University_of_Chicago

“Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth' That morning, my sister’s was worth a pocket watch.” (Between Shades of Gray) A pretty powerful quote, isn’t it' Stories like this make me feel all warm on the inside, and pull me into the world of fantasy and creativity. The beauty of writing is in the way that stories are worded. I feel that most of my favorite authors have done this in the most exceptional ways that can possibly be seen. Such exemplary examples would be of Jessica Day George, J.K. Rowling, Rick Riordan, and many more. The more I think about their writing, the more I feel inspired to also write a story (which I have written). I feel that when I start reading a book, I am thrown into the world of fantasy, super nova, and magic. Once you are in that realm, it is hard to get back from it. I once read a quote from Henry David Thoreau: “Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all.” This rings true on so many levels. In J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series, there are certain aspects about it that make it very interesting to read. It carried entertainment and thrill as well as life lessons that needed to be learned at during specific age times. As time went on, the book also matured in the same way. When I was 11, the first book came out, and for every year, a new book came out, and Harry would be approximately our age, going through some of the difficulties we had to endure during those ages. When I found this out, I admired Rowling’s clever way of writing the series in terms of the dilemmas that each age group faces as the story went on. It made sense to me because I was able to understand everything written in each of the book series and relate it to my daily life. I admire authors that not only write about how life is, but also write about the injustices of society, like how the Hunger Games has done. It portrays society in such a way that it didn’t even seem that it was talking about America, but rather about the struggles of Panema, a place made out of the ruins of America. It perfectly encompasses the issues that plague every society, and has so well-incorporated it into the plot that it was hard to discern whether it was real or not. I loved the Percy Jackson series because of its ever-present theme of never giving up in the face of trial, and to always be honest in everything you do. Many stories have lessons in them that you must look for and understand in order to really connect with the reader. Shows have the same effect as books, only they are somehow closely related to reality. Anime (Japanese cartoons) are very interesting and thought-provoking because, in a sense, they provide the window to reality (although it is sometimes portrayed in a very comedic way), and what to sort of expect from it. There’s a wide variety of anime out there, and they all encompass different themes within their realm. In the spirit of adventurous inquiry, pose a question of your own. If your prompt is original and thoughtful, then you should have little trouble writing a great essay. Draw on your best qualities as a writer, thinker, visionary, social critic, sage, citizen of the world, or future citizen of the University of Chicago; take a little risk, and have fun.