Analysis of on the Road by Langston Hughes Essay - 1401 Words

Beautiful symbolism and imagery are found in the literature work On the Road by Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes offers a gift in this work which is to open the heart and life will provide unlimited abundance. During this literary analysis Langston Hughes uses nature to demonstrate his main characters unwillingness to participate in life. Another point that Hughes demonstrates is the use of anger and survival and how it can be used as a powerful force in breaking down racial barriers. One more impact Langston Hughes uses is Jesus Christ as a metaphor. Hughes uses this as how people experience life and how traditional church values contradict each other when it comes to the acceptance of human beings. Therefore after reading On the Road,†¦show more content†¦The thought appears that dark and light can come together. The contrast of the light and dark created a complete symmetry to the world and society. Langston Hughes use of nature gives the thought of the outside world but the feeling of emotion in the heart. Something as easy as nature creates the biggest impact to the soul. Hughes realized that and he expressed it in his work of On the Road. Another point that is conveyed in Langston Hughes work is the use of anger and survival in his main character. These two things combined can be a powerful force when it comes to taking action against the suppression of society. The main character faced society in the vision of racism. Langston Hughes expressed that the thought of the black man was the fact that the black man was mistreated and the whites were to blame. Anger is often the result when expressions are limited. From anger, survivalist mode kicks in, and the feeling of being detached from God. As seen in the works, its clear that Sargeant is struggling for survival. Its also clear that due to the pain he feels whites have inflicted upon him; he will now take any measures necessary to insure his own best interest. Langston Hughes conducted his words of this literature to make points clear and abrasive. The main character was desperate and wanted to prove the whites wrong, but what was actually going on was not the proving theShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of On The Road By Langston Hughes1570 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"On the Road† Analysis â€Å"On the Road† is a short story written by Langston Hughes whose major themes are of race, religion, and subjective nature of fiction. An influential African-American writer, Hughes was born in 1902 and primarily raised by his maternal grandmother (Meyer 1032). Over the course of his illustrious career he would go on to write poems, novels, short stories, essays, plays, opera librettos, histories, documentaries, anthologies, autobiographies, biographies, children’s booksRead MoreAnalysis Of On The Road By Langston Hughes868 Words   |  4 PagesWalker insists that there is representation to white people when the narrator of the story â€Å"On the Road† by Langston Hughes speaks of the church and the snow. Walker does include some nice points, points that one could easily see. Some of her points and observations though, I feel are a bit of a long shot. I have the same feelings towards Walker’s comparison of â€Å"On the Road† and the story of Samson. Walker’s first theory is that the snow is â€Å"a symbol of the white oppressive world that is makingRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Langston Hughes s The Road 1402 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Road by Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes offers a gift in this work which is to open the heart and life will provide unlimited abundance. During this literary analysis Langston Hughes uses nature to demonstrate his main character s unwillingness to participate in life. Another point that Hughes demonstrates is the use of anger and survival and how it can be used as a powerful force in breaking down racial barriers. One more impact Langston Hughes uses is Jesus Christ as a metaphor. Hughes usesRead MoreYolande Cornelia â€Å"Nikki† Giovanni Jr Is An Well-Known African-American Poet, Writer, Commentator,978 Words   |  4 PagesYolande Cornelia â€Å"Nikki† Giovanni Jr is an well-known African-American poet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator. Today we will look at â€Å"A poem for Langston Hughes† from her collection and do a literary analysis on it. The author took the time to adopt a certain sound throughout her work. You can shape sound within a poem through accent, alliteration, assonance, consonance, internal rhyme, meter, onomatopoeia, rhyme and rhythm. She uses a combination of these sound devices used in poetryRead MoreLiterary