senior writing portfolio
DESCRIPTION
This is a compilation of many pieces written by a high school senior.TRANSCRIPT
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By: Robbie Mountel5/5/09
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Senior Writing Portfolio is a collection of pieces written by Roncalli High School
senior Robbie Mountel. This collection includes several essays written over prose pieces
including novels such as Frankenstein, Slaughter House Five, and The Things They
Carried. These essays offer insight as to the literary devices used by the respective
authors of the books, as well as analyze any themes in the novels. Also included are
essays over older works such as Euripides’ Helen and William Shakespeare’s great
tragedy Othello. Another essay answers an open ended question that was once on the AP
Literature Test about the role violence plays in great writing.
Another primary focus of this collection is the examination of poetry. Essays in
this collection include pieces over poetry written by John Donne, Langston Hughes, and
Walt Whitman. These essays examine poetic devices such as allusions, metaphors,
figurative language, and diction that the writers utilize. Also included in this compilation
is an annotated bibliography that analyzes several articles written about the themes of
Othello and a college application essay that was used in Mountel’s application process at
the University of Notre Dame and at Purdue University. Senior Writing Portfolio covers
a wide variety of literature and serves primarily to analyze these great works.
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Table of Contents
Compare and Contrast TTTC and SH5 4
Position Paper Short Stories 6
Frankenstein 8
Poetry Response 10
Whitman and Hughes 12
Position Paper-Helen 14
Annotated Bibliography-Othello 16
The Pawnbroker 17
Prose Response 19
Open Ended Question-Violence 21
College Essay 23
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Compare and Contrast TTTC and SH5
It is possible for story-truth to be truer sometimes than literal truth. In The Things
They Carried by Tim O’Brien, the truth is expressed through a series of stories. These
stories, however, are not entirely true. In Slaughter-House-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, facts
about the main character’s life are used. While TTTC uses story truth and SH5 uses
actual happening=truth, the truth of TTTC is portrayed much more clearly.
Kurt Vonnegut opens the first chapter of the novel by stating “All this happened,
more or less” (SH5, 1). This predominately invokes a sense of literal truth about the
book. Throughout the novel, from the point where Billy is captured by Germans to when
his plane crashes, the story is told as if it is fact. The truth is not questioned because most
of the events, with the exception of the Trafalmadore narrative, are completely realistic
and believable.
O’Brien, on the other hand, states in the middle of the novel that “almost
everything is invented.” At first this invokes a sense of being cheated or lied to by the
author. However, there is actually much realism to O’Brien’s lies than to Vonnegut’s
facts. In TTTC, Tim O’Brien kills an enemy soldier with a hand grenade. O’Brien
repeatedly states that “his other eye was a star-shaped hole” (TTTC, 124). By doing this,
the author portrays a sense of shock. The back story of the man that O’Brien killed is
also told in the novel. This appeals to the emotions and allows one to feel what Tim
O’Brien is going through.
The truths of TTTC and SH5 are presented in drastically different ways.
However, both methods of story telling allow the author to depict what actually
happened. In this case, the story-truth of TTTC proves to be more realistic than the
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happening truth of SH5. While most of the stories told by O’Brien are lies, similar events
actually happened. By dressing up the stories the way O’Brien does, he is able to reveal
his emotions throughout the war without literally stating the truth. In this instance, there
proves to be great truth in O’Brien’s lies.
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Position Paper Short Stories
In the stories of “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka and “Sin Dolor” by T.
Coraghessan Boyle, the authors share a common purpose. The protagonists in both
stories are exploited by the ones that they love. The purpose of both authors is to portray
a theme of greed and senselessness toward the protagonists of each story.
In Sin Dolor, Damaso’s family is far less than nice to him. Boyle characterizes
the father as being cruel and unloving toward his son. Damaso’s father exploits him and
treats him more like an animal than a son. In the story, the doctor proceeds to wander the
streets of the city on a day after the boy has left him. He finds Damaso “stuck all over
like a kind of hedgehog with perhaps twenty of those stainless steel skewers people use
for making shish kebab, including one that projected through both of his cheeks.” The
father’s willingness to force his son to mutilate himself in front of hundreds of people,
simply because he himself would rather not work, is a terrible form of greed.
