bella scrittura

bella scrittura

a collection of essays by Alexandra Grazia Brown

Foreword

Throughout my senior year, I have grown exponentially as a writer. By criticizing and scrupulously analyzing famous

literary works (prose and poetry), I have gained valuable writing skills of my own. This collection consists of various essays I

have written from August 2008 to May 2009.

In the majority of my essays, I have proved the author’s purpose by analyzing literary tools such as diction, syntax,

imagery, etc. The last piece, College Essay, actually follows a prompt most universities use for admitting students. A broad

range of topics shows my versatility as a developing writer.

With writing essays, I have found that taking a risk makes for a better piece. In order to engage the reader, the essay

needs a fresh topic without regurgitated ideas. In the Position Paper: Helen, my favorite piece, I felt daring and compared Helen

to a modern fairytale. Additionally, I also chose the more difficult prompt in my Frankenstein Essay, but I managed to maintain

my position successfully. I often challenge myself when writing in order to create a crisp and invigorating piece that captivates

the reader. I consider this as my secret and most prized weapon as a writer.

In addition to challenging myself, I have also been challenged under the conditions of which I was writing. Most of

these pieces were written within a period of fifty-five or so minutes, which is not an ideal amount of time for collecting

thoughts and creating a coherent essay. While reading my essays, it is apparent that there are embarrassing flaws that are

usually made by the neophytes of the writing world. There are weaknesses in my spelling, grammar, verb usage and various

other topics, but the most amusing is how I managed to conceive such a word as “criticization.” I perceive the stressful time

crunch under which I was frantically writing an essay as beneficial rather than destructive in the end. My most prominent flaws

are emphasized, and from them I can learn how to improve myself as a writer.

I believe this collection of essays most effectively displays my talents (and shortcomings) as a blossoming writer.

There are clearly areas in need of improvement and renovation, but up to this point I am proud of my work. In order to achieve

my highest writing potential, I will consistently challenge myself and learn from my mistakes. Only then will I become a well

versed and satisfied writer.

ContentsCompare and Contrast: TTTC and SH5........4

Short Story Position Paper...........................5

Frankenstein Essay......................................6

Poetry Response..........................................8

Compare and Contrast: Hollander and Donnelly.......................................................9

Position Paper: Helen................................10

Othello Literary Criticism...........................11

“The Pawnbroker” Group Essay................12

Prose Response.........................................13

Open Ended Question...............................14

College Essay.............................................15

Compare and Contrast: TTTC and SH5

Truth can be defined in multiple ways. One way truth is conveyed is through cold, hard facts,

and the opposite is through sincere feelings. If the truth is a mere interpretation of events, does the

credibility die? In the novels The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien and Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt

Vonnegut, different forms of the truth are portrayed. Both authors desire their stories to express truths

about war and life in clever, unconventional means by their unique styles and rhetorical strategies.

Both Vonnegut and O'Brien want their war novels to be heard and believed. One way the

authors portray a sense of truth is by revealing it through the memories of their characters. With the

word "Listen," Vonnegut creates a setting in which a story will be told and memories will be shared. In

TTTC, O'Brien blatantly states, "I remember these things, too." With this statement, a connection is

made that the words spoken are deriving directly from the speaker's memory. Because both stories

contain recollections of the characters, truth can be found and the characters' stories become

authentic.

In TTTC, though, O'Brien's version of truth is based on the perception of stories. With the first

line, "All this happened more or less," O'Brien clearly states that the exact details of the following text

do not occur in the precise order and manner as he expresses it. All of his stories, though, are not

outlandish and far-fetched. In contrast, they are real war scenarios that occurred somewhere to

someone. Also, through his intimate stories, O'Brien utilizes pathos in order to generate a sense of

genuineness by appealing to emotions.

Vonnegut, on the other hand, relays Bill's memories in a bizarre fashion. Because Billy revisits

his memories through aliens, the truth may seem stretched. When he recalls those memories, though,

they are as genuine, basic, and legitimate as a war story can be. A sentence such as, "He was tried

and shot," is a quintessential example of how Vonnegut's novel operates. Vonnegut uses short and

choppy syntax to emphasize that all that needs to be said from a story is exactly what happens. All of

the flowery detail and extra dialogue to enhance a story is not needed to strengthen its validity.