Criticsm1882 Words   |  8 Pageson Thank you m’am short story By Langston Hughes Christina taradifa sinaga 13020110141054 Faculty of humanities Diponegoro university 2013 ABSTRACT In this paper the writer wants to write down about Psychological criticism. Psychology is an academic and applied discipline that involves the scientific study of mental functions and behaviors. The purposes of this paper to analysis the psychological of main character in Thank You M’am short story by Langston Hughes. To understand psychological criticismRead MoreLiterary Techniques Poetry Analysis 1758 Words   |  6 PagesLiterary Techniques: Poetry Analysis 1 Diction and Imagery Literary Techniques †¢ The meaning of a poem (i.e its focus, mood and the speaker’s attitude) is enhanced by four main types of literary techniques: †¢ Diction †¢ Imagery †¢ Sound devices †¢ Rhythm, Rhyme and Repetition Diction †¢ Diction is the choice of words a poet uses to bring meaning across. In working through a poem, it is useful to question why a certain word is used, and what kind of effect is achieved with the choice and placementRead MoreHarlem And The Middle Of The 1930s1791 Words   |  8 Pagesscholars. Many had come from the South, fleeing its oppressive caste system in order to find a place where they could freely express their talents; this became known as The Great Migration. Among those artists whose works achieved recognition were Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, Countee Cullen, Arna Bontemps, Zora Neale Hurston, and Jean Toomer. The Renaissance involved racial pride, fueled in part by the violence of the New Negro demanding civil and political rights. The Renaissance incorporated jazzRead MoreNot Without Laughter Study Guide9912 Words   |  40 PagesLiterature Study Guide Not Without Laughter by Langston Hughes For the online version of BookRags Not Without Laughter Literature Study Guide, including complete copyright information, please visit: http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide-not-without-laughter/ Copyright Information  ©2000-2012 BookRags, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gales For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works:Read MoreMedia Magic Making Class Invisible2198 Words   |  9 Pagesand upper classes as well. Add Project New English essays Much Ado About Gender Roles (15 August) Report regarding a proposed amendment of certain sections of th (13 August) Community Influence In Literature (18 July) Ode To A Urn Detailed Analysis (17 June) Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge (14 June) Newburgh (14 June) Countee Cullen: A Reniassance Man (14 June) Death In The Hours (14 June) Antigone (14 June) The Art Of Persuasion (14 June) Compare And Contrast (13 June) SonnysRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Gwendolyn Brooks s The Bean Eaters 1907 Words   |  8 Pagesencouraged; after reading her seven-year-old daughter s precocious poetry, Brooks s mother proclaimed to her, You are going to be a poet. Brooks published her first poem at age thirteen in American Childhoodmagazine. At age sixteen she met Langston Hughes , who read her poems and offered encouragement after a poetry reading. After graduating from an integrated high school in 1934, Brooks was a regular poetry contributor to the Chicago Defender beginning in 1934. After graduating from Wilson Junior

Rwanda During The Colonial Era - 1502 Words

Prior to colonial era, Rwanda had larger population of Hutus compared to Tutsis and Twa. Rwanda as a country was divided into three ethnic groups i.e. Hutu (approximately about 85%), Tutsi (14%) and Twa (1%) (United Nations). Although, Tutsis were the minorities, they belonged to the higher strata compared to the other ethnic groups; Tutsis were privileged and had power and control over the Hutus and Twas. â€Å"Hutus were formerly bound to their Tutsi patrons via client ship† (Sinema, 2012). When Rwanda was colonized by Germany followed by Belgium, they favored Tutsis as they represented the upper class prior to the colonization. These created a social system like feudal system where there was a power difference between the Hutus and the Tutsis. Tutsis were considered as lord and the Hutus on the other hand, were considered as peasants. As a consequence, this created an ethic tension between the Hutus and the Tutsis and created a system more like apartheid. Nonetheless, they managed to co exist in Rwanda until they were decolonized. Although there is no social distinction between the Hutus and the Tutsis, the conflict between these tribes increased tremendously after the independence from Belgian that led to mass murder and ethnic cleansing of the Tutsi by the Hutu. The distinction between the Hutu and Tutsi was not just the ethnic