The Doctor in “Sin Dolor” is equally guilty of fraudulently loving young
Damaso. While he seems to intend to treat the boy more humanely, there is a part of him
that only wants to exploit the boy. In the story when the doctor takes Damaso to his
office and shows him that he is a connoisseur of scorpions, he doesn’t keep a very close
eye on the boy. He seems as if he actually wants Damaso to touch the scorpion just to
see if he will feel the pain. The main goal of the doctor is not in fact to help the boy
escape his dreadful life at home with his family, but rather to make a name for himself as
being one of the giants of the medical field. Boyle implies that, like the protagonist’s
father, the doctor only cares for the boy out of greed and thirst for power.
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Gregor Samsa’s family in “The metamorphosis” does not seem to genuinely
care about him at all. He is only viewed as a source of income for the family. Kafka
characterizes Gregor’s mother, father, and sister as not genuinely caring about him for
any reason other than money. Towards the beginning of Gregor’s transformation, his
sister Grete begins to bring him food. However, towards the end of the novella, she is
actually the one who suggests to the parents that they can no longer continue to house the
creature, which eventually leads to Damaso’s demise. In the end, the family actually
goes out on a walk and seems glad to be rid of the burden of taking care of Gregor.
Kafka portrays the fact that the family only kept Gregor around at all because of his
lucrative properties.
The purpose of both Boyle and Kafka’s stories are to show the greed and
selfishness of people. More specifically, the authors want to show how terrible this self-
centeredness is in order to teach the reader a lesson. In each story, the ones who should
love the protagonist the most are, in fact, the ones who exploit them for money. The
authors do this to show the reader how personal greed can destroy a family and cannot
lead to good.
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Frankenstein
In tragedies, there is often one particular figure who serves as the source of all
suffering in the story. In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Victor serves as this tragic
figure. All of the suffering brought upon Victor as well as the rest of his friends and
family is brought upon by the monster that Victor created. This concept adds to the theme
of the dangers of science as well as to the tragic mood of the entire work as a whole.
Without the character of Victor, virtually no suffering in the novel would take
place. His thirst for fame and self glory drives him to want to create life. He then creates
a monster that he despises from the moment of its birth. In the moment after the creature
is brought to life, Victor exclaims, "How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe,
or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavored to
form?" (Shelley, 35) From the moment the monster is created, Victor knows that he will
only be a disgusting cause of pain and suffering.
Victor is ultimately responsible for numerous deaths in the novel as well as the
suffering of many people that Victor knows and loves. On the day of Victor's wedding, a
day that should be filled with joy and euphoria, Elizabeth instead seems to have a morose
disposition because of the grave truth that she knows Victor is about to tell her. After
Elizabeth is dead, Victor's father dies of sadness and remorse. Because Victor is
responsible for bestowing life upon the monster, he is also responsible for the monster's
behavior. Thus, Victor is ultimately to blame for the suffering of both his father and
Elizabeth. Although the monster is actually the murderer of Elizabeth, William, and
Henry, Victor is indirectly responsible due to the fact that he is the monster's creator.
These murders are the source of the overall tragic theme of the story. When one thinks of
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tragedy, they most often think of death and sorrow. This is exactly what Victor creates by
constructing the monster. He creates a being that can do no good, but can only kill and
destroy. It is the monster's purpose in life to make Victor miserable and to kill everyone
he loves. Victors serves as an instrument that is used to create a product that only serves
to inflict pain. Thus, Victor is ultimately responsible for the deaths of his wife Elizabeth,
his brother William, his friend Henry, and his father.
The theme of the dangers of science is prevalent in Frankenstein. There are many
things that should not be tested scientifically, and Mary Shelley is implying that playing
God is one of them. By creating life, Victor accomplishes absolutely nothing but causing
suffering to others. Science can be a wonderful asset when used correctly, but when
abused, it can be an immense source of suffering. The creation of the monster is a perfect
example of this.
In Frankenstein, Victor serves as a tragic figure that functions as an instrument of
the suffering of others. Victor's story is particularly tragic because he originally had good
intentions in creating the monster. He wanted to contribute to science and he believed
that the power to give life would lead to a plethora of scientific breakthroughs. However,
his creation went terribly wrong and eventually destroyed his life as well as the lives of
others. As a whole, the novel is dreadfully tragic, and Victor is the primary source of the
pain and suffering.