What exactly defines something as truthful? O'Brien and Vonnegut show that truth is left up to

interpretation. O'Brien's truth is rooted in personal stories, while Vonnegut's truth originates from the

moment itself. Both versions are opposite and controversial. The method in which memories are

expressed is trivial, because as long as a memory is linked to a mind, the truth within never dies.

Short Story Position Paper

In “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka and “Sin Dolor” by T. Coraghessan Boyle, the authors achieve expressing their purposes

similarly. The main idea both express is the theme of family duty in relationship to the character’s own personal needs. There are individual

aspects of each author that enhance their purpose, but their themes are parallel. Both of their characters are the financial providers of their

families, and because providing is their “duty,” both characters disregard their own well being.

Kafka’s purpose and theme go hand in hand throughout “The Metamorphosis.” The main theme emanating from the story is

fulfilling a family role, while unintentionally ignoring personal needs. Gregor, the protagonist, is a bug, which symbolizes a low-life or a pest. His

grueling duty in the household, supporting his family, makes him practically a slave. Gregor’s gradual mental metamorphosis shows the

disconnection his way of life creates between him and his family. In the period of only a couple of hours, he is unable to communicate with his

family. Eventually he even resorts to physically removing himself from the family by remaining in his room, further adding to his bug-like

mannerisms. Gregor becomes a bothersome and burdensome insect the family desires to exterminate.

To enhance the fact Gregor is a pest to his family, the father proceeds to “throw apple after apple” towards him, which

unfortunately ends fatally. Though his family mistreats him, Gregor still devotes himself to them because he is to fulfill his family role: the

provider. Immediately after he realizes he is a bug, Gregor still thinks about his job while totally disregarding his physical and emotional

condition. Even near death he continues to care for his sister by desiring nothing but a happy life for her by providing better her with a

prestigious education. Even though his family rejects him, Gregor never loses the drive until his demise to provide for his family.

Similarly, “Sin Dolor” provokes issues of the family role through a theme. Damaso, “Sin Dolor’s” protagonist, remains devoted to his

family throughout the entire story. When he is offered an alternate and possibly better way of life from the doctor, he rejects it. His response

was, “I have no choice. I owe it to my family…I know my duty.” Like Gregor, Damaso strongly feels obligated to provide for his family despite the

fact his family selfishly exploited him for money. Damaso and Gregor are both sources of income for their families, and they both undergo

emotional hardships. Although Damaso’s physical nerves malfunction, his feelings and his spiritual heart are broken. Damaso explains, “But

what they’ll never understand…is that I do hurt, I do feel it, I do.” Both Gregor and Damaso sacrifice their lives by means of the same principle

they each regard highly: family duty.

Kafka’s and Boyle’s protagonists both endure grueling lifestyles in order to maintain a sufficient income for their families. Pertaining

to both stories, a controversial question is raised: What are the protagonist’s motives? Love and duty can be combined or independent, but not

interchanged. With the expressed themes and attitudes of the protagonists, the obligatory duty to their families is most prominent. Unlike

some stories with ambiguous and abstract concepts, Kafka’s and Boyle’s themes and purposes complement each other, which in turn reveals

their purposes lucidly and efficaciously.

Frankenstein Essay

A healthy thirst for undiscovered knowledge inspired many venerated philosophers

and scientists from the past to explore unknown territories in the scientific world. Sailing in

uncharted seas broadens the horizon of previously known facts; however, some fresh

discoveries tend to devastate the world instead of contributing beneficially. In Mary Shelley’s

novel Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein is the quintessential example of an ambitious

scientist who becomes blind sighted by the glory of discovering life’s greatest mystery: The

creation of new life.

Pushing the boundaries of science fueled Frankenstein’s passion and vigor to become

equivalent to or greater than philosophers such as Cornelius Grippa, who was his first

inspiration. He began his work with good intentions by desiring a solution to annihilate

disease from the earth. Victor “continually sought the attainment of one object of pursuit,”

which enveloped him completely in his studies and concealed him from the world. Such

selfish and dangerous persistence of his work yielded a result he would later regret. From

the fist moments of the creature’s animation, Victor indicated a sense of remorse by being

filled with “breathless horror and disgust,” and then proceeding to “rush out of the room.”

