An Essay on Bullies

E.J.Gold painted matchboxes, no two alike, painted to your order, 1 goldback.

Here’s a lesson in blog composition:

“When a big bully dominates the schoolyard, nobody has fun, not even he, but you’d never convince him to change his ways without a punch in the face.

“Unfortunately, although there are plenty of motives and abundant means, there is no opportunity, so that’s not an option.

“Leaving the schoolyard is often the only solution, retreating to the school classrooms for protection.

“But what if the bully also rules the classrooms?”

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That’s the model. So what happens when we give the basics several different angles from which to come at the reader?

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Example: Styles & Appeals

Short & Punchy
When one big bully runs the schoolyard, nobody’s having fun — not even him. You can’t teach him manners with words; usually he’d have to get a punch in the face to learn. Problem is, there’s motive and means but no opportunity. So people retreat to the classrooms for refuge. But what if the bully runs the classrooms too?
Plainspoken / Conversational
When the yard’s dominated by a bully, play stops for everyone — including the bully. You can’t reason him into kindness; he only changes after a shock to the system. Trouble is, even when everyone wants him stopped, there’s never a clean chance to do it, so folks slip into classrooms for safety. Now imagine the worst: the bully follows you in and takes over the rooms as well. Where do you go then?
Sardonic / Bitter-sweet
A bully who owns the playground ruins the fun for all of us — even for himself. You’d think humiliation or a good wallop would reform him, but spite and the lack of opportunity keep him uncorrected. So the sensible ones hide in classrooms, hoping the bell rings protection. Then realize: the bully has the faculty badge. Now what?
Reflective / Slightly Literary
When a single bully monopolizes the yard, play withers. Violence or shame might alter his course, but we rarely get such moments; instead we duck into classrooms for safety. The real horror arrives when the sanctuary becomes another throne: what if the bully rules the classroom too — a tyrant with homework?
Action-oriented / Call-to-Thought
When a bully dominates the playground, joy evaporates for everyone — even him. You can’t reason with that kind of person; change usually comes the hard way, and we seldom get the chance. So we retreat into classrooms for protection. But if the bully controls the classrooms as well, retreat isn’t a solution anymore — it’s a trap. Time to ask: what do communities do when every refuge is taken?

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• “When the bully rules every room, silence stops being safety.”
• “If refuge is gone, leaving isn’t escape — it’s surrender.”
• “Schools survive bullies with community, not cowardice.”

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