roots but was also the socio economic factor. The movie Hotel Rwanda (2004) also depicted that there was no social distinctions between the HutusShow MoreRelatedChristianity and Genocide in Rwanda800 Words   |  4 Pages Christianity and Genocide in Rwanda by Timothy Longman discusses the roles of the churches in Rwanda and how their influence might have been able to alter the outcome of the genocide. He discusses the rise of Juvenal Habyarimana in politics with his Catholic background, church and state relations, and obedience to political authority. His slogan â€Å"Peace, Unity, and Development† were his political plans for Rwanda. On April 6, 1994, president Juvenal Habyarimana’s plane was shot down marking the beginningRead MoreThe Republic of Rwanda Essay1438 Words   |  6 PagesThe Republic of Rwanda As the universe progresses so do different societies and civilizations. From the beginning of mankind there have been many positive and negative changes. We have seen uproar of conflict within nations and boundaries. This change has been seen evident in countries other than just the United States, from coast to coast, continent to continent, war and struggle is noticeable. Progress is evident in countries from their period of colonization to theirRead MoreThe Genocide Of The Rwandan Genocide1307 Words   |  6 PagesAlthough this is a valid argument, the roots of the conflict are more complex stretching back to the era of colonialism. The impact of colonialism on Rwandan politics and society set the foundations for revolution in 1959 and, ultimately, genocide in 1994. The first known inhabitants of Rwanda were the Twa that were eventually displaced by the Hutu peoples living in the Congo River basin during the tenth century. About five hundred years later, the Tutsi arrived from the north, conquered the HutuRead MoreCivil Wars And The Colonial Era1634 Words   |  7 Pagescountries. However, many countries were plagued with civil wars and the issues left behind the colonial era. The adversities faced by these new African nations are at the hands of their old colonial powers and the neo-colonialism that has taken place. These new independent countries were left to unify their people of different backgrounds, create a strong government and economy, and leave the post-colonial legacy behind. Nigeria would soon become a prime example of the issues with arbitrary bordersRead MoreHistory Of Rwanda And The Genocide1579 Words   |  7 PagesHISTORY OF RWANDA AND THE GENOCIDE It is believed that the Hutu and the Tutsi were originally one community who shared some value culture and even religion until the colonialist announced their arrival. Rwanda has experienced a disturbing and prolonged cycle of violent conflict since 1959. The conflict which has been characteristically political and socio-economic in nature has played out mainly on the basis of ethnicity and regionalism. It was first German and Belgium colonialism that createdRead MoreMovie Analysis : Hotel Rwanda1519 Words   |  7 PagesThe based on a true story trademark of the film Hotel Rwanda has implications for genocidal memory, post genocidal peace and reconciliation, and the promotion of heroism amid the udder chaos that engulfed the country. The film ultimately illustrates an oversimplified, ideologically driven version of the 1994 massacre. It emphasizes the role of a Hollywood hero, rather than the deeply rooted and complex factors at the center of the violence, leading to popular opinio n of the Hutu population as barbaricRead MoreRwandan Genocide910 Words   |  4 PagesAfrican country of Rwanda. To call it a tragedy would be an understatement when faced with the estimated death count of one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus over the span one hundred days. The genocide resulted from the desire to control and obtain power within Rwanda and stemmed from a history of cultural and social class conflict amongst the rival groups. This bloodshed proved to be one the most horrific events in history. The Tutsi people had joined the Rwanda population during the 1300’s. BeforeRead MoreMedia Representation of the Rwandan Genocide1202 Words   |  5 Pagesexample of the Rwanda Genocide my argument is that representation is constitutive of the ways in which we understand the world and of the hierarchy that currently exists within mainstream media. As (Michael J. Shapiro, 1989) discussed ‘The reason for looking at representational practices in relation to texts, language and modes of interpretation is because it is through these practices that ideas about International Relations are produced’. Through the media coverage on the Rwanda Genocide I investigateRead MoreConflict Is A Old As Mankind1230 Words   |  5 Pagessigning of the Arusha Accords to create a power