites Trevor to meet with him. Reuben, Arlene, and Trevor go to Washington, D.C.
Later on, Trevor is killed while trying to save two other guys from an assault by a larger group of men. In his honor, tens of thousands of citizens hold a candlelight vigil. They commit to carrying on Trevor’s work and teaching the idea of “paying it forward” to future generations.
Reuben and Arlene tie the knot at the novel’s conclusion, and Reuben accepts responsibility for fathering Arlene’s child. In the event that Ricky reappears, they will provide financial assistance to help him get his life in order, and they will urge him to carry on Trevor’s mission by “paying it forward.”
Pay It Forward Quotes
These quotes from the book Pay It Forward illustrate why the message behind it is so important.
- “I guess it’s hard for people who are so used to things the way they are – even if they’re bad – to change. ’Cause they kind of give up. And when they do, everybody kind of loses.”
- “If you want to see a man come to his senses, try something like, Do you happen to carry a rubber in your wallet? Did I mention I’m not on the pill?”
- “It’s really hard to know what’s a good idea when you’re growing and these ideas don’t hold still and neither do you.”
- “But you can’t change the world on the honor system. Shoot, anybody knows that. Leave people on the honor system, they don’t do it. As soon as you look away, they just don’t. I mean, look what happened.”
- “There is no wrong way to perform an act of kindness.”
Essay Structure On Pay It Forward
Make sure that your essay is organized in a manner that allows you to convey your views clearly and adequately respond to the topic being asked. The following structure is recommended for all essays.
Introduction
After you’ve completed your outline, you may go on to write the beginning of your essay. The reader will get a crystal clear idea of what to anticipate from the rest of the article after reading the introduction, which may include some background information.
In the book, Reuben St. Claire, the teacher, sets his students an out-of-the-ordinary task: they must develop a program that would lead to constructive change in the world. In “Pay it Forward,” a concept created by one of his students, Trevor McKinney, the beneficiary of a nice action is expected to return the favor by doing three kindness acts for three additional people.
Body
Your primary ideas and supporting arguments should be laid forth in the body, the bulk of your work. Your research and creative thinking have led to these points of view. Therefore, it is a combination of your thoughts and those of others. It is important to arrange these ideas in a way that makes sense to the reader.
It is essential to the growth of your argument that you strike a balance between discussing your thoughts and facts and those from other sources. Without this equilibrium, your writing risks becoming either a repetition of other people’s thoughts and theories or a recount of your ideas and experiences without any supporting research.
In both cases, analysis, a vital part of any essay, would be missing. Consequently, it is crucial to convey a variety of viewpoints. The key points will be discussed, backed up, and analyzed using examples drawn from your own life as well as data and ideas discovered elsewhere (books, websites, lectures, journals, etc.). Paragraphs help to organize the important topics for easy reading.
Conclusion
The conclusion, like the introduction, ties the essay’s substance to its title. The introduction usually begins broadly before narrowing its emphasis and outlining the essential points; in contrast, the conclusion aims to summarize the main concepts and arguments before concluding.
The book Pay It Forward has the guts to show us a new path. It declares categorically that being selfless and considering the needs of others are among the highest forms of moral beauty. It boldly asserts that every individual can change the world for the better by doing good.
Furthermore, it demonstrates that it’s OK that we don’t know the results of our kind deeds. Religions from throughout the globe emphasize that pleasure is found in action itself.
Tips To Consider While Writing An Essay About Pay It Forward
Here you will find the most important guidelines for writing an essay.
Read The Book Thoroughly
Before you even begin writing, the most important portion of the essay-writing process takes place. Make sure you read the book thoroughly as you possibly can, paying attention to the distinction between terms like “contrast” and “analyze,” and bringing attention to any relevant information.
Find A Compelling Topic
Pick something you have some familiarity with. You will have an in-depth understanding of a process or idea so that you can describe it from the ground up. No matter what you’re writing an essay about, keep in mind that the finest essays know their purpose and how to fulfill it.
As a result, you’ll have a much clearer picture of how to zero in on a subject that’s both narrow enough and broad enough to interest you while meeting your writing class’s needs.
Create The Outline
Don’t hurry into writing after you’ve finished researching. Create a rough outline of your essay to help you keep track of your ideas while you read and gather information. Creating an outline is a great method to organize your thoughts before beginning the essay.
The outline is the framework of your paper, ensuring that no important details are overlooked and that your arguments are presented coherently.
Write The Thesis Statement
Always try to express the important argument of your essay in the thesis statement. Essentially, it’s a one-sentence summary of the essay’s topic. The phrase “pay it forward” describes a situation in which the recipient of a good action pays it forward by repaying the generosity to others rather than returning it to the original donor.
Include A Lesson Or Moral
Finding creative methods to help others is an important part of being a good citizen. In this lesson, students will reflect on their positive emotions when someone does something kind for them and then explores ways to spread those emotions to others. They will compose an essay to encourage people to do acts of kindness for others.
Conclusion: Proofread Your Work
Make a list of all the known issues. Include the names and terms you usually mispronounce, as well as the grammatical blunders you make on a regular basis. Consider the tasks on your to-do list while you reread your work.
You should also have a trusted friend, or family member read your essay to catch any missed errors or inconsistencies. You may get our assistance if you’re still unsure about your writing skills. You may trust us to provide you with a high-quality essay far sooner than you could on your own.
Frequently Asked Questions
i. What does the quote pay it forward mean?
Instead of just receiving or returning an excellent action, “pay it forward” means that the receiver goes out of their way to do another act of kindness for someone else.
ii. What is an example of paying it forward?
Simple activities like holding the door or elevator for someone else, starting a Facebook fundraiser, donating additional items, participating in a charity run, doing the dishes and making the bed, treating someone while you treat yourself, volunteering, picking up garbage, hosting a drive, and smiling and complimenting someone are examples of paying it forward.
iii. Was the movie pay it forward Based on a true story?
The movie is mostly inspired by Catherine Ryan Hyde’s book of the same name. The plot centers on 11-year-old Trevor McKinney, who in Las Vegas starts a “pay it forward” campaign of kindness.
iv. What are the three rules in pay it forward?
It’s easy to play by the rules:
- Firstly, it has to be a significant step forward that will really benefit many people.
- It must be something they can’t accomplish for themselves, and
- The third condition is that the giver helps three more needy persons.