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Poetry Response
In A Hymn to God the Father, John Donne utilizes several literary techniques in
order to convey his attitude to the reader. The poem describes a prayer in which the
speaker converses with God. The attitude of the speaker throughout the work is very
religious and repentant. Donne employs diction, form, and an allusion in order to convey
his repentant attitude.
In the first stanza of the poem, Donne asks, “Will thou forgive those sins through
which I run?” (Donne, 3). These words imply that the speaker is an extremely sinful man
due to the fact that he describes himself as running through sin. The phrase “wilt though
forgive” indicates the author’s serious and repentant attitude. Asking forgiveness implies
that one is somber and regretful of their sins, and wants nothing more than for those sins
to be washed away.
Throughout the poem, Donne uses a unique form to convey his purpose and
attitude. The phrase “Wilt though forgive” is repeated four times in the first two stanzas
of the poem. This suggests that the poem actually progresses from beginning to end. In
the first two stanzas, the speaker is just beginning his confession by stating his minor
sins. This progression from beginning to end can also be seen in the last line of each
stanza. The first two stanzas and with the phrase “For I have more”, implying that the
speaker has sins that he has not yet confessed. This contrasts with eh end of the poem in
which he states “I have no more” (Donne, 18).
In the last stanza of the poem, Donne also utilizes an allusion. He states, “Swear
by thyself that at my death thy Sun” (Donne, 15). While this may literally imply that he
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is talking about the Sun, the author is also alluding to the Son of God. This allusion to
Jesus Christ reminds the reader that Donne is speaking to God and confessing his sins.
Throughout the poem, Donne utilizes a plethora of literary devices in order to
convey his repentant attitude to the reader. Through diction, form, and allusions the
author exhibits his somber attitude and replays his conversation with God. These
techniques allow the reader to really feel the regret of the speaker and to ultimately feel
his repentance.
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Whitman and Hughes
In I Hear America Singing, by Walt Whitman, and I, Too Sing America, by
Langston Hughes, the authors convey very different attitudes to the reader. But while
these attitudes are radically different, they are still both patriotic in their own way.
Whitman uses repetition and uniformity in his poem to convey a proud attitude while
Hughes utilizes shifts in tone to create his angry, yet hopeful attitude.
In I Hear America Singing, by Walt Whitman, the author uses both imagery and
repetition to convey his attitude to the reader. At the beginning of each line, Whitman
states a voice that he hears singing from a different occupation each time. He includes
most of the major jobs from the time period such as a carpenter, a mechanic, a mason, a
boatman, a shoemaker, a woodcutter, and even a mother. By stating each occupation,
Whitman conveys that the song of each worker contributes to the song of America as a
whole. This use of uniformity and repetition creates an attitude that is proud in the
hardworking and diverse nation.
In I, Too, Sing America, by Langston Hughes, the author uses poetic structure, as
well as shifts to convey an attitude that is angry and frustrated, but also hopeful for the
future. The first stanza is all about how Hughes is segregated and sent to “eat in the
kitchen when company comes” (Hughes, 3-4). This stanza uses imagery to paint a
picture about the unfairness of segregation. Between the first and second stanzas, a shift
in attitude occurs. He states at the beginning of the second stanza that “tomorrow, I’ll be
at the table when company comes” (Hughes, 8-10). This contrasting imagery creates a
shift in attitude from frustrated to hopeful about the future.
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While Hughes’ poem is more resentful towards America than Whitman’s, both
authors have a very patriotic attitude toward America. Whitman’s patriotism is more
obvious than that of Hughes. Whitman uses diction that is mainly happy to describe the
songs of different workers such as blithe, strong, delicious, and melodious (Whitman
2,8,10). These words portray Whitman’s love for his country. While Langston Hughes’
patriotism is not as obvious, it can still be seen in the title of the poem. By titling the
poem, I, Too, Sing America, Whitman expresses that he too wants to be considered part
of America. Although he is mistreated and segregated, Hughes is hopeful in America’s
potential for equality.
Both poets use different strategies to convey distinctly different attitudes.
Whitman uses repetition and uniformity to create a proud attitude, while Hughes uses
shifts to create attitudes that are both angry and hopeful. But while the poems are both
unique, both also convey and attitude of patriotism and loyalty towards America.