With Victor’s deadly yet extraordinary knowledge, he created a monstrous life form that

terrified him.

Perhaps the victim that suffered most from the risky ambitions of Frankenstein was

the monster himself. The creature entered the world without a family, without human skills,

and without acceptance from his own creator. Instead of taking responsibility for his actions,

Victor avoided them by running away, thus leaving the poor wretch alone in the world. By

providing the cottagers with firewood and clearing paths for them, the creature proved that

his first instincts were to be docile and kind, not a destructive force. When he discovered in

Victor’s notes that his creator abandoned him purposely, the creature resented his creation

and creator. He also experienced feelings of being “solitary and abhorred,” which led to his

bold attempt of befriending the cottagers. After his encounter with mankind failed, the

monster stated, “Inflamed by pain, I vowed eternal hatred and vengeance to all mankind.”

As his creator, Victor was expected to give the creature natural rights, such as a companion

and happiness. By not complying with his requests, Victor and those around him suffered

immensely form the creature’s wrath. The rueful creature felt his only purpose of existence

was connected with the life of his creator, so when Victor died, the creature’s purpose ended

in demise also. Victor’s greedy thirst for discovery resulted in the despair of his beloved

project and creation.

Along with the suffering of the creature, Victor’s works also impacted himself and

those around him. The creature’s trail of destruction included those close to Victor, and

every victim was innocent. The classification of Victor as a selfish being derives from the fact

that he wore the blood on his hands, but he was never directly punished for the crime. His

friends and family were brutally murdered for Victor’s actions, thus causing Victor indirect

suffering.

Marked forever with guilt and impending doom, Victor spends the rest of his life in

fear. His health was affected immensely, because he often fell into “nervous fevers” which

lasted for months. Factors such as the murder of his family, friend, and wife put him into this

state of delirium. Pursuing the grandeur of the mystery of life was his hubris; therefore,

unrelenting suffering haunted him until his death. After devoting his life to attaining the

knowledge of creation, Victor had to spend the rest of his life eradicating the same concept

from the earth. An idea that initially sounded phenomenal became a calamitous, wretched

reality. Victor conveyed the dangers of ambition to Walton by whispering on his deathbed,

“…avoid ambition, even if it be only the apparently innocent one of distinguishing yourself in

science and discoveries.”

Playing the role of God never ends with success, but results with major consequences

and eternal suffering. In Paradise Lost, Satan attempted to equate to and eventually

transcend himself above God, which ended in everlasting damnation. Similarly, Victor

strived to be God on Earth, which also yielded in incessant anguish until death. The

knowledge of life can be a valuable tool, but when abused, the tool can become an

instrument of destruction.

Poetry Response

In “The Cannonization” by John Donne, a sense of discrimination is felt by the

speaker. Donne has be denounced by society about is choice of love. Throughout

the poem, Donne elucidates the idea of eternal love. With his diction and unique

poem structure, Donne reveals his attitude towards society.

The first line states, “For God’s sake hold your tongue.” The use of “your”

immediately implies that Donne is explicitly speaking to a specific group of people

or person. Bitterness laces his pleas to be left alone to love. Rhetorical questions

such as, “Who’s injured by my love?,” further exploits him to the thoughts of

society. By speaking directly to his audience (who happens to be those who criticize

him), Donne reveals his disdain for those who disagree with his love.

Repetition of the word love results in the resonation of the word and the idea

in his target’s heads. Every stanza begins with the word “love,” and every stanza

also ends with the same word. The second to last line in every stanza sets up

Donne’s attempt to remind his criticizers of his love. With the reiteration of the

word, Donne reinforces his idea of persevering love.

In addition to the diction throughout the poem, the title of the poem itself

reveals Donne’s main thesis. Donne brings up the idea of death, but he also

mentions a greater afterlife. This canonization of his love will be preserved in

“verse,” and “sonnets.” The discrimination of his love only makes it stronger, thus

all people will pray for love like his. He will be a saint, sought eternally for guidance

and revered by all.

In an initial bitter manner, Donne reveals his contempt for those who

discriminate against his choice of love. The final stanzas reveal a sense of revenge

he will attain after death, when his persecutors seek him for help. With the

reoccurrence of the word “love,” in every stanza, an idea of eternal love is

presented. Even through hardships and times of criticization, love will prevail in the

end.

