2/14/11
English 1
Mr.Williams
EXPOSITORY ESSAY
“We all die. The goal isn't to live forever. The goal is to create something that will.” -Chuck Palahniuk
PARAGRAPH 1: DEFINE. EXPLAIN. DESCRIBE.
People want to live forever, and they want to go on living. To them, Death is a curse and a trap. They despise it. Then there are people that consider life to be just a big game, and if they want to come out satisfied they will have to create something that will last forever. So they do, and to them death is an escape from life. Those types of people know that if they create something and leave it behind, it will last forever and their legacy will last even after they are dead. To me this quote pertains to the fact that if you are wanting to live forever, you should not waste your time in finding a way to live forever and brooding in fear for the time when death knocks on your door. You should instead, be out in the world trying to find a way to create your own legacy. If you create a book, movie song, a whole empire, or something big, then you know it will live on forever. People will remember you whenever they refer to that piece of information. You will have achieved your goal and lived on in the world and in people’s hearts.
PARAGRAPH 2: TEXTUAL CONNECTION - Relate the quote to a song, movie, poem, etc.
A good example of this quote in song form, is Aerosmith’s “Dream On”. This song talks about how you have to fail in order to succeed and how quickly the past has gone by. it also talks about having faith, never giving up, and dreaming all the way until your dreams come true. Dreams are really wonderful things. They are like rice. When rice is planted, it at first is small and wilts over. As time continues and you water the rice and give it love and attention, it grows into a healthy stalk and stands up straight willing to support itself. This is how dreams are, and we should fuel them daily and continue to dream to create our own legacies. Just like Walt Disney did, he dreamt on and now his legacy continues throughout the world, through his masterpieces, and amusement parks, and through the hearts of many people. He also influences lost of younger children. When kids go to Disney World they are overfilling with the desire to dream. They too want to be like the heroes and princesses that they see, and this is all the influence of Walt Disney.
PARAGRAPH 3: WORLD CONNECTION - Relate the quote to a social issue, historical event, or simply to people in general and how they operate in the human race.
In this world today, everyone wants to be famous and remembered after they are dead. They will do mostly anything to achieve this. Bill Gates created Microsoft. This creation is one of the world’s biggest. After he dies, he will be remembered for creating Microsoft. Other famous people, like Oprah Winfrey, Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, Richard Feynman, Leonardo DaVinci, Helen Keller, Walt Disney, J.K.Rowling, etc. have challenged life and continued to dream and are now amazingly famous. Another person that has changed the world and touched the hearts of many people is Alexandra Scott. She created the “Alex’s Lemonade Stand” foundation and that has been what I think one of the greatest legacies in the world. She is always remembered when people are donating to her foundation. These people all had the courage to live a life worth living. What I also just realized is that you don’t have to create something that the whole world will remember you by, you can also create something that just one person or a couple of people will remember you by. An example is your teachers, parents, and friends. They leave impressions on you everyday. They influence you and help you on your way to your dreams. They are people pointing to your success. Another example is if you have a person that you love dearly, and that person dies. Have they done something that will live on in your heart forever? I know someone who has. Orpheus the famous poet and singer. When his wife Eurydice died, he went out to search for her. The story goes that his voice charmed Hades and he let her go, but only if he had passed his test. Unfortunately Orpheus failed, and his love was pulled back to the Underworld. Yet, she was always remembered in his songs, and his songs are remembered through Greek mythology and then the world. See what these tiny little things can do? It’s like a ripple in a lake, it just spreads and spreads and spreads from that tiny pebble dropped within. The people that have the courage, integrity, and will to go on and pursue are true heroes shining among us.
PARAGRAPH 4: PERSONAL CONNECTION - Relate the quote to your own life experience.
I am very fond of this quote. The sole purpose that I am here in Medical Arts is because i want to step forward and create a legacy for my own. I want to be remembered by the world too. My personal dreams are to be very successful in the future and help everyone. I also want to be a great writer and designer as well. I picture life as a highway, well more of a map than a highway. On my map everyone has a certain place and part. I have my role models like references on my life’s map. They influence me along the way.These people help me and point me towards the right directions. Over time I am overcome with obstacles like dropping grades and other problems. These are the imperfections in my life. Usually after these happen a tiny voice in my mind tells me to, “Stop,” and “Don’t do this. You’ll never get anywhere.” I have to ignore that voice and keep dreaming on to reach my destiny. Life is like a broken road you have to mend it to continue over it. Those are what my obstacles are like. I really want to one day create a hospital and write amazing books and produce amazing designs and be an amazing person and succeed.
PARAGRAPH 5: FINAL ANALYSIS (time permitting) - Wrap up your thoughts and tie them together into what you think the quote really says and the importance of the message.
But then again that's what everyone wants. Life is worth living, after all you only get one. Create something that will live forever. Many people have succeeded and had the courage to go on and dream. These people view the world differently and in their own order, and when that happens and they believe in themselves they amaze everyone with their brilliance. I know from research that some were not very much liked. Yet they continued to persist and they transformed from ugly duckings to beautiful swans; who take flight after their own dreams.They have overcome challenges and created a legacy to be remembered. Now the question is, Do you have what it takes? Can you accomplish the same things? Remember all creations start with a dream...
So do you have yours? Well, good luck with the next steps on creating your legacy, and always remember, even if you aim for the moon, and don’t make it, you will land amongst the stars.
