Final Essay

Taylor Wall

Dr. Preston

AP English Literature

8 June 2015

     Making Shadows: The Journey to Graduation

        When I began high school I really only cared about grades, something quantifiable that I could use to measure the value of my effort. As the years progressed that disappeared, as did the notion that learning and grades were inevitably intertwined. I found myself reading assigned books and doing complicated math problems with enjoyment. By senior year I started thinking about who I was as a person and how that applied to the kind of learning and career I wanted to pursue. I came to the conclusion that learning was something that would forever be connected to living, and whether it be serial killers or history that drives that passion for life, you have to make sure it never fades.

        Throughout the AP English Literature course there were times when I definitely took the system for granted, but I can definitely say that whatever assignments I did decide to do were done to the best of my ability. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Brave New World, Macbeth, and pretty much every book we studied, and the days when we would sit in class and analyze the characters, plot etc. were very rich and full of quality.  

        The books we read in class had a big impact on me this year because a lot of them were about the characters finding themselves, which is what I am still trying to do even as senior year draws to a close. I felt like I really connected with John from Brave New World because he realized that the world wasn't what it seemed to be, and that people and human nature could be influenced in horrible ways. Sometimes I feel that way about our current society because we are so influenced by technology and celebrities. I also really identified with Pip from Great Expectations because I've always had this idea in my head that I would become someone great, but as I've gotten older my definition of a great person has changed drastically. A great person isn't someone with loads of money and influence, or a person who inspires fear, or even a person who uses beauty and seduction to get what they want. A great person is so much more, and I really identified with Pip as he figured that out. Hamlet and the "To be or not to be..." speech was the assignment that made the most sense to me, especially because it was assigned while we were doing our personal statements and applications. He pondered life and death and everything in between, and though our struggles weren't as rigorous as his, we still had to draw a chalk outline of our future.

        My big project during this year was the psychology of American serial killers, and as I studied the different types of killers and their methods and backgrounds I felt like my passion only got stronger. Even though it's a creepy topic, it really stimulates my mind and I can do research on it for hours without feeling like I'm doing research. I think it's so interesting to me because it represents the darker side of human nature and what people are capable of. 

        Something that made me laugh about this course is when Henry did his presentation on censorship and said f**k like five or six times and talked about his smoking habits. 

        One unifying theme that was present in a lot of people's projects was going out in to nature or to the beach, and just spending time adventuring and having fun. I know someone did one about hiking, and Jordan did his about flow, and Victoria's was about going out and meeting people. The common theme was that we can't just sit by and experience life in a classroom, we have to get out there and do something unexpected. 

        I don't really feel like a hero. I think people put themselves and others up on pedestals. We are all just people. I didn't do anything amazing, but I did do something that meant a lot to myself. If my masterpiece was a call to adventure, then I definitely answered. I found a mentor in Peter Vronsky who is the author of an amazing book, and I learned more than I thought I ever would about my subject. I may do something with psychology in the future because it interests me so much, you never know. 

        In the end I think we all tried to make our little mark in the world at Righetti. Some succeeded more than others, and some just wanted to get out as quick as they came. I'm probably the latter, but I do feel like I made an impact on myself that helped me mature and grow. Once I began learning I never really stopped, and I don't think I ever will, especially if it's something I'm passionate about.