running away essay

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How to Consider the Pros and Cons of Running Away from Home

Last Updated: December 15, 2022 References

This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff . Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 61,689 times. Learn more...

Have you been thinking about running away? Are you not sure what to do? Think about what your available options are at home, at school, and in your community to handle what you’re going through. Before you make a big decision like running away, get advice from mentors, counselors, or the National Runaway Safeline. Running away from home may seem like the only solution in the heat of the moment, when you’re feeling upset, scared, or anxious about school, your family, or life in general. But in reality, there are many ways to address the situation. So don’t give up just yet.

Weighing the Pros and Cons

• Identify if there are ways to talk with your relatives, friends, or mentors at school before making a big decision to run away.
• Understand that running away will not likely fix the problem you’re facing.
• Think about running away as a worst case scenario, not the first way to handle your problem. Utilize any supports you have in your community first, including your school, places of worship, community centers, and friends.
• Understand that running away may feel like the only option in the heat of a moment, but in reality you may face the same or worse challenges after the fact.

• Types of physical abuse include punching, biting, scratching, strangling, pushing, or kicking. It could involve objects being thrown at you. It involves an intentional and unwanted contact with you or something close to your body. [1] X Research source
• Types of sexual abuse include unwanted kissing or touching, pressuring or threatening someone into unwanted sexual activity, attempted rape, rape, or non-consensual sex.
• Types of emotional abuse include repeatedly humiliating you, threatening to harm you or others in your family, putting you down with derogatory names, yelling or screaming at you on a repeated basis, or repeatedly blaming you for their own actions.

• If you are running away to escape physical or sexual abuse, call the National Runaway Safeline which is open 24/7: 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929) or http://www.1800runaway.org/
• If you or your family are in imminent danger, in which you or another person's life is physically threatened, call 9-1-1 for immediate assistance.

• Understand that homeless runaways are at high risk of being sexually exploited, becoming dependent on drugs or alcohol as a means to cope, and being victimized or placed in dangerous situations. You could also end up in trouble with your local law enforcement.
• Think about these questions: How will you pay for food? Where will you sleep? How will you get in touch with people in case of an emergency? What happens if you’re feeling more afraid or scared after leaving home?
• Without a good answer to these questions, running away will often make matters worse for yourself and your loved ones. They will be worried about your safety, which is a real concern.

• Talk with a trained social service professional about the pros and cons of running away. If you are currently being physically, sexually, or emotionally abused, call them for support immediately.
• Use their advice as a guide about the options available to you in your community. They can create a safety plan with you.
• Listen to them about resources such as local runaway shelters, and possibly free counseling services for at-risk youth.

Evaluating Your Safety

• Be honest with them about your feelings. See if they would be willing to listen to you if you needed to call them in times of struggle or fear.
• Ask the people you trust if you can depend on them for support if you ended up in trouble.

• Identify spaces or rooms in your home where you feel safest. Is it your bedroom? A living room? A kitchen? Use those spaces when you’re feeling anxious and need time away from your family. Find ways to take a deep breath, and calm your mind in that moment.
• Identify other places in your community where you feel safe, such as your school, community centers, or places of worship. Seek out professionals and mentors that work or volunteer there to express your need for guidance. They can help you better assess the pros and cons.
• Identify your friends’ or family members’ homes where you can go if you need some time away from your family to feel safe.
• Understand what runaway and homeless shelters offer (and don’t offer) in terms of support.

• This does not automatically mean that you will be removed from your home or that your guardian will be disciplined. Each evaluation is case-by-case.
• Talk with a school administrator or counselor that you trust about what may or may not happen when abuse is reported. If you are fearful of retaliation, talk with a school counselor or other adults who you trust about your need for safety.

Seeking Support

• Call your friends when you need help to calm down about what you’re feeling. It will be best to have at least one contact that is an adult, not just other friends. Think about if there is an aunt, cousin, or grandparent that you can call when you’re feeling upset.
• If you’re feeling like running away, talk with a mentor at the community center or a religious leader in private about your feelings. They may have advice on youth activities that can help cope in healthy ways.