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Position Paper-Helen
Euripides has been hailed by many as one of the great authors of Greek tragedy.
Throughout history, many famous authors have tried to translate the ancient works of
Euripides. Rachel Hadas brings to the table a feministic view that is praising of Helen’s
actions and sympathetic toward her lack of presence at the city of Troy during the famous
Trojan War. Aristotle’s six elements of drama can be seen in virtually every modern
work from books to movies. Rachel Hadas’ translation of Euripides’ Helen presents a
feministic thought process and theme as well as modern diction and syntax.
In the time of the Trojan War, women were thought of mainly as possessions to
be won and traded. Women were not often thought of as being particularly intelligent or
thoughtful. However, Hadas provides a very different view of women. She instead
portrays Helen as a thoughtful and blameless part of the Trojan War. While many people
in the drama seem to blame Helen for the war, Helen is portrayed as though she clearly
had no choice or say in what has happened to her. Hadas is making a statement about
women of this time and their lack of authority in society.
Throughout the drama, a constant theme is the effects that women have on men.
One clear way this theme can be seen is through the fact that an entire full-scale war is
being waged over a single woman. However, another way that Hadas emphasizes
women’s control is through the plan used by Helen and Menelaus to escape from Egypt.
In line 830, Helen states, “What if the king were ignorant that you had ever come here.”
This comment made by a woman sparks their elaborate plan to escape a very high
security situation. The fact that Helen crafts the majority of this scheme accentuates
Hadas’ feministic tendencies and thought processes.
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While Helen was written hundreds of years ago in a completely different country,
Rachel Hadas has created a translation that is extremely easy to read given the
circumstances. She does this through simple yet descriptive diction and syntax. In line
822 when Helen is speaking with her husband Menelaus, Helen states, “You’ll see. The
man who dares impossible deeds is not a hero but a fool.” The sentence structure of this
passage is very easy to read and gets Hadas’ point across effectively. Hadas also uses a
contraction in this passage. This underlines her use of modern diction by speaking as a
real woman would speak, rather than further complicating the speech.
Rachel Hadas’ feministic thought processes add to the author’s message in the
work. Helen never had any control over what happened to her and was simply used as
the property of men. Hadas depicts Helen as a strong woman who is capable of thinking
for herself. This is done through the diction and syntax throughout the drama as well as
through the theme. Hadas uses Aristotle’s elements of a drama to comment on the
strength of women in society and to punctuate previous notions about women of that time
period.
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Annotated Bibliography-Othello
Aubrey, James R. "Race and the Spectacle of the Monstrous in Othello." CLIO 22 no. 3
(Spring 1993): 221-38.
James R. Aubrey’s main purpose in Race and the Spectacle of the Monstrous in
Othello is to explain how Othello is portrayed as a monster. Aubrey offers information
about how blacks were not often seen on stage by audiences. The mere sight of seeing
Othello as a black person would have created feelings of monstrosity in the eyes of the
audience. Rodrigo also portrays Othello as a monster in Act 1 when he refers to him as a
black ram and later refers to the image of “the beast with two backs”. Aubrey includes an
important quote from Aristotle that defines monstrosities as formations that are contrary
to the usual. Due to the fact that Othello is black and is among other white characters, he
is viewed as a monster.
West, Fred. "Iago the Psychopath." South Atlantic Bulletin 43 (Mar. 1978): 27-35
Fred West’s main purpose in Iago the Psychopath is to argue that William
Shakespeare created an accurate portrait of a psychopath through the character of Iago.
West argues that Iago possesses several traits that are traditionally seen not only in
psychopathic characters, but also in real psychopaths. One such trait is that the character
of Iago seems to be passionless, and rather cold in his pursuit of destroying Othello.
West also argues that psychopaths often are more intelligent than normal beings. This
trait is clearly portrayed in Iago. West utilizes the ideas of several other literary analysts
including Coleridge, Cleckley, and Bradley. Their thoughts and ideas reinforce the
argument that Iago is a psychopath.
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The Pawnbroker
In “The Pawnbroker” by Maxine Kumin, a father passes away after many years of
laboring on his feet as a pawnbroker. At the end of the poem, the children bear the pain
after their provider in life dies. Kumin uses diction, imagery, and symbolism to depict the
inside and outside worlds of the speaker.
