The 7 Best Essays Expressing Impressions on the Story 'Sculpting a Plank in the Middle of the Road' (Literature 7 - Cánh Diều Textbook)

Many individuals begin a task or set a goal with great enthusiasm, but external factors often cause them to waver, change their stance, and lose the determination needed to succeed. This is a common theme addressed in the fable 'Carving a Wooden Figure in the Middle of the Road,' which serves as a lesson about perseverance and the importance of trusting oneself.

The story tells of a farmer who initially had the ability to complete his plow as he intended, but due to his lack of conviction, he followed the advice of everyone he met. The plow, altered by countless suggestions, became an unusable piece of wood, wasting time and effort, while inviting mockery from others. The moral of the story is clear: one should maintain a strong and unwavering stance to achieve their goals, carefully considering and selectively accepting advice rather than letting others' opinions dictate their path.

In life, assistance is not always available, so each person must cultivate their own sense of self-direction. Sticking to one's beliefs does not equate to stubbornness; rather, it is about being open to useful input while ensuring that it supports one’s own ideas without overshadowing personal convictions.

Once you have established your own viewpoint, your knowledge and determination will guide you toward your goals without the fear of wondering whether you are 'carving a plow in the middle of the road.' Knowledge is the understanding and strategic foresight necessary to confidently pursue your vision, supported by logical reasoning. Strength of character is about making sound judgments, carefully sifting through feedback, and resisting external influences that could derail your objectives. When you make a decision, take responsibility for it.

The fable 'Carving a Wooden Figure in the Middle of the Road' provides an important lesson: we must all learn to act with conviction and trust our own judgment in whatever we do. External words should not sway your actions, especially when you are the one who understands the work best. Believe in yourself, and success will follow.

The fable of the Plowman in the middle of the road is a meaningful story that teaches the importance of a determined attitude in life. The tale follows a farmer who lacks his own judgment and is easily swayed by every passerby's advice. He acts on each suggestion until none of the plows are sold, and the wood is wasted. His capital is gone, and his reputation is ruined. The story emphasizes the lesson to maintain one's perspective and be resolute in order to achieve personal goals. In making decisions, we must not let others' opinions waver our own but rather listen carefully, reflect, and make wise choices.

In life, everyone has their own work and plans. Since people’s views differ, each individual perceives situations uniquely. While the kindness of others is valuable, we may not always receive the right help, which is why we must have our own opinions. It’s important to consider others' advice, but we must choose what best complements our own ideas rather than letting it dominate or overshadow our own beliefs. Once we have confidence in our stance, paired with knowledge and resilience, we are more likely to succeed in realizing our goals.

We should criticize those who lack conviction or principles, but we must also recognize those who stand firm in their beliefs, not easily swayed by others. However, we must distinguish between remaining steadfast in one’s views and being stubborn or resistant to necessary change. Stubbornness can lead to failure if it prevents us from adapting to societal rules and truths.

There is an ancient saying: “No matter how others sway their opinions, my resolve remains firm like a three-legged stool.” This proverb prompts us to reflect on our own beliefs in response to the influences of the outside world. One's stance in communication plays a vital role, as demonstrated in the folk tale of the Plowman in the middle of the road.

The story follows a farmer who, initially able to craft a plow to his liking, ends up being swayed by every passing person’s advice. By listening to each suggestion, the plow eventually becomes a small, unsellable piece of wood. Time is wasted, efforts lost, and the farmer becomes the subject of mockery.

The story encourages us to stay resolute and determined in pursuing our goals. When making decisions, we should not waver due to the opinions of others but should listen with discernment, carefully weighing all thoughts before taking action. While the kindness of others is admirable, it is not always the right kind of help. Therefore, it is essential for everyone to have their own beliefs.

Those with strong opinions are not easily influenced by others, unlike those without firm convictions who are often swept away by others’ judgments and become anxious or confused.

Having a clear opinion is crucial; it serves as a foundation for pursuing dreams and plans, allowing one to remain calm and clear-headed, free from the pressure of worrying about others’ views. In every matter, each person has unique thoughts and perspectives, as they look at different aspects of an issue. This makes it all the more important to have personal convictions when faced with external influences.