• If you feel unable to talk with staff at your school about your problems, find local community centers or a counseling center that may be able to assist.
• See if your school, friends, or relatives can recommend any professional counseling services in your area. Professional counselors and social workers are trained to address family conflict and other difficult issues. If you are having difficulty with talking to your parents or relatives, family therapy may help you learn to cope with your family.

• Within your family, think about adults such as cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, or other relatives that have overcome difficult family challenges such as domestic violence, abuse, substance abuse, divorce, or financial stressors.
• Ask community leaders or mentors for support and advice about how they overcame their stressors and what they may recommend.

• Contact the Teen Line by phone or reach out to them online: 310-855-4673 or https://teenlineonline.org/
• Look for other peer support groups that may be offered through your school or in your community. Consider engaging with other teens who can provide an objective perspective on your situation.
• There may be other online peer support group sites available if you’re thinking about running away or can’t cope with your difficult family.

• It’s important to have someone on your side who isn’t trying to force you one way or the other.

Considering Alternatives

• Make sure to find a supportive person who can help you step by step through this act of speaking out. Talk with a counselor, teacher, mentor, or caring relative. You’re not alone.
• Prioritize your safety over your guilt, shame, or hurt.
• Remember that things can get better. Accept that while you can not control other people’s actions. You make the best effort to handle your own in a responsible and mature way.

• Avoid sneaking around or avoiding your family when you’re trying to find a place to stay with friends or relatives. Tell your family that you’re trying to be honest with them rather than sneaking out and that you hope they can respect what you’re feeling.
• Avoid asking your parents or guardians to “leave” and instead ask in a calm manner, “Can I spend some time with [friend or family]? I’m feeling overwhelmed right now, and I just need a little space. I will make sure to be back by [time/date].”
• Coordinate this plan and transportation arrangements before you ask your parents or guardian.

• Hang out with or find friends that may you feel included, supported, and reassured. Avoid the negative people who bully, reject, or hurt you.
• Take time for yourself. Take a hot shower to feel better. Engage in daily breathing exercises to help you calm down. Make sure to get enough rest. Consider praying or meditation.
• Do activities that make you happy and relieve stress. Listen to your favorite music with headphones. Draw in an art book. Write in a journal about what you’re feeling. Play music or sing.
• Get active. Get out for a walk or run. Ride your bike. Do stretches at home or outside. Consider taking an after-school fitness or martial arts class. Join a sports team at your school. Go to a local gym or activity center.

Community Q&A

• If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of violence, assault, or sexual abuse, contact 9-1-1 for immediate assistance. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 0
• If you are under 18 years old, running away from home is consider illegal in some states within the US, as a “status offense.” Also if you are considered a “habitual runaway,” you could possibly end up in court as a “Child in Need of Supervision.” Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://www.loveisrespect.org/is-this-abuse/types-of-abuse/#tab-id-1
• ↑ https://www.empoweringparents.com/article/running-away-part-i-why-kids-do-it-and-how-to-stop-them/
• ↑ http://girlshealth.gov/feelings/runaway/index.html
• ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/running-away.html#
• ↑ https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/11_13/help/Missing-kids/
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-race-good-health/201402/5-tips-helping-teens-cope-stress

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Home — Essay Samples — Entertainment — Whale Rider — Understanding the Running Away Theme As Depicted In Different Movies

Understanding The Running Away Theme as Depicted in Different Movies

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Adolescence is probably the most extreme period in the life of an individual. Transiting from childhood to being an adult is full of rioting, searching for one’s identity and purpose, developing new models of behavior, psychologically separating from parents, and maturing. Many people tend to remember their teen years as the most saturated and meaningful—even though what teenagers usually do is hang out with friends and party. This age, however, is not as carefree and unclouded as it seems; teenagers, due to hormonal hurricanes and the psychological peculiarities of this age, often get themselves in trouble. Millions of parents around the world are worried that their children at this age will get in the wrong surrounding, start doing drugs, or drink alcohol; there is, at the same time, a problem that is no less dangerous: running away from home.

