My favorite word:
Some people may argue that spontaneity is child's play, and that adults must utilize logic and reasoning. I agree - the ability to justify our actions logically is necessary if we want to succeed. But just as necessary is the ability to let life surprise you; to be moved with the waves rather than doggedly set on swimming straight forward. There is a perpetual child in all of us - the child that once saw magic where we now see scientific phenomena; the child that went on adventures that may never have physically left the backyard, but somehow encompassed the whole universe. That child must be allowed to thrive and express herself, so that we can continue to view the world as an ocean of possibilities. There is an adventure around every corner; the trick is merely to be open to it.
Spontaneity is my favorite word, but it is also a defining attribute of my personality. I take calculated risks and utilize quantitative reasoning to solve problems, but I am not, and never have been, afraid to take a leap of faith, especially when it comes to my dreams. I take pleasure in allowing life to surprise me, to catch me off-guard and present opportunities for growth. At the University of Virginia, I will continue to explore, enjoy, and delve into the unexpected. Some people may call it child's play. I call it the secret of happiness.
A piece of art, music, etc. that challenged or surprised me:
The clock struck its seventeenth reverberating note, and we discussed the positive effects of yogurt on the stomach, kidneys, appendicitis, and apotheosis. I tried to remain in-character, but Eugene Ionesco's "The Bald Soprano" was just too ridiculous. I felt like I was reading lines without significance in a play without a plot.
Although I was enjoying my strange dialogue, I couldn't help but wonder why Ms. Elz, my theater director, had chosen to focus on this play. Having recently tackled Sartre's 'No Exit' and Ibsen's 'Hedda Gabler,' I struggled to find the theme in Ionesco's work. I determined that there must not be one - his sole purpose must simply have been to exhibit his bizarre sense of humor.
Ms. Elz challenged me to dig deeper, and get to know the man behind the work. So, with my script in hand, I researched, annotating as I went. I discovered that the play is, in Ionesco's words, a 'tragedy of language.' It makes a point so startlingly obvious that most people, like me, miss it completely. 'The Bald Soprano' picks apart communication; it makes a farce of both the English language and the people who speak it. Although it was written sixty years ago, and tackles the entire construction of our language, it is relevant today for another reason - the rise of technology is killing the art of effective communication.
Taking the time to delve into Ionesco's motives instilled within me a great respect for Absurdist Theater. I enjoy the challenge of figuring out the theme, and playing over-the-top characters in a way that remains true to that theme. Eugene Ionesco changed the way I view the art of theater.
I was confused at first, as to what your favorite word was. I think your essay would be better if you reversed the first and last paragraph. Try reading it that way, and see what you think. That latter paragraph begins by succinctly stating your favorite word, and that is refreshing.
Thanks, BTW, for all the great help you have been giving people!!
I agree that the ability to justify our actions logically is necessary if we want to succeed, but just as necessary is the ability to let life surprise you -- to be moved with the waves rather than doggedly set on swimming straight forward.----> I think it is better this way for a few reasons. One important reason for changing the semi-colon to a dash is that the semi-colon should be followed by an independent clause, and the phrase that the sentence ends with is a dependent clause.
-----Add a sentence at the end of the first paragraph that will be your thesis statement, like, "..but I was about to find out that..."
