Final College Essay

Charles Saint Jean 

Ryan Gallagher   

12 Cp Period 1   

21 Oct 2010   

  

Nervosity  

Living in a community where I was surrounded by people with mutual beliefs.I felt like I fitted in this society.That’s all people watch most of the time, that’s all they talk about.I felt it is a great thing when people talk about sports or get involved in sports, particularly soccer.   

Throughout my life I have always been a tense individual, even for the little things that life presents.It is hard to explain the anxiety that I have before a game.For some reason I would limit myself within a game.Not because of lack of skills but because of the fear of failure.In my opinion, losing give my opponents  an advantage to talk in a atrocious way about me.I am very self-conscious, therefore I hate when people talking bad about me.That’s the reason why I always try to do things  the way they suppose to be done.In fact,the reason of my losing mentality is my nervosity.However,it is a way of success and motivation for a game.    

I‘ve been playing soccer for the school that I’ve been attending since two years ago.Moreover, based on my attitude, my motivation and my performance.The staff coaches decided to put me as the captain of the team.Therefore, I had a lot of responsibility.Not only the responsibility of myself, but the responsibility of a group of people.So I had to set a meeting with all the players to talk about the future of the team.We had a big game with the biggest team in the competition.  

As I woke up from my dream, I came to realize the importance of this game.All of a sudden,I felt an apprehensive sensation.My stomach was turning,my hand was shaking,and I was sweating.Too much thoughts of failure in my mind.This was the day that I have been waiting for.It was like an anxious eternity for one day to arrive.For us,it wasn’t only a game it was a war.We was dedicated the whole week to this game.They were a good team and even better than us.Therefore,in order to get some respect winning was our only option.We practiced hard for the whole week,we did some solid drills so we could get ready for them.  

The night before the game, I remember I couldn’t even sleep because I was thinking about the game too much.My mom had to give pills so I could sleep.The next day of that night,I couldn’t even concentrate in class.My mind  wrapped itself around the game.When school ended,I was just chilling with some of my friends in front of the school.So I could relax myself a little bit before the game.Then,I headed towards the field which wasn’t far from the school all by myself.Once I arrived,I didn’t say a word  to no one,I went straight to my locker and get changed. Actually, it was fifteen before the game started when I heard the coach said”there’s win out there if you want it, go get it.”That’s all the coach said.As a team,we approached to the stadium,flooded by the voice of the crowd.Teachers,students,parents ,everyone was there to watch the game because there was a big rivalry between the other team and us.A lot of people were there to support us.

Disregarding the bad weather condition, I grabbed my teammates and as a captain I said “don’t forget what we talked about.help each other, talk to each other.”And I was ready to play.Just before the referee blow the whistle; my rushing heart slowed its pace.All of a sudden, all my anxiety and fear gone.Then I notice all of my fright went to my oponents’face.I took a look at the crowd and I say to myself”I got this.”I was really aggressive on the field; all of the players were playing with pride.we won the game by one to zero.  

However, my victory really was something that I couldn’t explain.I think being nervous bring out the best in me or it is a kind of motivation for me.I remained focus throughout my game to give the best of my abilities.I learned a lot form the game.It helped me realize that what you expected isn’t always what you get.It gives the confidence that i don't have  to be scared of others and  no one is better than me.

Final draft Plum Plum Pickers Essay

Charles Saint Jean  

  

Ryan Gallagher  

  

12 CP Period 1  

  

21 Oct 2010   

 

                                                         "Plum Plum Pickers"  

  

In "Plum Plum Pickers"Raymond Barrio suggests that there's no right moment for being a hero,He also suggests the struggle of some people to make money.The life of most of  immigrant is kind of the same.They treat all the  immigrants in an atrocious way.They make them work hard,and even try to abuse them.  

The author establishes his point by using some words, short sentences,metaphors.For example, this quote " no matter which way he turned,he was trapped in an endless maze of apricot trees,as though forever,neat rows of them,neatly planted,row after row,just like the blackest bars on the jails of hell."(p91) In this quote, the author is trying to make us understand how the protagonist feels trapped,he uses a lot of comma to make it a little bit slower and repetitive.    