Although it might seem romantic—escaping home and wandering around the country or abroad, in search of one’s purpose or for whatever other reason—the reality is different. According to statistics, every year, up to 2.8 million teens who escape from home have to live on the streets. Among them, about 50% have been kicked out of their homes or shelters at least once, and they specified home conflicts being one of the main reasons of this; according to the reports of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, about 20% of young people who have been thrown out of their homes or escaped faced physical and/or sexual abuse, or felt they were under the threat of abuse. Overall, more than 60% of runaway teenagers have depression, half of them have problems at school, and about 20% have developed substance addiction (National Safe Place). As it can be seen from the statistics, being a runaway is not about romantically searching for their place in the world, but rather suffering from injustice, poverty, violence, and depression.

Of course, there are cases when teens run away because of something bad at home (for example, a big fight with parents, or harsh restrictions, and so on). However, for a large percentage of runaways, the need to escape is innate, due to systematic misfortunes at home or school. In this regard, specialists distinguish between episodic running away and chronic running away. Episodic running away does not have a consistent pattern, and usually it not used to manipulate parents. More likely, episodic runaways occur in order to avoid punishment for misbehavior or misconduct, possible humiliation (for instance, from peers at school), or embarrassment. In the case of chronic running away, the situation is different; teenagers who regularly escape from home may be using this strategy to influence their parents, draw their attention if other means do not prove to be efficient, manipulate parents, or act out. One of the signs of such a pattern is when a teenager uses phrases such as: “If you make me do this/If you do not do that, I will run away.” They may threaten their parents by saying, “If you make me do that, I’ll run away,” knowing that running away is what many parents are afraid of. This is a bargaining strategy, and parents can engage in it without fully realizing they in fact cater to such behavioral patterns, not prevent them. Once a parent concedes to such blackmailing, a teenager may start using it more to always get what he or she wants; when such a relationship model substitutes direct and open communication between children and parents, it is not a healthy relationship anymore (Empowering Parents).

As for the reasons why teenagers choose to escape can be numerous. Among the most common ones are abuse (physical, emotional, sexual, and so on), substance addiction, and peer pressure. According to a study conducted at the University of Chicago, the most common reason for teenagers to run away from home is the lack of support and understanding coming from family members—and this is the best-case scenario. Unfortunately, there are numerous cases when teens have been molested, beaten, humiliated, threatened, and mistreated in their families; the fact that parents—probably the closest people to a teen—do this to him or her deeply undermines a young person’s ability to trust the world and his or her given society. Often being dependent on their parents in terms of finance or a place to live, they do not have an effective means of preventing or stopping harm from their parents; running away for such children seems to be the only valid option. Nearly the same is the situation for many teenagers at schools; feeling like a black sheep in class or being bullied, such teens tend to choose radical ways of problem solving. There were infamous cases when such teens committed mass shootings in the schools they studied at, but less psychologically traumatized children prefer to eliminate themselves from the stressful environment—through running away, usually. As for substance addiction, it commonly accompanies the aforementioned problems; a healthy teenager who has good relationships within and outside the family rarely feels the desire to try out drugs, for example; this may be done as an experiment or a part of teenage rioting behavior, but rarely turns into a consistent pattern typical for addicts. Nevertheless, teenagers who develop a substance addiction may run away from home in order to conceal this addiction from their parents, find money (often illegally) to buy more drugs or alcohol, or because they got into trouble connected to substances. Either way, parents need to look out for the signs of addiction a child may display in order to be able to notice the problem in time and try to solve it before it is too late.

