Cahill 1

What Motivates Our Action?

The idea that we are the sum of our actions is heavily emphasized within our society.
There is a great deal of focus placed on the decisions that we make and what actions we choose
to take, and how our motivations contribute to and reveal our identity. The actions people choose
not to take speak volumes about who they are and what they value as well. When approaching
literature, evaluating not only the characters actions but also the thought process they go through
in deciding to act allows us to understand their characters more deeply. Allowing high school
students to explore the question of what motivates their actions is an important and relevant one
to their experience. There are a variety of causes that drive different people to take action, and
exploring these differences and comparing them to examples through literature is a great way for
students to relate to each other and to the characters they encounter in other contexts.
This question of action and motivations can be explored through a number of different
aspects. Considering the theme on a personal level, individuals have varying reasons for the
actions they choose to take ranging from their desire for justice to acting out of anger. The
differences can extend to what holds them back from acting in certain situations as well.
Research around the subject serves as an important way to push forward the inquiry through
providing further exploration of what motivates peoples choices. In Ajzen and Fishbeins study
of behavioral intentions, they observed that a persons decision to act "includes both the
individual's personal beliefs about what he should do in a given situation as well as his
perception of others' expectations about his behavior in that situation" (401). Other peoples
opinions are major contributors to the decisions that we make and can often be a motivating
force or something that holds us back, even as they are balanced with our own beliefs. In this
way, research can verify the extent to which certain factors can influence the actions we choose

Cahill 2
to take and can complement the examples we see in our lives and in other contexts. In another
case, one research study asserts that "goals for inaction promote self-control, whereas goals for
action promote impulsive behavior" (Helper et al. 416). This provides another perspective that
can either augment our experiences and the narratives we come across in reading or serve as a
contrast to the ideas we encounter. Additionally, this assertion reflects the perception we may
have that inaction is tied more closely to self-control, which is generally regarded as a more
positive quality. Thus, inaction is more highly considered in some peoples perceptions of action,
though there is disagreement between whether goals for action or inaction are more beneficial
(416-17). The discussion of these differing perceptions reveals our tendencies and the judgments
we make regarding our own actions and those of others. In this sense, research on the topic of
action provides a variety of perspectives which can help us broaden our understanding of the
theme and alter our perception in the way we approach it.
In Shakespeares Hamlet, a number of his characters invite us to consider the questions of
what motivates our action. The main character Hamlet struggles throughout the play to take
action and avenge his father because of the uncertainty of his circumstances, his personal beliefs
and his wavering levels of passion and memory. He sheds light on the various aspects that can
factor into our decisions to act. Through his thoughtful and hesitant approach to his decisions,
Hamlets character also raises questions of whether action and inaction can both be purposeful,
questioning what qualifies them as such. Shakespeare further explores this theme through other
contrasting characters such as Laertes, demonstrating the results of acting impulsively instead of
more thoughtfully. This allows readers to consider the benefits and disadvantages to each
approach and to engage with the subject through reflection of the way they approach decisions to
act. To bring in an additional perspective, Hamlets character allows us to consider inaction as an

Cahill 3
action itself. Often, decision theory and attitude research neglect the fact that an individual has
the choice not to act. They think about how an individual considers their different options, but
the decision not to act at all is equally important in understanding their attitude toward an action
as well (Ajzen and Fishbein 404). With Hamlet especially, considering the reasons for his
hesitation is essential to exploring his approach toward taking action. This lesson remains
relevant and relatable for students especially as it leads us to consider the perceptions we have as
individuals and as a society about particular motivations for action, what values factor into those
decisions, and whether or not certain motives are more purposeful than others.
One of the prominent factors in Hamlets decisions to act is memory. Memory is a
necessary force of motivation for him, which connects well with the young adult series, The
Hunger Games (Collins). In these books, sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take
the place of her younger sister in the annual Hunger Games, a televised event in which children
from all districts must fight to the death until one winner remains. In the first book, she relies
heavily on the memory of her sister and the people that she loves at home. Her desire to return
home to them and for them because of these memories drives Katniss to push through the
hardships and win the games, rather than giving up and allowing herself to die. The power of
memory in her decision making process is also seen in a strong way in the end of the series in
Mockingjay (Collins). As everyone is pushing for Katniss to be the face of their revolution to
fight the Capitol, she must decide whether or not she is able and willing to lead a revolution that
would place so many in danger. To influence her decision, the leaders of the revolution bring her
back to her destroyed home in District 12. She experiences overwhelming emotion in seeing her
home and thinking of the memories and people that she loved there. Seeing how the Capitol

