Essay prompt: Some people are "difficult." They are hard to get along with. They have short tempers, or complain all the time, or are arrogant and rude, or always seem to be unhappy about something. They make us feel anxious, angry, sad—even small and useless.

Describe one such person you have known. What was his or her "problem"? How did the person make you feel, and how did you try to deal with him or her? More generally, is it necessary for us to try to get along with such people and to try to understand why they are the way they are, or should we simply try to avoid or ignore them as much as possible?