Running away as a teen is a dangerous act. Teens who escape their homes often have to live in poverty, depression, and abuse; trying to solve problems (such as physical or emotional abuse, for example) at school or home, they run away hoping to get away from the source of distress; however, living on the streets means becoming less protected and more vulnerable, so the reason why teens escape does not vanish. Therefore, parents should be more attentive to their children, encourage direct communication, and watch out for signs of problems their child might be demonstrating in order to prevent the situation from becoming worse.

Works Cited

“Running Away.” National Safe Place. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2017.

“Why Do Kids Run Away.” Empowering Parents. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2017.

Fisher, Nathan. “Reasons Why Teenagers Run Away.” LIVESTRONG.COM. Leaf Group, 16 Aug. 2013. Web. 24 May 2017.

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Already Gone: 40 Stories of Running Away

by Hannah Grieco

Did you ever wish, with every cell in your body, that you could run away? From home, from a person, from your job, from yourself? Physically or emotionally, on foot or purely in your own mind? In  Already Gone , forty of today’s most exciting writers take flight in all these ways and more.

In an electrifying hybrid collection of fiction and memoir, authors such as Deesha Philyaw, Amber Sparks, and Lilly Dancyger finish what Thelma & Louise started. From a reimagined tale of Lot’s wife fleeing a burning city to a secret elopement to avoid an arranged marriage, from a mother who wins the lottery and abandons her family to a rich man’s obsessive search through space and time, from a drag queen who transforms into her fantasy to a teenager who walks the city streets at night in search of a way out,  Already Gone  is a collection of runaway stories that explores what it means to fly, to flee, to escape—to search for who we are. These stories and essays take us to dangerous places in order to free us from what holds us back.

The artistry on display within Already Gone  is next level—these are not just stories, they’re offramps and exit routes for readers and writers looking to break free from the ho-hum mundanity of daily living. Here is an oasis. Grieco has curated a vibrant, pulsing mosaic of human experience. -Chris Gonzalez, author of  I’m Not Hungry but I Could Eat

Escapist lit at its best, the Already Gone anthology features forty stories infused with humanity and heart. Without pretense, the collection presents new definitions of what it means to be present, gone, and left behind. Grieco’s skillful and empathetic editing is evident in each of the selected works. Readers will find well-known names interspersed with new writers, stories of love and relationships, pain and loss, movement and stasis, community and individuality, with touches of humor. Through the integration of a range of stories, readers can feel and identify with the overarching theme. But there’s more here – a rawness, an emotionality that makes each story memorable on its own and together; a guidebook to running away from, and towards, life. -Amy Cipolla Barnes, author of  Mother Figures, Ambrotypes, and Child Craft

Jennifer Bort Yacovissi reflects on themes of autonomy and women’s rights in her review of Already Gone.   Her praise for Deesha Philyaw, Emily James, Ruth Joffre, and more is in the  Washington Independent Review of Books  now.

“Rarely is there a story collection that speaks to both the writer and the child in me as Already Gone did,” Caroline Bock writes in the Washington Independent Review of Books.  Read her interview with ASP co-founder Rose Solari  here .

Diane Gottlieb discusses the art of editing an anthology and how Already Gone  reframes the act of running away in  this insightful interview  with editor Hannah Grieco.

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College Essay: No longer running away

Breathing rapidly, tears streamed down my face. “I can’t do this anymore,” I say to myself.

In eighth grade, I decided to make a drastic change, and this change wasn’t so favorable.

Standing up, I walk to a random person sitting in the park.

“Can I please use your phone to call my mom?” I ask.

She looks away from her phone for a split-second, then back at it and says yes. “Thank you,” I reply.

She nods, handing me her phone. I call my mom, she answers and tells me to walk back to my friend’s house because she’s waiting for me in front of her house.

When I arrive I see her crying. I climb into the car with my mom. I don’t communicate with her for the car ride. She sits me down at a restaurant and tells me, “Mariah, you need to stop following people. It may seem fun now, but watch when you’re on your own.”

I don’t make eye contact. “These friends of yours will lead you right back to the homeless shelter.”

With those words, it clicked. I needed to make a change, this time the right one.