Compare and Contrast: Hollander and Donnelly

The world’s creation and its languages within it remain a mystery. In “Adam’s Task” by John Hollander and “Eve

Names the Animals” by Susan Donnelly, a theory of this mystery is presented. Both express the nature of creating a new

language, but the poems consist of different diction and rhetorical strategies.

In a similar manner, the speaker reveals their interest in the naming of creation. Adam names creatures after his

initial thoughts that formed after seeing them, such as “awagabu” and “flasket.” Neither words are familiar to any

contemporary language. Eve also does not name creatures the names they possess now. She claimed that a “spider

accompanied her…while running up to lick her hand.” Today, a spider licking a person’s hand would be absurd, and would be a

characteristic of a mammal.

There is a difference, though, in the word of choice that Adam and Eve use. Adam sounds almost caveman like with

words such as “paw-paw-paw.” Because Eve uses words more familiar to the world today, she is presented as a more educated

and eloquent speaker.

Another similarity that deals with Eve’s apparent knowledable word choice is that both poems convey Adam as the

less eloquent human being. He uses short syntax such as, “Naming’s over. Day is done.” Eve even states that Adam is less smart

than her by saying, “I swear that man never knew animals.” Adam even has an omniscient narrator to tell his purpose of naming

the animals in the second and fourth stanza for him. Eve expresses her thoughts fluidly in first person, showing she can create

her own thoughts and express them effectively.

Though they both are naming animals, Adam and Eve have different purposes expressed in their titles. “Adam’s Task”

implies that he took to naming creatures as though it was his appointed job. The poem even states that, “Every burrower, each

flier/came for the name he [Adam] had to give.” “Eve Names the Animals” expresses that Eve named objects out of

creativeness and pleasure. She even said that she “liked change,” meaning her names were temporary. Adam is more dominant

by distributing names with, “Though,” showing more authority.

Adam and Eve were put on the earth for the same purpose: to continue God’s creation. Though both named the

creatures, the attitudes each speaker presented were different. Adam felt that his primitive name calling was his job, and Eve

freely expressed her eloquent word choice as a form of creativeness. The ultimate theme; however, is that the importance of

names is irrelavent. In the world today, there are no “awagabu’s” and spiders do not lick the hands of humans. In the end,

Adam and Eve were not as smart as they thought themselves to be.

Position Paper: Helen

In Rachel Hadas’ translation of Euripides’ Helen, the historical and classical auras of a traditional Greek

play are replaced with a more modern twist. A once dramatic portrayal of a popular myth has been converted into a

contemporary fairytale. She does, however, manage to maintain the fundamental building blocks of Greek literature

without totally dishonoring Euripides’ work. With dramatic devices, Hadas creates a feminist and modern fairytale

version of Helen through the plot, and the characters.

A quintessential fairytale consists of a damsel in distress, jealous witches, danger, and a prince charming

to save her. The plot of Helen embodies these characteristics, but in a classical Greek version. Helen, the damsel in

distress, introduces herself as the victim. Just like any jealous witches, Hera and Aphrodite sought to be the fairest

in the land, so they decided to diminish Helen’s beauty by making her the most hated public figure. A testosterone-

driven war breaks out because of her, and she is locked away in a prison waiting to be saved.

As the first speaker, Helen reveals the driving force and the ultimate goal represented in the play: “one

day with my husband I shall lie/in our own bed in Sparta” (l. 61-62). The reunion of Helen and Menelaus adds

further romance to the plotline, but the roadblock (Theoclymenus) prevents advancement to their hometown.

Jealousy created between the two men reinforces the idea of Helen being the focal point of the play. The conclusion

of the long-lasting feud is a light-hearted one: Helen and Menelaus sailing away happily ever after. Hadas presents

Helen as the driving force behind the play and the most important character, thus creating a sense of feminism.