sharing government. Rwanda: A brief history of the country  · In the early 1990s,Rwanda was a small country with a dominant agricultural economy and it had one of the highest population densities in Africa. Around 85 percent of its population is Hutu and the rest is Tutsi with a small number of Twa, a Pygmy group who were the original inhabitants of Rwanda. Before the colonial era Tutsis generally occupied the higher strata and Hutus occupied the lowerRead MoreAfrican Nationalism in Frederick Coopers Africa Since 1940: The Past of the Present729 Words   |  3 PagesAfrican nationalism: Frederick Coopers Africa since 1940: The past of the present During the colonial era, the major European powers justified the colonization of the African nations based upon the claim that they were carrying the white mans burden, and bringing the so-called Dark Continent into a state of civilization. According to Frederick Coopers book Africa since 1940: The past of the present, rather than nation-building, colonization destroyed the institutions of tribal cohesion

Rose For Emily By Faulkner (1016 words) Essay Example For Students

Rose For Emily By Faulkner (1016 words) Essay Rose For Emily By FaulknerA Rose for Emily is one of William Faulkners famous stories. Theantagonist of it is Miss Emily Grierson, which was forced by her dominating andrepressive father to grow up alone. She was raised to adhere to a certainstandards. So, she stocked with the old souths rules. Miss Emily was raisedwith the belief that no man was suitable for her. And her father is the cause ofher superior feeling. After her fathers death, she wanted to live her lifeher way, but every body in the town including the authorities make her feel thather life of living is unacceptable, and that based on old south and new southtraditions and beliefs. Her relation ship with the Colonel Sartoris to make herexempt from paying taxes is suspicious. But, he did not realize that once he isgone, there would be some one else to put her in the right track. Miss Emilytried to do some changes in her life when Homer showed up. But her feeling ofloosing him made her start with a plan that kept him close until her death. Manyanalysts give attention to the story since the first time published. Petrymentioned two reasons for making A Rose for Emily a special. First, thedisordered chronology, Second the end of the story which is definitely ashocking ending to every reader. So we can see how the narrator starts offtelling that Miss Emily was dead and everyone in the town went to her funeral. Then, he went back to tell about Emilys life, which ended by killing Homerand keeping his body in the bridal bed. (52-54) Loneliness can be aterrible thing to prey on someones mind. Apparently no man was good enoughfor Emily, that why she never got married and was by self Her father gone andnow she is alone, even though she still have Tobe to help her with the marketand other chores. Then, the foreman Homer Barron showed up in her life. He wassent by the Construction Company to pave the sidewalks. But, his job did notfinish there. He is the only one left, a northerner that would love her despiteof all the southerners who were scared of her weird family. Truly, Homer can notgive her what she is looking for neither did her father. The need forcompanionship is the basis of courting Homer Barron. When the work finished andHomer left town, Miss Emily was once again alone. And the insanity began to setin. Even though her cousins stay with her for a short while, this is not whatEmily wants. When Homer came back, her chance for everlasting companionship wasavailable. So, she killed him to secure the fact that she will always have himby her side, and she will never be alone again. Blythe think that the mostprovocative aspect in the story is the motive in killing Homer Barron. And hesuggested that homosexuality is the reason for Emily to poison him. Homerhimself said that he only like men, and whether this means he is gay as his lastname would imply, or he simply is just like to be around men, he will not settledown. Emily could not stand the thought of loosing another man; she wanted tosave face, her pride, and loneliness (49-50). In the other hand, Wallacementioned in one of his articles that he denied the knowing that Homer Barron isa gay, because he is wandering how the narrator know all of the details in thestory. Beside that, he did not get to write about Emily until fifty yearspassed, which will make every thing he says is suspect. The narrator just wantsto trap u s (105-107). Miss Emily is a southern lady. She was raised to adhere tocertain standards by stocking to the old souths rules. She locked herself inher house and refused to see any one but her servant. She represents the pastsouth (a fallen