As a child I lived in a homeless shelter called Mary’s Place. Being a child, I didn’t really know that it was a bad situation – until school began and I had to be picked up by the bus in front of a homeless shelter. These 9-year-old kids were telling me I was poor, stupid and dirty. This really brought my confidence to rock bottom.

Finally, in the fifth grade, after being able to leave the homeless shelter and change schools, I thought I could finally start over. But, when I finally got this new start, I was hesitant to talk to people. I feared it would be elementary school all over again. Having to go to school and hear the same thing every day, and letting people push me around because I was afraid to say something, was agonizing for a 12-year-old to go through.

In eighth grade, I decided to make a drastic change, and this change wasn’t so favorable. I made friends who wanted to fight all the time and lived for drama. Since they did, I felt I had to, too.

That summer I decided it would be cool to run away from home, since my parents obviously didn’t care about me because they didn’t like the people I called friends.

While my parents were gone, I crowded my bag with clothes and took the city bus to my friend’s house. She wasn’t there, but her siblings were. So I sat in their living room until I heard a loud knock on the door. It was my dad, looking for me.

My friend’s siblings lied to my dad and said I wasn’t there while I snuck out the back door. After they talked to my dad, they came out and told me I had to walk to their aunt’s house. I went to Jordan Park instead, and sat on the slide with all these questions running in my head: “Why am I running away?” “Will I stay in the park all night?” “I really wish I just stayed home.”

After the talk with my mom, I began doing things completely different. Now, I make short horror and anti-bullying films. I wrote horror and mystery stories. I made some tremendous friends. We want to do well in school, graduate, perhaps even go to the same college.

Everything is going so well in my life. Who knew one word like “homeless” could make your life so much better?

I have become very optimistic. I believe that when I want something, if I work hard enough I can get it.

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Jennifer Semple Siegel: Memoirist, Short Story Writer, Novelist, Occasional Poet

• Childhood Memory
• Essay: Running Away
• Running Away

Essay: Running Away…

I yearned to be in the movies, and one had to run away to do that, for Sioux City was at least a million miles from Hollywood.

In January 1955, at age four, I decided to head out for fame and fortune.

I was not angry at anyone – it was just something I needed to do.

I snatched one of my grandmother’s skirts – after all, a movie star needed dress-up clothes – and slung it over my arm.

Deep into Iowa winter and snug in my red snowsuit with hood, wool mittens, and boots, I set off.

I had no idea where I was going, but even then, I knew I needed bus fare to get there, and I had only a penny in my pocket.

I wandered around town until I found West 7th Street, the sharp part of town, filled with bars and low-end and questionable businesses.

I walked into several bars and hit up several drunks for change – my first time panhandling. No one seemed to question why such a baby was all by herself in bars, begging for change.

Later, I would learn that my grandparents were frantic and that the Sioux City police had an APB out for me:

“Look out for a little girl in a red snowsuit...”

In the 1950s, red snowsuits were practically mandatory outer wear for small children, so it seems that just about every unattended kid in a red snowsuit had been rounded up. But, somehow, in my bumbling way, I kept eluding the police and other searchers.

Even as nightfall began to fall, I was not frightened at all; sure, it was cold, but I had a pocket full of change, my grandmother’s skirt, a song in my heart, and Hollywood beckoning.

I just needed to find the bus station and buy a ticket to Hollywood. I had no idea where the station was, but I was supremely confident that I would find it soon.

Less than an hour later, my grandfather Dee Dee and Uncle Dude spotted me wandering around in a residential neighborhood, nowhere near the bus station.

They snatched me from the street and slid me into the car.

I bawled and pitched a fit; I was so angry with them for thwarting my Hollywood dream. They just didn’t understand I wasn’t running away to leave them but to find my fame and fortune.

I planned to come back as a movie star.

When I got home, my grandmother was crying.

It was then I realized how much pain I had caused my family, and I began to cry as well, out of guilt for scaring my grandparents and lamenting a dream interrupted.