To further enhance her feminist message, Hadas utilizes the character Helen to convey these ideals. The

characteristic Helen is burdened by most is her beauty, and she often chooses to loathe in self pity. Helen has many

long and self-absorbed speeches about how her beauty is a downfall. Hera and Aphrodite disputed over beauty, and

Helen’s “beauty was the bait” (31) for their evil schemes. Her “beauty destroyed her utterly” (301), and she even

wished a part of “her to be replaced/ with something plainer” (263-264). Helen blames herself for all of Greece’s

misfortunes by stating, “I am alone to blame” (212). With her sentimental speeches, Helen invokes pity by

becoming the play’s true victim.

Another way Helen is presented as the victim is through the experiences of imprisonment by the men in

her life. By being a beautiful princess, Helen is simply a prize to be won by the Greek men. In Greece, Paris

captured her (or thought he did) with the intentions of keeping her as a “prize.” She was imprisoned in her physical

form also in Egypt by the ignorant king. Though the idea of disenfranchising women was not ludicrous in ancient

times, the presence of male domination cannot be disregarded. Ironically, the moral conscience and common sense

is represented by a chorus consisting only of women. Helen and even some men in the chorus turn to them for

counsel. Hadas yet again focuses attention on Helen and women, but this time revealing the injustice they were

exposed to.

Rachel Hadas has transformed the classical Greek drama Helen into a more modern work with underlying

tones of feminism. The plot reveals the romantic and magical theme of a damsel in distress being saved by her

prince charming, yet the character of Helen portrays the submissive and powerless role women played. Hadas

successively displays Helen overcoming the adversities induced by masculinity, and thus Greek princess attains her

happily ever after.

Othello Literary Criticism

Andrews, Michael C. "Honest Othello: The Handkerchief Once More." Studies in English Literature 1500-1900 (1973): 273-84. Literature Resource Center. 22 Feb. 2009 <http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/LitRC;jsessionid=D6A1FF71CA0942BB197A35CEA64EE46F?locID=imcpl_indy>.

In this criticism of Othello, the author examines the two different tales of the

handkerchief. The first tale shows the handkerchief as a magical token of love.

Othello believes that the handkerchief will seal Desdemona’s love to him, which is

why he killed her when she gave it away. He states that viewing the story as false

can affect the rest of Othello’s actions, making them false also. His heritage and

race are pertinent, though, and reveal a lot about his actions. Othello’s African

descent shows the origins of his superstitious demeanor, although he does not act

like a “black” man. He is noble, but his background gives the notion that Othello

truly believes the handkerchief was what kept him and Desdemona together. He

realized that killing her was horrible, but the fault was also to be blamed on this

superstitious “fate.” Overall, the handkerchief proves to be a vital part of the story,

especially when discerning Othello’s actions.

Taylor, Estelle W. "The Ironic Equation in Shakespeare's Othello: Appearances Equal Reality." CLA Journal (1977): 202-11. Literature Resource Center. 22 Feb. 2009 <http://http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/LitRC;jsessionid=D6A1FF71CA0942BB197A35CEA64EE46F?locID=imcpl_indy>.

This second source explains that Iago is the driving force behind Othello

using intense irony. His true feelings and qualities are revealed to the audience

early in the play, which is anger and desire for revenge. His ability to manipulate

characters with an illusion versus reality technique is also revealed early. Only the

audience is capable of seeing this in Iago, even though he admits it to Roderigo,

who is used as an “outlet.” None of the characters see the real Iago, and they all

think of him as “honest.” Iago is also a victim of this tactic, by believing suspicions

about his wife to aid his cause and by believing his “honesty” was his downfall.

“The Pawnbroker” Group Essay

In “The Pawnbroker” by Maxine Kumin, a conflict between the speaker’s outside world and inside world arises. The speaker

confronts a harsh and unforgiving reality, but on the inside she finds her father’s love and comfort. This conflict is established by the author’s

use of imagery, diction, and symbols.

Throughout the poem, Kumin utilizes elements of imagery to show the relation between the outside and inside world. On the

outside, the speaker’s world encounters the aspect of materialism and appearance. The speaker’s father receives a “pain” that was “as sharp as

gravel” by seeing his children barefoot. This simile portrays the sensitivity of the speaker’s father towards her outward appearance. Images of

purity describing the father also reoccur often throughout the poem. Whenever the father’s feet are spoken of, they are “graceful and clean.”