Kumin utilizes unique diction to describe the inward and outward lives of the
speaker. The word “hurt” is used three times in the first, fourth, and fifth stanzas of the
poem. This word is representative to the outside world of the speaker, in that it describes
the physical pain of the father, or pawnbroker. The speaker also describes the feet of the
pawnbroker as “tender and smooth” in the first stanza, as well as “graceful and clean” in
the third stanza. These phrases are used to describe the inside, or emotional world of the
speaker. By saying that his father’s feet were tender, smooth, graceful, and clean, the
speaker is implying that the pawnbroker always had good and pure motives for all of his
work. The pawnbroker’s primary focus in his life was to serve his family, no matter what
the physical cost was.
Kumin uses several forms of imagery to describe his physical and emotional life.
The beginning of the poem describes the pain of human weight. The speaker describes
“fifty years of standing behind the counter waiting on trade.” This insinuates the lifelong
pain the Pawnbroker has suffered with at work. The pawnbroker’s emotional sorrows
were ever present in his inability to face the pain of his children. He even says “The sight
of his children barefoot gave him a pain.” His sacrificing for his children was returned to
him however. His child said “I had from my father a love ingrown tight as an oyster.”
The father to child relationship seemed to be mutual. The Pawnbroker had a difficult life
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and through the visual imagery of painful feet, the reader is able to relate to some of his
pains.
As the physical and emotional worlds of the characters continues to develop in
“The Pawnbroker”, Kumin utilizes symbolism to strengthen the already existing
personalities. In line 1, Kumin makes this symbolic measure obvious in saying that “the
symbol inside this poem is my father’s feet”. The father’s feet prove to be an important
aspect of Kumin’s poem in that it becomes the gauge of the father’s love and devotion to
his children’s future. As his physical agony and discomfort build, the children’s, and the
father’s, emotional happiness rise. Line 9 offers one example of this balance system when
the sight of his children barefoot gave him a pain. A pain not caused by anger but by the
grief of seeing his hard work go unappreciated. With this delicate balance, the eventual
death of the father will reverse the roles the characters possess and provide an interesting
outlook on life.
In the end, Kumin masterfully interweaves diction, imagery, and symbolism in
order to portray the inside and outside worlds of the characters. As the father labored
endlessly for his children, his inner emotions struggle to maintain sanity while his body
begins to break down. This poem profoundly relates to the similarities of the modern
economic status which requires parents to strive to make ends meet.
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Prose Response
In George Eliot’s novel Middlemarch, Dorthea Brooke is characterized as being a
very unique individual. While Dorthea is described as being better looking than her sister
Celia, it is in fact Celia who is preferred by suitors as being the better candidate for
marriage. The author uses diction, similes, and allusions to convey his feelings that while
Dorthea is very good looking, it is her erratic religious beliefs that seem to turn men away
from her.
Throughout the passage, the narrator uses a plethora of words that portray
Dorthea as being beautiful. Eliot states that “her profile as well as her stature and bearing
seem to gain the more dignity her plain garments” (Lines 5-7). By using the words
stature, bearing, and dignity while talking about her plain dress, it can be perceived that it
is no her clothes that make the narrator attracted to her, but rather her natural good looks.
While much of the passage offers likeable traits about Dorthea, she is also characterized
as having a religion that is “unusual” (Line 45). Eliot later uses the words “pagan” and
“sensuous” (Line 59) to describe how Dorthea feels when riding on horseback. This
choice of words adds to the overall feeling that Dorthea’s beliefs are very irregular.
To convey the erratic religious beliefs of Dorthea, the narrator uses similes. He
states that “Miss Brooke’s large eyes seemed, like her religion, too unusual and striking”
(Lines 44-46). There is a dual meaning of this statement. The first is that Dorthea clearly
had unusual religious beliefs. The second meaning is to further reiterate how beautiful
the narrator thinks she is.
