#3

                  The mighty Caesar is praised by the plebians and normal folks of Rome, but a few tribunes are displeased by the fact that he may be crowned. Brutus, loyal and kind-hearted, question Caesar’s intentions and only wants the best for Rome. While sly Cassius is only jealous and bitter and wishes to see him overthrown. These two opinions contrast as one holds good intentions and the other is purely spiteful. It is plainly clear who the hero is and who the villain is in this situation. Brutus only wants the best for his city, which is why I would side with him. Unlike Cassius, Brutus is unbiased and stays loyal to Caesar. Cassius tells bitter tales to Brutus about how Caesar was weak and power-hungry, tales that may not even be true. Virtuously and righteously, Brutus is true to himself, Caesar, and Rome. 

#2

Dear ___________,

            I’ve spent six years, four months, and three days by your side. I’ve cried every tear you shed, heard every laugh that left your lips, and felt every thrash of anger that you’ve ever felt.

I can see the temptation, the reason for this chaos created by drug-use, unwanted side effects, and a large amount of praise. The need to be the best, I can understand. In the long run, however, these things will just be haunting you, and your glory days will be long forgotten. Is a game of baseball really worth all of this? You won’t speak to me about it, so I’m left no choice, but to turn you in. From your point of view, I guess you would find this harsh, cruel, and see me as a backstabber. But, since I’ve taken a moment in your shoes, step into mine. Here I am, proud at your success and winnings, but scared to death over what could be your death. Frightened, confused, and trying to figure out what’s the truth, I need to be secure about your safety. Please take this as a sign of true friendship, rather than betrayal.

                                                                                                From,

                                                                                                     Your friend

#1

Fall is supposed to be a joyful season, spent with crisp apple cider and auburn leaves. Last year, I spent most of my autumnal days locked inside my room, concentrating on what would make the thesis of my honors English essay enticing. Rifling through stacks of papers, choosing the best of the best, was the way I spent my “down time”. Writing lengthy essays in front of the TV with a bag of chips, the room only lit by its screen, was as much fun as I could have. Being with my friends wasn’t much of an option, considering I had to finish my applications for the honors classes that I was trying to get into. For those few months, I spent my time in educational purgatory, though I knew the outcome would hold greater benefits in the end. No pain, no gain, was basically the statement that became my mantra. Intro, thesis, body, conclusion. Intro, thesis, body, conclusion. Like a cheesy song on repeat, I had to endure the seemingly never-ending torture.

Looking at everything from a far perspective helped make things easier. Realizing that though it was hurting me at the moment, doing all of this work will eventually help me. Progressing through the workload was plainly difficult. Beside the fact that it was time consuming, every sentence, paragraph, and paper did not feel good enough. The words felt forced, rather than fluid and the sentences ran on for days. Revise, edit, finish. Revise, edit, finish. Repeat, repeat, repeat and so on.

By the time portfolios were due, I was glad to be rid of the sickening papers. Finally could I dump my memory of advanced vocabulary and varied sentence structures. Relief ran course through my head and I remained on autopilot for practically the rest of the year. Spring flowers carried over April and our results were unveiled. Thankfully, the strenuous hours paid off and I made it into the classes I had wanted to be in. My 3 months of misery became another success story of how hard work pays off.