A little bit in the middle of the first paragraph there's an allusion."Drank the holy water in great brute gulps." In this quote water is allusion to Baptism because this water is kind of something blessing and the author uses it right now to show it's like a relieve for the slaves every time they have the chance to drink water.    

Moreover,the author describes the antagonist."His feet straddled.Mexican style.A real robber.A Mexican general.A gentlemanly,friendly,polite,grinning,vicious,thieving brute."(p92) Based on this description the author tries to make us visualize what kind of person Roberto Morales really is.The author starts from nice to mean so he can make the readers understand  that Roberto is not  a decent person ,he just pretends to be.It's like the author want us to understand that based on the job that Roberto's doing,he can't be decent to the labors.He's supposed to be though.    

 "I must take two cents from every buckets.I am sorry.There was a miscalculation.Everybody understands.Everybody?He slides his eyes around ,smiling, palms up."In this quote,the author's trying to make us realize how they treat people,especially immigrant.Despite they work really hard to make money,some other people try to abuse them.It's like the immigrants are the more victim of the society.It's like other people take the advantage to make some decision that's going to affect the immigrants severely.  

Finally, the part that I consider as the climax of the story."You promised to take nothing!"Manuel heard himself saying.(p93)The author tries to make the readers realize there's not really a right moment to be a hero.Among of those labors Manuel was the only who had the courage to express his feeling about the new rule.Basically,he was the hero of the story.  

The idea of this passage is important because it help the readers think about the struggling of other     

people.It also helps us visualize the hard life of the immigrants.It's like every time something terrible is going to happen,there's always someone there to play the role of a hero.

College Essay

Charles Saint Jean 

Ryan Gallagher

12 CP Period 1

20 oct 2010        

Challenges

For the most part,people generally consider me to be a person who is calm,giving and quiet.I am really care about people,I am very educated.In fact,I am a  very athletic person.I’ve been playing sport since I was little.I love sport. 

I’ve been growing up playing soccer since I was little.At those times soccer was my favorite sports than any other sport in the world.In fact, it is something cultural,that’s the main sport of where I am from which is haiti. However, in order to get a better education and a better life I moved to united states.Ever since I moved, it was completely different.I had to face the language’s challenge and the culture.I was trying to adapt to this new culture.Therefore,I had to be part of this new life.I was always trying to watch and observe so I can get to know this new culture.I was always happy to learn new things everyday.  

During my junior year, I made a decision; I decided to play football for my school.Since I decided to play I had to get myself prepared for the season.i was really motivated to play.Unfortunately,It was too late the season was almost over.I couldn’t play so the coaching staff season.I was really depressed ,I was trying to convince the coaches but they said I couldn’t play.The same year I tried out for the basketball team but I didn’t make it.I didn’t give up,as a matter fact I kept working because when you have  a dream and you work to achieve you will succeed no matter what.I assisted some of the game of the football team sometimes .And I talked to some older people.they told me to keep working because I am very athletic and I’d make a good football player.I actually participed to some other acitvities in the school. 

I really wanted to play football, therefore I was getting myself prepared earlier than anybody else.During the off season I went to the school’s weight room every after school,working out with my other friends and some student who was already part of the team.I participated to a lot of camps with my friends in order to get better everyday.Then senior year started,I was really excited about the football season that was coming up .I couldn’t wait for the season to start .I know I was going to put in work.I know I was going to do my best in every practice to show the coaches what I am capable of doing.  

Fortunately, I made the varsity football team.I am really happy about that, I feel like my work wasn’t a waste of time.I play offensive lineman and I am also the kicker.I really love what I am doing.I love my teammates,I am really proud to be part of malden team football.Being part of this team is a really good experience for me,it really hepls me to live in group,share ideas with others,and help each other out.The thing I like most about the team is the happiness,the smile on the  face of everybody after we win a game.I think it is great feeling,I love seeing when people are happy.I love to work in group.Making the varsity football team make truly believes that never give up on your dream ,whatever you want  to achieve in life once you work hard,you will be successful.This experience makes me have more confidence about myself,it makes me have a better  understanding about  this concept  succesful is the result of hard work.I want to be as successful as possible in life in whatever I am doing,in school, sports, and some other activities.  

