Buổi 5: Writing Task 2 – Opinion: tính cách có cố định sau tuổi thơ? Lập luận nhiều tầng

It is often assumed that the kind of person we become is settled by the end of childhood. While I accept that early experiences and inborn temperament lay important foundations, I agree with this view only partly, since there is considerable evidence from everyday life that character continues to develop well into adulthood.

There are good reasons to believe that childhood matters greatly. Temperament – whether a child is cautious or adventurous, calm or easily upset – appears early and tends to remain recognisable over time. Moreover, the habits and values children absorb from their families are often deeply ingrained, because they are learnt before a person is able to question them. Someone raised in a household where disagreements were never discussed, for instance, may find open conflict uncomfortable for the rest of their life. This is not to say that such patterns are unchangeable, but it does explain why many adults recognise their younger selves in their present behaviour.

However, the claim that character changes very little after childhood underestimates the influence of adult experience. Major responsibilities such as a demanding job or becoming a parent require new behaviours, and what initially demands deliberate effort can become second nature over time. A shy graduate who starts teaching may, after several years of standing in front of a class, become genuinely confident, not merely better at pretending. Life events can also reshape priorities: people who survive a serious illness, for example, often describe becoming more patient or less concerned with status. It follows that character is better understood as a starting point than as a fixed outcome.

In conclusion, although childhood provides the raw material of personality, I believe that adulthood offers far more scope for change than the statement allows. Recognising this is important, because it encourages people to see their weaknesses not as permanent features but as areas in which growth is possible.

Linh Tran is a logistics manager at a regional distribution company, where she leads a team of twelve. With eight years' experience in international shipping, she specialises in improving customs documentation processes. In 2025, she led a project that reduced average clearance times across three warehouses. She is currently interested in how data tools can make supply chains more transparent, and she regularly mentors junior staff.