Cahill 4
destroyed it all and killed so many members of her district fueled her motivation to act against
them and was the push that she needed to help lead the revolution.
Through Katnisss example in her fight against the Capitol and their actions and Hamlets
attempt to avenge his father, justice also stands out as a major motive for action. In To Kill a
Mockingbird, we see a similar motivation for Atticus in the decisions he chooses to make (Lee).
As a moral man, he stands for what is right, and he had always been respected in his community
because of that. He disagrees with the racial prejudice that appears to be strongly ingrained in the
other members of his town, and it is his actions against that discrimination that cause his
community to turn against him. One of Atticuss most defining actions in the novel is his
decision to defend Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of raping a young woman. As a
moral agent, we see his decision motivated by his desire for justice as he strives to overcome the
ignorance and prejudice of the community. Throughout the novel, he and his children are
continually faced with troubling situations because of his action, but he remains a consistent
moral figure as he continues to fight for what is right. Atticus provides a great example of a
character who is confident in what motivates his action, especially through his consistency. He
teaches that to Scout and Jem as well and he clearly believes that actions are good when they
have the good of others and justice as primary intentions behind them. In this sense, the example
that he provides would allow students to consider the admirable qualities of his actions and the
reasons for them.
In Disneys The Lion King, justice drives his decision to return in the end as well. In
the classic story, young Simba runs away from the Prideland after his father, King Mufasa, dies
trying to save him. He grows up away from home, learning to live in a carefree manner with two
new friends. Once grown, his childhood friend from the Prideland finds him and shares of the

Cahill 5
desperate condition of their home since Scar took over and abused his power, mistreating the
land and the animals who lived there. At first, Simba chooses not to act, and he does this out of
guilt. He wrongly believes that he is responsible for his fathers death and that he is not worthy to
be king and return home. However, when Simba decides to return to the Prideland and face Scar,
he does it out of a sense of duty to his people and the kingdom that was supposed to be his one
day. He chooses to act in order to restore justice to the people who have been mistreated. In
Simbas example, we can clearly see the motivation that the desire for justice provided him in
deciding to act because it overpowered his original decision of inaction. This provides a great
example for students to look at both sides of Simba's decision and consider what ultimately leads
him to act when he appears set in his inaction initially.
In another of Shakespeares plays, Romeo and Juliet, we are provided with an example of
the consequences of rash action. This tragedy tells the story of two young lovers who decide that
their forbidden love is greater than the feud between their families. They choose to marry shortly
after meeting for the first time. However, Romeo gets involved in a duel and in reaction to his
friends death, he slays another man, Tybalt, and is banished from Verona. Meanwhile, Juliet is
set to marry Paris against her wishes. As a result and under the pressure of time, she takes a
potion that will fake her death for a short time so that she can avoid the marriage and be with
Romeo. However, he hears of her death and kills himself at seeing her dead body before she can
communicate her plan, and she kills herself when she awakes to find him dead as well. While
Romeo and Juliet are both very willing to act, the theme centers around the lack of thought put
into their actions. In one seemingly rare instance, the two are discussing their love when Juliet
says I have no joy of this contract tonight. / It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden (2.2.11718). She recognizes that their actions have been impulsive, yet they continue to act in an

Cahill 6
impetuous manner. By the tragic deaths of several characters including Tybalt, and the two main
characters themselves, the consequences of their hasty actions are evident, providing a different
perspective of taking action. The comparison drawn between the motivations for action that are
well thought through and genuine and those that are more impulsive could be a relatable theme
for students in making connections to their experiences.
In research on the topic, the ideas of action and inaction are treated relatively equally.
Sources accept that each have their benefits and consequences, depending on the situation. In one
article looking at planned behavior, both are viewed through the lens of regret. The article states,
The very anticipation of regret is thought to be an important determinant of behavioral
decisions, influencing the subjective utilities of action and inaction (Ajzen and Sheikh 155).
Regret plays an important role in both cases as an action can be regretted because of its negative
consequences, but inaction can also be regretted due to missed opportunities. This offers an
additional perspective of how regret can factor into ones decision to act, especially when
thought through in great detail as we see in some of the literary examples.
The question of what motivates our decision to act is a theme that has a lot to offer
students because of its relevance. The opportunity to engage with this question through these
texts will allow them to relate to the situations and the characters in the novels based on their
own experiences, identifying with the way they approach the decision to act or not. It is a
question that does not have a singular answer as there are different benefits and consequences to
varying situations, and people approach those situations differently based on their character,
personality and experiences.

Cahill 7
Works Cited
Ajzen, Icek, and Sana Sheikh. "Action versus Inaction: Anticipated Affect in the Theory of
Planned Behavior." Journal of Applied Social Psychology 43.1 (2013): 155-62. Web.
Ajzen, Icek and Martin Fishbein. "The Prediction of Behavioral Intentions in a Choice
Situation." Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 5.4 (1969): 400-16. Web.
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic, 2008. Print.
---. Mockingjay. New York: Scholastic, 2010. Print.
Helper, Justin, et al. "Being Active and Impulsive: The Role of Goals for Action and Inaction in
Self-control." Motivation & Emotion 36 (2011): 416-24. Web.
Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1960. Print.
The Lion King. Dir. Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff. Disney, 1994.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Baltimore: Penguin, 1971. Print.
---. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. New Haven: Yale UP, 1954. Print.