The father also “cleans himself of the pawn-ticket stains of purple ink.” This shows how the speaker’s father values outward appearances and

keeps his own clean. On the other hand, the father gives the gift of love to the speaker which is represented as a “small pearl of selfhood.” Even

though the speaker’s father appears demanding on the outside regarding cleanliness, she finally understands his intentions through his pure

love received internally.

Kumin uses a common diction similar to that of a pawnbroker’s daughter, as it is not particularly educated, nor specifically colloquial.

“Our breakfast eggs” and “cops outside on regular duty” indicate through connotation her status in society and establishes her as a normal girl

emotionally and physically. At first, she describes her “outside world” of work, appearance, and material things as “secondhand” to indicate

that her outer shell was working with her father and watching him sell material things. She continues to describe her “inside world” of love as

“firsthand” and that she shared with him “the grace of work.” Her love for her father is obvious and her grief for his death is evident especially

in the last stanza where he is deemed her “lifetime appraiser” and her “first prince whom death unhorsed.”

The use of symbols throughout the poem further conveys the conflicts of the speaker. As the speaker states in first line “the symbol

inside this poem is my father’s feet.” Throughout the poem, the pain her father feels in the symbol, his feet, continues to build. His feet “hurt

when he did up his accounts in his head at the bathroom sink of the watches…” and continued to hurt “when he turned the lock on the cooks…”

the mention of her father’s feet carries the poem through to the end. The symbol of feet develops the outward world of the speaker because it

establishes how much work the father did to provide for her. Each pain in his foot granted the speaker an opportunity to have some kind of

material possession or some thing to build a more satisfactory life. Along with this external world, this shows the internal journey the speaker

experiences from a child under her father’s guidance to a young adult mourning the loss of her father. Her father’s feet were “smooth and lay

on the ironed sheet, a study of white on white…” Later in the poem, the speaker mentions the grief she and her siblings experience due to the

loss.

Overall, the imagery, diction, and symbolism of the poem synergize to create a tone of mourning and a reflective, nostalgic feeling to

the conflicts the speaker addresses. The speaker establishes her inside world as a peaceful place of sincerity and develops her outside world as

a material and palpable place. Even though her outside world is harsh and somewhat unforgiving, it is evident that she has her father’s love.

Prose Response

In the novel Obasan, Joy Kogawa expresses her confused feelings as a child during

World War Two. She presents a solemn and longing attitude towards the past with diction,

syntax, and point of view.

Both sections of the presented passage withhold many words indicating the tone of

Obasan. Within the first paragraph, the words “rain,” “cloud,” “mist,” and “weeping” are all

utilized (lines 2-3). These words automatically present a dreary disposition presented by the

author. She also refers to these memories as something fading and distant. Kogawa states

she has “drowning specks of memory (3-4), and that she “disappeared into the future

undemanding as dew (22). With these descriptions, Kogawa certainly expresses feelings of

gloom concerning the past.

Within the passage there is a significant change of structure that expresses Kogawa’s

feelings further. In the first half, she uses long, descriptive, and complex syntax. In the

second half, Kogawa uses shorter syntax, emulating the thought process of her youth. Short

sentences such as “The memories are dream images,” (23) are utilized. This change of

syntax serves as a transition from her depressing past as a whole to her specific thoughts.

In addition to the shift in syntax, a shift of point of view also occurs. In the first half

Kogawa speaks of her people as a whole using “we.” She describes how the Japanese

Canadians as a whole are in the second half, where she speaks in first person and shares her

personal story. Being a child, Kogawa retains minute details and utilizes many similies such

as “the black soot leaps and settles like insects” (37-38). She also describes the train with

harsh and dull words such as “steamy hiss” (45) and “slowly and gravely” (52). By

expressing the feelings of her people and herself personally, Kogawa effectively portrays a

solemn disposition of her past.

Utilizing penetrating diction and varying syntax and point of view, Kogawa presents a

somber event of her past. She also expresses an unenthusiastic attitude towards her future,

which is “undemanding as dew” (22). Regardless of her dimming past and future, she holds

the promise of being “born into the world for the sake of light” (14).

Open Ended Question

In Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, many characters encounter conflicting forces.

Cahterine, the love interest of Heathcliffe, battles with an internal conflict that affects the work as a

whole. She is constantly battling between her own desire, love, and her obligation to her father and

society.