I didn’t even get into trouble, just a lecture about the dangers of wandering off all by myself and staying away from the bogeymen lurking out there, like the one who kidnapped and murdered Donna Sue Davis a few short months later.

This would not be the only time I would run away from home; 14 years later (after being made a ward of the state), my motives and getaway plan better articulated and my anger at my grandparents heightened, I would flee Iowa and settle in Pennsylvania, where I continue to live to this day.

I have written about this second (and successful) escape from Iowa in my memoir: 

Memoir Madness: Driven to Involuntary Commitment , available on Amazon .

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“Running Away,” © copyright 2014 - present, by Jennifer Semple Siegel, may not be reprinted or reposted without the express permission of the author.

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• Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

Harriet A. Jacobs

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Critical Essays Slave Rebellions and Runaway Slaves

Introduction

Many U.S. history books still contend that enslaved Africans were generally resigned to their fate and that slave revolts were rare and unusual occurrences. This attitude, which was common among slaveholders and those tasked with recording our nation's history, perpetuated the belief that slaves were generally passive and complacent and had no real reason or desire to rebel or to run away, a concept that more recent research has proven to be blatantly false.

Slave Rebellions

Historians estimate that more than 250 organized slave revolts and conspiracies took place in what is now U.S. territory, and thousands more occurred in the Caribbean and in Central and South America. The leaders of slave revolts were often seen as murderers and lunatics by whites. Among blacks, however, they were usually viewed as heroes and martyrs, although some slaves saw them as dangerous to their own survival. The most infamous slave revolts were those led by Gabriel Prosser, Denmark Vesey, and Nat Turner. Although all three men were ultimately apprehended and executed, their courage and daring inspired other blacks to fight for their freedom and to cling to the hope that they, too, would someday be free.

In 1800, Gabriel Prosser, a slave living on a plantation in southern Virginia, vowed to escape the brutal treatment of his master, Thomas Prosser. He organized a plot in which approximately 1,100 slaves were to take Richmond. Prosser envisioned that his "army" would eventually be joined by as many as 50,000 more. As the time for the revolt drew near, two of the slaves warned authorities of the plot. As a result, Prosser and 35 other slaves were executed, and the Prosser conspiracy gained national attention. Governor James Monroe described it as "unquestionably the most serious and formidable conspiracy we have ever known."

Several years later in South Carolina, Denmark Vesey, a slave who had purchased his freedom in 1800 with money from a winning lottery ticket, led another uprising. Vesey, who was a native of St. Thomas in the West Indies, worked as a carpenter in Charleston, South Carolina. Over a period of seven months, he planned an uprising to "liberate" the city, encouraging slaves to seize weapons, commandeer ships, and sail for the West Indies. Vesey's plot attracted more than 9,000 slaves and free blacks, but several slaves betrayed him, leading to the arrest of 131 blacks and four whites. In the end, at least 35 men, including Vesey, were executed.

By far the most notorious and successful slave rebellion was led by Nat Turner in Southampton County, Virginia, in 1831. Turner was born in Southampton County on October 2, 1800, the same year Prosser led his rebellion and Vesey was freed. Turner was raised by his mother and paternal grandmother after his father ran away, and he was 31 years old when he led his infamous rebellion, often called his insurrection .

Turner, who was the slave of Joseph Travis, was a preacher who saw visions and felt divinely inspired to lead his people to freedom. He plotted his revolt for six months, sharing his plan with only four others. On the day the revolt was to take place, he and his men gathered in the woods and then began their raid by attacking the Travis plantation and killing the entire family. By the following morning, Turner's group, which had grown to 60, had traveled through the county, killing at least 57 whites. As the revolt progressed, Turner's "army" continued to grow. They were finally stopped on their way to Jerusalem, the county seat, where they had hoped to gain additional support and replenish their ammunition. Thirteen slaves and three free blacks were hanged, but Turner was not captured until two months later, less than five miles from where the raid had begun.

