Undergraduate / 'medicine and future hard work' - essay (with star wars), applying to pre-med [9]

This is my common app essay and am answering the following question: Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence. I am afraid that my 4th paragraph sounds a bit preachy/braggy and that my movie references are too specific (though i tried to keep them general enough that anyone in the general public would catch them). I am applying pre-med to many different schools. The essay is 752 words long, just about the max it can be. Thank you for any help.

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The vast pantheon of film and literature is home to many diverse characters. There are those presented as amalgamations of humanity's evils, men like Hannibal Lecter, figures so sinister, they can scarcely be called human. These beasts are entities of malice, evil incarnate. Conversely, there are those which are the embodiment of our dearest values, men like Atticus Finch. These personae posses infinite benevolence and wisdom that make them seem more saint than man. They likewise transcend humanity, albeit in a different way than their lucifrian counterparts. However, rather than try to emulate either unobtainable extreme, I prefer to follow the more "middle-of-the-road" Luke Skywalker (and not just because it means having a light saber and piloting an X-Wing).

The key to Skywalker's immortality is his identifiability. He is a rebellious teenager whose head is filled with dreams of greater things. He is neither an angel nor a demon; he is a normal adolescent trying to grow up in a world too small for his potential. However, Skywalker matures, grows stronger, and overcomes steep challenges to protect what is dear to him and become the man he always aspired to be. In Skywalker I have always found a role model who I could identify with, yet still emulate.

In sophomore year I joined the wrestling team and endured one of the harshest experiences of my life. I was subjected to physical torture by my coaches. My back still aches upon recalling how, weighing 154 pounds, I was forced to run up flights of stairs while carrying a 220 pound wrestler. I think of being hungry for three and a half months, forced to subsist on a diet of nectarines, water, and curds. In junior year I took three AP courses. I studied for hours every night, often returning late from rehearsals or practice and having to study through the early hours of the morning. I remember the shock of receiving my first ever D on an AP chemistry test, despite my hours of studying. However, the challenge of these experiences made me reflect back on Skywalker's journey. Surely if Luke Skywalker could shoot a proton torpedo into a two meter exhaust pipe, destroying the Death Star, I could run one more flight of stairs or do ten more chemistry problems. I survived wrestling season and achieved an A in chemistry one quarter. Witnessing Skywalker's displays of conviction instilled in me a fierce sense of determination and a belief that I could not only get past hardships, but be made stronger by them.

Skywalker's most important aspect however is not his own power, but his ability to inspire and instill strength in others. In 2004, my friends and I entered a worldwide problem solving competition that tested our logical and creative abilities. Our task was to create an 8 minute skit, set, and props to solve this "long term" problem with a budget of only $150. We would also solve a smaller problem, called a Spontaneous, given to us at the competition. As we neared the deadline of the contest, stress in the group lead to infighting. Some group members wanted to give up; they felt we were not ready to compete. In response, I scheduled extra skit and Spontaneous practices. I gave everyone, including myself, a job so that they could contribute to the bettering of our skit and be too busy to fight. I compared our practice scores to the ones from the beginning of the year to motivate my team mates through visible improvement. To avoid a dispute, when time came to pick the Spontaneous team (5 of 7 could participate), I chose which members would compete based on the strengths that they had displayed. We placed 1st in the state and 3rd at the world finals in Colorado. Just as Luke led the victory against the empire; through inspired teamwork we had accomplished an equally impressive feat.

I hope that I can one day become a man who can overcome any challenge with sufficient drive, one who helps all those around him through his efforts, just like Skywalker. Skywalker may one day fade from the public memory, but his force will be with me, always.