We must differentiate between maintaining a solid stance and being stubborn or resistant to change, which can lead to failure. Additionally, we should criticize those who lack convictions or principles in life.

It is important for each of us to understand the significance of expressing our opinions when evaluating objects, events, or people. So, how can we avoid becoming like the Plowman in the middle of the road?

First: Create a clear plan. This will help you identify your goals and the steps to reach them, ensuring you stay on course and don’t stray from your initial objectives.

Second: Listen to feedback selectively. While it is important to receive input from others, you must choose the opinions that will strengthen your own ideas, rather than allowing them to overpower your personal beliefs.

Third: Take decisive action to achieve your goals. A plan or idea is merely a draft; what truly matters is taking concrete steps. Always remember that, no matter what, you must create your own “plow.” As long as you stay committed and arm yourself with knowledge and determination, success will follow effortlessly.

Thus, whether we are students, professionals, or hold any position in society, we must each have a strong stance and know how to wisely accept others' opinions, using our intellect to distinguish right from wrong and adjust accordingly.

Người xưa có câu: “Học ăn, học nói, học gói, học mở”. Xung quanh ta có biết bao nhiêu điều thú vị, cần tìm hiểu và đúc kết cho chính mình trở thành một con người biết sống, biệt hành động và có ích cho xã hội. Nói về việc học, học lẽ sống làm người là cần thiết nhất. Từ câu chuyện ngụ ngôn Đẽo cày giữa đường chắc chắn chúng ta sẽ học hỏi được một kinh nghiệm: phải biết nhận thức, tiếp thu, nhận xét, chọn lọc chủ động và hành động để đem lại lợi ích thiết thực cho bản thân. Chúng ta cùng bàn luận về câu chuyện lí thú này và đưa ra những lời khuyên thật tích cực.

Câu chuyện ngụ ngôn Đẽo cày giữa đường mở ra trước mắt chúng ta hình ảnh một anh nông dân có trong tay một ít vốn liếng và mong trở thành một nhà buôn lớn. Anh ta mua về nhiều gỗ để đẽo cày. Vì chưa có kinh nghiệm nên anh ta muốn nghe ý kiến từ người mua. Có người bảo anh làm cày to ra, anh làm theo ngay ; có người bảo anh đẽo nhỏ lại, anh cũng làm theo và thế là chẳng chiếc cày nào đúng với tiêu chuẩn cả. Anh nông dân mất hết vốn liếng nhưng khi hối hận thì đã muộn rồi. Đọc xong câu chuyện đó, có lẽ ai cũng cảm thấy thương cho anh nông dân ấy. Trước hết ta có thể nhận xét : vì chưa có kinh nghiệm nên việc lắng nghe và tiếp thu những ý kiến đóng góp của người khác luôn cho là hoàn toàn đúng đắn. Nhưng tại sao việc làm ăn của anh ta bị đổ bể, thì lại là một vấn đề, chắc chắn phải suy xét. Anh ta biết lắng nghe đấy nhưng lại không chủ động suy nghĩ; không biết chọn lọc lời khuyên để tìm ra một hướng giải quyết thật đúng đắn, phù hợp với hoàn cảnh cửa mình thì việc thất bại là không thể tránh được. Nếu chúng ta cho mình là anh nông dân ấy, chắc chắn chúng ta sẽ hành động khác. Phải suy nghĩ về những lời khuyên một cách chọn lọc, tự rút kinh nghiệm để hoàn thành một công việc. Đây cũng là một bài học cần thiết mà câu chuyện Đẽo cày giữa đường gửi đến cho chúng ta.

