I have a deadline today, but the rest are on the 15th.
Any corrections would be wonderful so I can change it before I submit it today. Otherwise, I'm just looking to improve it for my other deadlines.
I feel it's a little long would love for any criticism.
**I will gladly give feedback to any of your essays too.**
PROMPT: 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.
My Bitter Days
The girl with the little blue dress and the short black hair kneels in the grass with a wide grin. Taking a break from her part time job as a local psychiatrist, she waits as the round-headed boy who lives down the street begins to approach her. Within moments of seeing the expression on her face, this boy instantly becomes aware of the girl's motives. "She must be kidding," he thinks, but before he has time to escape the situation, she makes her infamous proposal, "Come on Charlie Brown, I'll hold the football like this and you run up and kick it."
...
From the moment Lucy utters these words, we all know what to expect. Despite an initial refusal, Charlie Brown will eventually become persuaded into following through on the offer. But as usual, moments before the kick, Lucy will swiftly snatch the ball away, causing Charlie Brown to fly in the air, screaming, "AAUGH!" before falling with a "WUMP!" on his back. It's the classic prank that the Peanuts comic is perhaps most famous for. As I grew up reading it as a kid, I initially felt inclined to, of course, laugh at the gullibility of Charlie Brown. However, as I grew older and continued to read this comic, I began to notice more admirable qualities in Charlie Brown's character. Qualities that, dare I say, inspired me.
Yes, I managed to become influenced by a child living in a world of comically small pianos and a typewriting beagle. I acknowledge that it seems strange, but it was the uniqueness of this source forof inspiration that gave me the confidence to follow Charlie Brown's example. As I reflected upon his countless attempts to kick the football, I became moved by his strength of character and ultimately, his refusal to give up in this situation. As a role model, he was unique in that instead of teaching me how to succeed, he taught me how to approach failure and adversity in my own situations.
Similar to Charlie Brown's difficulties with kicking a football, I also faced a challenge that involved a seemingly simple task. For a large portion of my high school career, I struggled with the skill of writing, often finding the process to be difficult and frustrating. My troubles showed when I entered my freshman year as it quickly became clear that I was not academically prepared for the curriculum offered at my new school. In addition, my mother and I faced struggles of our own. Shortly before I began high school, we had just moved to a new city. Unfortunately, we found ourselves without a permanent home and sometimes struggled to find a place to live. The combination of attending a new school and our troubles in finding a home overall made it more difficult for me to focus on my studies.
However, I still continued to endeavor towardsweird wording - work towards becoming a better writer. I began by devoting extra time towards practicing the skill and meticulously analyzing assignments in school that involved writing. But when I initially noticed hardly any improvement from my efforts, I felt disheartened. I attempted to keep up my efforts, but my motivation gradually began to fluctuate when I saw little reward Nice job expressing that! . My goals to succeed as a writer, it seemed, were doomed.
At that point I felt as though I could empathize with Charlie Brown. I believed my failed attempts must have felt no different than the "WUMP!" Charlie Brown experiences from falling on his back. However, this connection I realized eventually led to my inspiration. No matter how many times Lucy offered Charlie Brown the football, I could be assured he would make an effort to kick it every time. Seeing these difficulties, similar to the ones I had been facing, approached with such resilience and determination by a cartoon of a little boy pushed me to continue my efforts.
So I did. As I approached my later years of education feeling more determined and confident, I saw my situations beginning to improve. During my junior year, my mother and I finally bought a house, allowing me to dedicate greater focus to my studies. Shortly afterwards, at long last, I finally achieved a significant improvement as a writer. Teachers who previously taught me during freshman or sophomore year began to note an improvement in my writing level. It left me feeling incredibly overjoyed, and as the months went on, I finally began to see the reward for my efforts.
Lucy once sarcastically said to Charlie Brown, "Look at it this way Charlie Brown. These are your bitter days. These are your days of hardship and struggle. But if you'll just hold your head up high and keep on fighting someday you'll triumph!" Ironically,Hmm.. is that ironic? - Maybe interestingly, coincidentally... I believe she accurately described the reasons why I looked up to Charlie Brown. We all face obstacles in our lives, but it is how we approach them that is important. I may have been a late-bloomer when it came to my high school career, but these trying experiences have made me stronger and ready for the years to come.
AWE I really liked this! Creative way to approach the prompt!
Would you mind looking at mine?