Thomas R. Gray, a lawyer and plantation owner assigned as Turner's defense counsel, interviewed Turner during his trial and later published The Confessions of Nat Turner , a pamphlet containing the story of Turner's rebellion from his own point of view. (William Styron later wrote an award-winning novel by the same title, which drew much controversy from blacks who claimed it presented a totally distorted view of Turner.) Gray made no attempt to defend Turner and called no witnesses to testify on his behalf. As a result, Turner was hanged on November 11, 1831. His corpse was skinned and his flesh was used for grease.

Turner's revolt led to harsh laws throughout the South, further restricting the limited freedom of blacks. It also spurred blacks and abolitionists into action and increased tensions between the North and South.

Runaway Slaves

Instead of engaging in organized revolt, many slaves ran away in order to escape the bondage of slavery.

In their book Runaway Slaves: Rebels on the Plantation (New York: Oxford University Press, 1999), historians John Hope Franklin and Loren Schweninger explore this form of rebellion. Franklin and Schweninger describe three categories of runaways: absentees (slaves who left the plantation for a few days or weeks); outlyers (slaves who hid in the woods for months or even years); and maroons (slaves who established camps in remote swamps and bayous). The authors also discuss the role of "term slaves" (slaves who were to be set free at some future date) and free blacks, who sometimes helped others escape. According to the authors, the "typical" runaway was a young male plantation hand between the ages of 13 and 29.

One of the primary methods of escape for runaways was the infamous Underground Railroad, a secret network of blacks and whites that illegally helped fugitive slaves reach safety in the North or Canada. The network, also referred to as the "Liberty Line," used railroad terms to describe its operations. For example, guides were referred to as "conductors," hiding places were "stations," and groups of slaves were "trains." The "Liberty Line" generally ran from Virginia and Kentucky across Ohio, or from Maryland across Pennsylvania to New York, New England, and Canada.

From 1830 to 1860, it is estimated that nearly 9,000 fugitives passed through Philadelphia and nearly 40,000 through Ohio.

The most famous black conductor was Harriet Tubman, who was often compared to the biblical character of Moses because she made at least ten trips North over a period of ten years, leading more than 200 slaves to freedom.

In addition to running away, slaves also used more subversive tactics to escape slavery, such as self-mutilation and arson. And mothers sometimes killed themselves and their children to save them from slavery, as Jacobs alludes in her novel.

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Essay on Running Away From the Problem

Introduction.

"Problem will not be solved by running away. He cannot listen to the glib suggestion of those who urge him to migrate en masse to other sections of the country." Luther King Junior writes the content. It aims at urging people to step up and be strong enough to stop being chased away from problems (King, 2011). The author points out that instead of the problem causing one to run away, it is a prudent idea that one gathers courage and surface the problem as well as handle it. I do strongly agree with the statement and the concept behind it.

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First, problems exist in all settings. No matter where one goes, the issues still catch up in one way or the other. Therefore, by running away, it does not help at all. In fact, running away is an impractical way of handling the problem. This is because wherever you run to, in one way or the other a challenge autonomously will come again. Issues are everywhere; therefore running away is not the answer towards it.

Secondly, every problem has a solution. Problems arise because of an absolute reason, and it is meant towards achieving a particular goal. The cause of the problem forms the basis for curbing the problem. One needs to address the problem, analyze, and be in the position to rise over the cause. Solving the problem entails surpassing its demand and the purpose and subdues every loophole to show that you are in control. Because the problem has a solution, it is manageable as well. People run away from the element that has no solution. Researchers state that the solution to the problem is simple, you need to address the cause of the problem so that to curb the eruption of the problem. Since the problem has a solution, it is not, therefore, something to make someone run away. Instead, a guaranteed solution is just behind the cause that needs to be addressed.