Ở mọi lúc, mọi nơi, với mỗi chúng ta, bài học này rất đáng ghi nhớ. Trong xã hội hiện tại, có những người đã biết vận dụng bài học về lẽ sống để làm tốt công việc mình đảm nhận. Nhưng cũng có nhiều người không thực sự quan tâm một cách nghiêm túc đến vấn đề này. Hiện nay có rất nhiều gia đình giàu có, cậy tiền làm giấy tờ giả đưa con cái đi học ở nước ngoài. Họ cứ nghĩ rằng đi du học về là sẽ có việc làm tại những công ti lớn, lương tháng cao. Ở những con người ấy, việc không có tri thức là một lí do, nhưng lí do khác cũng không kém phần quan trọng là họ không biết tiếp thu những cái tốt, không biết loại bỏ cái xấu, làm theo tất cả mà không có chọn lọc. Bài học về lẽ sống làm người lại nhắc nhở tất cả chúng ta hãy cảnh giác. Nói về tương lai của mỗi chúng ta, có nhiều ý kiến khác nhau. Nào là bạn tiếp tục học cao lên và thi vào đại học; nào là thôi không học nữa, hãy đi làm, rồi vừa làm vừa học ; nào là thi vào trường dạy nghề ; nào là đi du học nước ngoài ; nào là chuyển sang công việc kinh doanh… tất cả mọi hướng vào đời quanh ta đều có cái ích lợi riêng, đều có niềm vui và điều thú vị riêng. Song ta hãy cân nhắc xem : hướng nào phù hợp với năng lực và hoàn cảnh của bản thân và gia đình ta? Từ đó sẽ có đáp án đúng để xác định hướng vào đời. Không nên mắc vào lối mòn ba phải của anh “đẽo cày giữa đường” mà hỏng sự nghiệp, lãng phí thời gian và sức lực.

Chúng ta không bao giờ bác bỏ những ý kiến của người khác nhưng cũng không có nghĩa là làm theo mà không có chọn lọc. Bạn hãy sống sao cho đúng với lẽ sống để trở thành một người biết suy nghĩ và chín chắn trong tất cả mọi việc của cuộc sống.

A person who works without confidence, lacking their own opinions, and follows the advice of many others will often fall into the trap of "too many cooks spoil the broth" and ultimately fail. The fable of ‘carving a plow in the middle of the road’ illustrates this well.

The story tells of a farmer who had a large log and wanted to carve a plow to sell for profit and improve labor productivity. Whether by accident or intention, he chose to carve the plow right in the middle of the road. As a result, a useful piece of wood became a useless scrap because he failed to stand by his own decisions, listening too much to others. Had he carefully studied the specific requirements of the product he intended to create, he wouldn't have become the subject of ridicule. People are not malicious by nature; however, each person has their own perspective based on their individual experiences. Once his work was exposed in public, people naturally felt entitled to offer unsolicited advice. Some offered constructive feedback, while others, driven by selfish motives, sought to undermine him.

It can be said that the farmer’s action of carving the plow was not wrong in itself, as he was open to others’ opinions. However, due to his inability to thoughtfully integrate these suggestions with his own ideas, he ended up in the unfortunate situation described.

Having a firm standpoint would have given him the intellect and confidence to weigh the pros and cons. Knowledge is the understanding and capacity to solve problems efficiently based on one’s existing resources. Confidence is about not being naïve and discerning the logic in every opinion to separate what is beneficial and make sound decisions. Once a decision is made, one should take responsibility and learn from it, instead of acting without consideration.

In modern life, we don’t always have the luxury of family or close friends to guide us. Therefore, each person must develop their own convictions. While it’s important to be open to feedback, we must learn to filter out the noise and not let others’ opinions overpower our personal beliefs. The farmer in this story lacked both firm convictions and understanding of his work, which led him to failure. This story teaches us to actively learn, be proactive, and always maintain our own opinions in every situation and field.

When working on a team project with significant importance and high demands, we should not elevate our own opinions too much, as the task is not just for our benefit. However, that doesn’t mean we should remain silent; we should confidently express our thoughts as they might contribute to the overall success, boosting our self-confidence, capabilities, and improvement. What’s more important is that we earn respect, trust, and admiration from others. Conversely, poor results can impact both ourselves and our lives.

We only live once, so we must carve a perfect plow to avoid regrets. Learn from others’ mistakes, and you’ll never regret it.