Cora Did Nothing Wrong - Debate on “Dear Mr. Winston”

The story “ Dear Mr. Winston,” written by Ken Roberts, describes how a girl named Cora was scolded and punished when she brought a snake into the library to find out what snake it was, but accidentally hurt Mr. Winston. She blamed the school, her parents, and Mr. Winston. She used many excuses to say she was innocent, but Cora was at fault here.

School rules protect people, and Cora breaking them can lead to trouble for everyone. They are helpful because they help guide people and prevent them from getting into a crisis. For example, imagine if your classmate brought a snake to school; many people might get hurt, so school rules are in place to restrict harmful behavior. In the story, even though Cora knew the school rules, she still ignored them, bringing the snake to school and hurting Mr. Winston. If she had followed them, this incident might have been avoided. So, Cora was wrong when she broke the school rules and brought a crisis down on people close to her, therefore, obeying school rules is essential for everyone.

Cora blamed Mr. Winston for getting her into trouble. As a librarian, he had the responsibility to inspect anything suspicious. People should follow and do things according to their responsibilities to make life better or safer for themselves or others. For example, police officers look for bad things to keep everyone safe. In the story, Mr. Winston opens the box without Cora’s permission and lets the snake escape. Cora blamed him, but Mr. Winston wasn’t wrong, because it was his job to find out suspicious things; Cora was wrong here because she brought the snake in the first place. So, Mr. Winston's actions show that Cora was wrong and that people should obey their responsibilities.

Cora’s parents’ punishment helped Cora learn right from wrong, so it was beneficial and fair. Punishments help children know the difference between right and wrong, correct their behavior, develop their responsibility and reliability, and prepare them for adulthood. In the story, Cora’s parents don’t let Cora watch her favorite TV show because she sneakily brings her snake to school. Even though watching TV doesn’t relate to smuggling a snake into school, it discourages Cora from repeating her mistake. So, Cora’s punishments are appropriate because they prevent her from repeating her past mistake.

In conclusion, this story is about a girl who broke school rules, hurt an innocent librarian, and tried to dodge blame. She ignored the school rules, which was dangerous. The librarian’s inspection and her parents' punishment protect others and teach Cora a lesson about her actions. Ultimately, respecting and obeying rules, not clever excuses or rationalizations, keep our society safe, so Cora was in the wrong here.