When Boldness Becomes Self-Regard

Notice where attention is directed

Read for meaning first. Select a highlighted word if you want a closer look.

A self-absorbed performer kept discussing her own nerves while failing to notice that a friend was struggling to carry two large instrument cases. Another performer's narcissistic demands required every publicity photograph to emphasize his face and treat the rest of the cast as background. A self-righteous volunteer declared anyone arriving by car morally inferior without listening to a participant who could not carry equipment on the bus. The producer addressed the particular conduct, asking each person to consider the needs or circumstances being overlooked.

The self-absorbed performer paused her rehearsal talk and helped with the cases once her friend directly requested assistance. The narcissistic performer still rejected a balanced group photograph because it did not make him the obvious center of attention. The self-righteous volunteer reconsidered the blanket judgment after hearing how several participants had transported shared equipment. The producer described these changes and refusals as actions within the story, leaving the audience to assess them without treating a few scenes as a clinical account of anyone's personality.

Original fictional passages for vocabulary practice.