monument). In the story we can see how Miss Emily tried her bestto keep the southern tradition, she write on note paper of an archaicshape in faded ink. After her fathers death, she kept him for threedays maybe because he was the only symbol of the south that left for her. Shetold the tax collectors to go and ask Colonel Sartoris to explain why she isexempt. Even though, he had died long time ago (Kurtz). By looking at Schwaework in analyzing Rose for Emily, we see that he think the watch in thegolden chain is the symbol of time. It is in her pocket and not pinned to her,so she can have a total control of time. She thinks that any changing in timewill involve a loss. The loud sound of watch ticking will never let her forgetabout her duty to stop t ime and stay in the past (512-517). In the story wenoticed that there was an unclear relationship between Miss Emily and all menthat the narrator mentioned. As Curry says we do not know exactly what happenedafter the Baptist minister visited her (397-402). Even the Negro manservant wholived with Miss Emily left. There was something needs to be cleared about hisleaving the scene after some curious lady came to visit. Carry thinks that Tobehas some important information, but since he was an African-American, thenarrator considered his information insignificant (397-402). Even though Tobe isminor character in the story, he might be the one who killed Homer to protectMiss Emily from further humiliation that started when her father was alive. .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa , .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa .postImageUrl , .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa , .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa:hover , .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa:visited , .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa:active { border:0!important; } .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa:active , .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u038b0d5475d6335001b8bfc267285cfa:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Anorexia4 EssayPretty much any idea is possible since the author did not give clues to thedeath of either man. I feel sad about Miss Emily; every thing in her life wasnot fair. Is it her problem to have a measurable life as a child? Is it herfault to have maybe a mentally sick father? I think Miss Emily is a victim ofher society. I do not blame her, because I really can not feel what she wentthrough. Even the narrator is not close enough to her to explain exactly how shefeels. Her life was translated by others feelings and from their point of view. Her life is going to stay as a mystery.

Then I Do free essay sample

We’re in the car with the digital clock glowing green, ticking away the minutes until the ascent to 12:45 has my mom handing back dad’s iPhone. I pull up the email I received eleven days ago and swish my thumb over the screen, leaving a sheen of thumbprint, and reach the number at the bottom. My heart is in my ears, I think, and I practice what I should say, then repeat it to my mom. She says I don’t need to go into so much detail. â€Å"Good,† I sigh, and promptly tap the number. I expect a few rings, but the connection barely chokes out its first before I hear a hello. I quickly relay my name–full name, Madeline–and that I have a campus visit scheduled, we’re running five minutes behind. I hope that will be okay. My voice is cool, the timbre resonating in the hollow of my throat; the quality is that of automated recordings and radio hosts. We will write a custom essay sample on Then I Do or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page For a few brief seconds, I am more composed than I have ever been before. I sound like somebody who snapped up the phone from the dashboard, dialed with one hand, and knows her place in the world. In reality, I asked my Mom if she would call for me and received an unsympathetic, â€Å"no, you’re eighteen.† This is true. That, however, failed to disintegrate my absolute aversion to phone communication. I don’t reveal this to the girl on the line. She says that’s fine, no problem, and I say thank you, and then I am hanging up and gasping out how much I hate it. I prattle for a moment and then lean forward to check and make sure that I hit the red button for sure, God forbid the receptionist be privy to this information. After I’ve double-checked with my Mom that she knows where we’re going, and after fast-food chains and car washes begin to sketch in the town, after I’ve grumbled about how it lacks curb appeal, we are turning. The roads give way to pavement, the cement to grasses and trees. I appraise the buildings. They are not as historic-looking as I would like, although my Mom