Social status factors into the daily choices of people in Catherine’s time period. Between the

way and what she eats, and even who she marries, is all left up to her upbringing. Coming from a

wealthy family, Catherine is obligated to live up to her parent’s high social standards. She is expected

to marry someone with wealth and a good name. When her heart tells her otherwise, though,

Catherine enters a dangerous war with love.

Loving Heathcliffe is a condescending action towards Catherine’s reputation, according to

social standards of that era. The messages Catherine’s heart send her and the message she receives

from society do not coincide. This cause the problem of obligation versus her true desire. Both forces

constantly pull at her, but in the end her social obligations transcend her own desires. The conclusion

of the war, though, never is resolved throughout the story.

Even though she marries the wealthy Linton, Catherine is still tormented by “what could have

been” concerning Heathcliffe. Their love could not be broken, even after Catherine’s death. As a result,

both characters die unhappy and unfulfilled. This confliction continues throughout the book with the

succession of Catherine’s daughter, Catherine. She too battles with the same problem as her mother,

even within the same family trees. This time, though, the young Catherine chooses love over societal

obligations. The contrast between the two Catherine’s shows how society plays a major role in a

person’s happiness. The mother Catherine chose her obligation as having more value, but she died

with an empty heart. Her daughter chose the opposite path where she learned that true love equates

to happiness.

The analysis of Catherine’s (Sr.) life show how arduous and self-deteriorating battle between

society and her own desires can result in a tragedy. In contrast, Catherine (Jr.) discovered the rewards

of ignoring the pressures of “living up to her family’s” name. In the end, a bigger contrast can be found

between Catherine Sr. and Catherine Jr.: society versus love. Catherine’s daughter lived the life she

wished that she had chosen.

College Essay

Throughout my life, I have rarely felt limitations restricting my potential to expand my interests and

growth. I feel this way not only because God has blessed me with plenty of opportunities, but also because He has

bestowed me with the ability to explore and learn things about myself through various interests. The level of

diversity in my life will be an important attribute to my future, especially in college.

During my childhood, I developed a plethora of interests that influence my decisions today. I went through

countless different phases, such as a drawing phase, a creative writing phase, and even an ancient Egyptian phase.

Perhaps the strongest passion that was unfolded in my life would be my passion for animals. With my broad range

of academic achievements and extracurricular activities, though, I discovered how unlimited my options were. Until

my sophomore year in high school, I was convinced my future involved being a veterinarian. I began to direct my

attention to other spectrums of my intellectual abilities, and I became acquainted with other ideas besides

veterinary medicine.

English has been my strongest subject, and has come most naturally to me. In addition to my native

language, I learned that I am also capable and blessed with the ability to comprehend foreign languages with ease.

Over the last four years, I have also been enrolled in science classes due to my infatuation for the subject.

As for extracurricular activities, I was in band and played the clarinet for seven years. Band never quite

satiated my musical desire, so this year I enrolled in choir, which pacified my musical cravings. I also have a love for

sports, considering this will be my sixth year playing tennis. Last year I finally made the varsity team, and it was

one of the most important aspects of my high school career. With the discovery of my many talents, I became

completely overwhelmed. I did not think the diversity of my talents could possibly be a positive thing, because it

has been one of the most confusing aspects of my life thus far. An experience from the previous school year,

though, has made me grateful for my multifarious capabilities.

The 2008 tennis season was the most stressful and arduous few months of my life. I had to enter the

season with less playing time due to a back injury from the previous season. Unfortunately, that was the least of my

problems; I had to deal with the ridiculous politics of sports, such as unfair lineups my coach persisted on utilizing

throughout the season. When I finally gained my varsity spot in a fair manner, feelings of others were hurt because

of how my coaches handled the whole ordeal. The previous bonds our team constructed quickly shattered.

I vowed to myself that I would never endure such strife again. A sport that made me so happy for many

years completely crushed my morale. I felt hopeless, because I thought I needed tennis in my life. Because of the

diversity of interests in my life, I realized I do not need tennis. With my love for singing, I decided the musical will

be a great addition to my list of personal achievements, and fill the gap tennis created. Of course I will not totally

give up tennis, just like my passion for animals has not dissipated completely. Through this experience, I have

learned that the more diverse I am with my interests, the more room I have to grow and develop for my future.

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