Eliot also utilizes allusions in this passage to characterize his attitude toward
Dorthea. He alludes to the Virgin Mary when he states that Dorthea “could wear sleeves
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not less bare of style than those in which the Blessed Virgin appeared to Italian painters”
(Lines 3-5). By alluding to Mary, the narrator is commenting on how plain Dorthea’s
clothes were. Mary is always portrayed, especially by Italian painters, as being a very
simple and ordinary woman in plain dress. By comparing Dorthea to Mary, he is
portraying the idea of beauty, regardless of clothing or wealth.
The word choice of the narrator as well as his use of allusions and similes
conveys his feelings about Dorthea. While she is better looking and more interesting
than her sister, Celia is most often preferred by men. The narrator is interested in
Dorthea, but thinks that because of her unusual religious tendencies and more wild
behavior, she is not as good of a candidate for marriage.
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Open Ended Question-Violence
In modern times, violence is often thought of as a needless and terrible concept.
However, in great literature, violence is rarely without reason and nearly always
contributes to the meaning of the work. In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, two
brief scenes of violence are essential to the meaning of the work as a whole.
Towards the end of the play, both Romeo and Juliet take their own lives after
thinking that the other is dead. These acts of violence, Romeo drinking poison and Juliet
stabbing herself, are critical to the theme of forbidden love in the play. If this act of
violence had not occurred, the play would have ended happily with Romeo and Juliet
each still being alive. However, their deaths are essential to the tragic sense of the work.
By their deaths, Shakespeare ties together the fitting, yet tragic end of the fight between
the Capulets and Montagues.
The violent deaths of Romeo and Juliet are the result of needless fighting between
the Capulets and Montagues. This needless fighting is another theme of the play. The
two families do not even remember what they are fighting about, just that they are each
other’s sworn enemy. Another act of violence, the death of Tibolt, exemplifies this anger
between the families. He is a casualty in the seemingly aimless fight between the two
families. Tibolt’s death escalates the tension between the Montagues and Capulets, and
thus makes the love of Romeo and Juliet even more deadly.
The needless deaths of Romeo and Juliet are symbolic of the needless fighting
between the two families. Neither Romeo nor Juliet knows that the other was not really
dead when they committed suicide, just as neither family really knew why they were
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fighting. These brief acts of violence are essential to the tragic ending as well as the
central theme of forbidden love in the play.
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College Essay
Ever since I was a young boy, the subjects that I have excelled in have been math
and science. Everything from algebra to physics to chemistry has always fascinated me.
I like knowing how things work and why they work the way they do. Because of this
curiosity and willingness to learn, I have made it a priority to find a career that I am
interested in. This has led me to decide that engineering is the clear career choice for me.
A college education will allow me to pursue both my personal and professional goals.
Throughout my life, it has always been one of my goals to challenge myself. In
high school, I have taken the most rigorous course schedule possible. When scheduling
my senior courses, it was very tempting to only take the classes that I needed to take to
achieve academic honors. However, because of my willingness to be challenged, I
decided to take a schedule that involved as many honors and advanced placement courses
that I could take. This has allowed me to challenge myself and to see what I am capable
of accomplishing. I believe that continuing my education at a college level will allow me
to continue the goal of challenging myself.
Another one of my goals has been to have a career that I really enjoy. Since the
subjects that I both excel at and enjoy are math and science, I believe that engineering is
the clear choice for me. I have attended the Engineering Explore Program at Eli Lilly in
order to give me a better understanding of what engineers do and what type of
engineering I may be interested in. This experience has allowed me to see the type of
environment an engineer works in, what an engineer does on a typical day to day basis,
and has given me insight into the type of projects that different classes of engineers work
on. I have concluded that engineering is something that I would really enjoy as a career.
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While money isn’t everything, it is also one of my goals to obtain a job that pays
reasonably well. Due to the ever increasing demand for engineers, I believe that a degree
in engineering will aid me in this goal. With the vast rate at which technology is
advancing in today’s world, there is a huge demand for engineers. Nearly every major
company of any sort, whether it is Sony or Eli Lilly, requires engineers to advance their
company. This growing desire for engineers will help me to achieve my goal of
obtaining a job that pays well.
A college degree in engineering will help me to pursue my dreams of challenging
myself, obtaining an enjoyable job, and making a sufficient amount of money. But above
all, a college education in engineering will allow me to obtain the knowledge I need to
understand how a device works, and then create a better way of doing it. A college
education is essential to the accomplishment of my personal and professional goals.