dispels this notion. We park and get out, and I’m nervous a little bit again, unsure what to expect. We walk one way until we realize it’s wrong, and go back, stop at a fork in the path. Up ahead, a genderless figure with jet-black hair–bedhead-esque, I sense a kindred spirit–shuffles toward us. I suggest asking them if they could point it out but, no more than a few yards away, a small sign boats letters that faintly resemble the name of the building we’re looking for. We’re off. This is it. In the entryway, a board has a list of names written on it to welcome prospective students, and in my peripheral I catch mine. I go back to make a chaste note of it, appreciate the gesture, and step inside. The receptionist I must’ve spoken to is there, and she knows who I am and hands me a folder, directs us to the Keurig and the K-cups of different drinks. We are told to help ourselves. I perch on the edge of the couch and am sucked in by stapled-together papers listing the student organizations. Mom sits, too. Dad chooses tea. This is my first college visit. I chose this particular school out of curiosity. I’ve always known about it, but never remembered it in a way that coats my memory. I decided this would be a good place to start, and Mom helped me fill out a request form two months back. We didn’t hear anything for a long while, and I wondered vaguely if they’d turn me down, until we did. A short exchange of emails transpired, then it was added to our calendar. â€Å"Are you excited about visiting tomorrow?† My mom had asked the day before, and I’d shrugged a reply. My eight a.m. math class had just ended, and work loomed ahead. It’s hard to find enthusiasm when you’re tired. If I really searched deep inside myself, I suppose I took a passive role in the whole process. I chose this school because it sounded good, but I didn’t have any real investment in it; I was trying to feel out my prospects. Now I’m sitting in the lobby, awaiting the tour to begin. A girl and her mother come in, the only other ones joining us today. I offer her a smile as she, too, sits down. We are in the same boat, after all: college visits. Nerve-wrecking, and intimidating, exciting, but mostly surreal. A year ago I was fumbling through math and leafing through my choices. Now here I am, doing this solid thing. Our guide is a sophomore wearing a tie and brandishing a go-get-’em attitude. Everything is so cool and awesome that I have to smile. Later, I quip, â€Å"we’re going to tell them you weren’t enthusiastic enough.† As he begins talking about his experience with the school, as we are taken through the first building and he points to the wall boasting all the places the students can choose to study abroad, I begin to feel the first stirrings of something. Rightness, is what it is, as my Mom notes, â€Å"France,† and my eyes wheel over the construction-paper letters until I find those six. France, I think. There’s my ticket to France. As the tour progresses, we learn how small enrollment is, another enticing fact. Oh, he says, here, the students call the professors by their first names. It was weird for him at first. The cafeteria is large and open and boasts a variety of food options. There is a place to get coffee. The auditorium has the prettiest ceiling I’ve ever laid eyes on. One by one, these benefits stack up on top of one another, until they are towering. My spirit soars. The tour concludes on the steps of the building where we started, and our guide laments that he’d felt included right away here. There aren’t any cliques, matter of fact. Everyone respects one another. Everyone is friendly. Those words seal the envelope. I am enamored, and so surprised. When the time for my interview comes, I gush about how right this feels for me. The small enrollment, the cultural diversity, the programs and professors and the principles on which the values are based. Everything about it screams Maddie, and my parents agree. â€Å"I don’t even want to see other schools,† I profess to them in the lobby, pre-interview, as I finally reach enough comfort to help myself to a pumpkin spice latte. â€Å"I love it.† All of a sudden, my life’s direction has pivoted. Here I am, set upon a new path yet again. I’m an aspiring live-on-campus student. I have a list of classes in mind. I have a plan for the spring, and a hope for next fall. I am inspired. It serves to reinforce the fact that you never know what great things are coming. It’s too easy to fall into the habit of perpetuality, but in fact there are opportunities waiting on the edges, hiding in the trees, poised for a hand to reach out and snatch them. Perhaps, like me, you don’t even know what you’re grasping for, until you pull your fist from the bramble and look down into your curled fingers, and then you do.