Thirdly, the aspect of handling the problem does not require any unique attributes like being a skilled government person or being associated with the courageous scenario. The problem affects every person, and each person can manage and rise above the difficulties in life. Whether young or elderly, whether male or female, everyone possesses the ability and power to control the problem that is exposed to at any given time. It is so because the problems relate to you and affect your performance and interaction. In my case, for example, my problem does concern me, started with me, and therefore I am the one who effectively comprehends the cause of the problem to the most elegant details. It as well takes me to be able to utilize the information that I have concerning the issue and define the appropriate way of handling it. This does not require me being a government advisor to do it. Solving a problem starts with me, and I have the details that are necessary and crucial towards handling the problem. Therefore, every person is capable of handling the issue no matter the economic class, ethical standards and social as well as cultural background among other factors. Underestimating the abilities we do hold makes us run away from the problem yet we are more than capable of solving it effectively.

Lastly, I do support King Luther Junior is stating that the problem should not be avoided because they help us learn a lot from them (King, 2011). By solving the problems, we find an opportunity to learn more about the causes of the problem to avoid them in future. Similarly, if the same problem reoccurs in future time, it will be comfortable handling it and even manage it perfectly than the previous time. As compared to running away, we lose the ability to stop recurrence of the same problem. Problem-solving is a skill that is developed when we stop running away from them. If we end running away from the problem, we learn to be determined, focused, courageous and other many virtues that are desired in the society. We learn to be role models to others due to our bravery. If we stop running from the problem helps we fight for what is legal, and many people and generations enjoy the results.

King Luther Junior hit the nail on the head by vividly speaking against running away from the problem (King, 2011). It should be the characteristics that the society should absorb and emulate. It is vital for the community to recognize the essence of what King Luther Junior speaks about.

In my personal life running away from the problem does not help at all. When I went to the party at the Fancy nightclub in New York called le Bain on Friday during a public holiday, I was not allowed to enter completely. There was nothing wrong with going to party neither had I done something wrong. I had to inquire as to why the situation was that way. According to the officers in charge of the entry, they claimed that I was not dressed like a person who is going to the party. During that day, I had covered respectably since that is my mode of dressing. Scanning the other people, they wore dresses and attires that exposed some of their bodies. I wanted to party that day, after all, it was a holiday, but I was not given a chance to do so. I had to return home so that the next day I can revisit to seek a proper clarification on why I was not allowed to party. I met with the manager, and we talked about it. Through the conversation, the manager understood that what the officer did was unacceptable. I nowadays go there dressed respectably to party. I did not run from the problem, but I had to address it so that I can help myself as well as others when they come next time.

Another incident was this: when I was working as a waiter in American restaurant called American Social, I did not understand the order from the client because of the noise. When I begged a pardon, the people started to laugh at me. I had situation to address because I understood everything that took place in the latter. Even though they laughed at me, I did not run at all. I decided to talk with them with no violence and educate them that laughing at somebody is not a prudent idea. We engaged with each other and showed them why they were wrong. The conversation was fruitful since the problem was handled and it rarely recurs. My fellow waiter also does so in such cases due to the example I laid for them not to run when the problem arises.

The day without Latinos' was an experience that showed that people should not run away from the problem (Renee, 2017). During this time in the United States, President Trump wanted to make immigrants as something they should be afraid of by appointing the deputy as an immigrant. Thousands of activists in Wisconsin joined hands in marching against the move of appointing the deputy Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer as part of the President Trump executive order (Renee, 2017). Many people joined the march from very many places to stop such activity. In fact, the community members and supporters stayed away from the work as well as purchases to protest. The people did not run but composed themselves to seek for a solution by marching against the cause.

It is an urge therefore, that in the situation of the problem, the option should not run away. Instead, the first thing should be to determine in finding the solution. It proves of or courageous nature and positive mind. It is easy to stay and find the solution than to run away only to get caught the problem again.

Works Cited

King, M. (2011). Stride Towards Freedom. Great Britain: Beacon Press.

Renee, S. (2017). Thousands protest immigration crackdown in 'Day Without Latinos'. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/day-without-latinos-thousands-protest-immigration-crackdown-wisconsin-n720286

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