As I am a senior, I see life another way. When I look at this picture of myself, I realize how much I've grown and changed, not only physically, but also mentally as a person in the last couple of years.I am a student athlete I believe in myself and I know what I am capable of doing .i’d like to keep on playing football in college I know I am talented , I know that I can do it.In the next couple of years I see myself 

Essay Plum Plum Pickers

In the story Plum Plum Pickers,the author Raymond Bajlio suggests that money is important for people to survive  and he also suggests the struggle of some people to make money .He suggests that it's not a good thing  when people struggle to survive and the aren't happy,they feel lonely.  
The author establish his point by using some words,short sentence, metaphors.For example in this quote "no matter which way he turned,he was trapped in an endless maze of apricot trees,as though forever,neat rows of them ,neatly planted,row after row ,just like the blackest bars on the jail of hell."In this quote,the author is trying to make us understand how the protagonist feel trapped ,he uses a lot of comma to make it a little bit slower and repetitive.At the end of the paragraph he's describing himself as an animal that is trying to survive.And there's an allusion in this paragraph,water is an allusion that refers to Baptism.Furthermore,the author describes the protagonist who is Roberto Morales."his feet straddled.Mexican style.A real robber.A Mexican general.A gentlemanly,friendly,polite,grinning,vicious,thieving brute.The author describes him as a person who pretends to be nice but he's not.The author describes him from nice to mean so he can make us understand that he's not really a nice person,he just pretend to be.The author describes the condition of  living of Manuel the protagonist.He feels like an animal,lonely.He's not happy at all.And he's working hard."I must take two cents from every buckets.I am sorry.There was a miscalculation.Everybody understands.Everybody?He slides his eyes around ,smiling ,palms up." In this quote the author is trying to explain the power that you have when you are an authority.And he's also suggests that show how the other people when the have power,they think can do whatever they want,even though this decision can affect others badly.Almost at the end of the story,Manuel disagree to the new decision."you promised to take nothing!"Manuel heard himself saying.This quote  describes how the slaves didn't have  no right to say  anything or protest about some rules.But,Manuel who was a slave like the others feel like something he's not right ,he feel like it's unfair because they work hard to make money.Among all of those slaves he was the only that had the courage to say it even even though he was scared.
The idea in this passage is important because it help us think about the struggling of other people out there to make money and how some other people try to abuse them in a certain way. Either those people rely on them or they have the power to do that.And it is important  because it shows that happiness is important in life.

First in class Essay

In the poem "Landscape with the fall of Icarus" William Carlos Williams suggest that people are selfish,life is complicated,everything you do in life has a consequence.The author suggests all those things by using some techniques as diction,word choices,personification etc.."a splash quite unnoticed this was Icarus drowning",this quote shows how no one cares about others.Despite the fisherman is fishing and he sees Icarus is drowning he's not doing nothing to help him.The author suggests that in life you have to take responsibility to think before you do something because when you are getting in trouble no one is going to help you.                                  
In the story"Daedalus and Icarus " by Ovid the author suggests that when people take some risks they should expect sometimes bad consequences.And he also suggests that people should be listening to their parents otherwise bad things will happen to them."I warn you,Icarus ,fly a middle course:don't go too low, or the water will weigh the wings down;don't go too high or the sun's fire will burn them."This quote shows how Daedalus is scared  like he knows what can happen .and he want to make sure that his son Icarus is safe ,therefore he teach him everything Icarus need to know so he can be safe.    
In the picture"Landscape with the fall of Icarus" by Bruegel the author suggest almost the same thing as the poems above.He suggest that in life you have to be responsible for your own action and think carefully before you take a risks.He also suggests that people don't care about other's problem.Icarus is in the ocean drowning no one try to secure him.The author suggests that when people are in trouble that 's when other people are busy doing their work that they can't even do anything to rescue them.  
From all of the those three poems the authors all try to say how people are selfish.And people make life being complicated .The authors show that taking risk is leading to some bad consequences.

"Red Shifts"

In the poem "Red Shifts" the author Ted Berrigan suggests that life 's lonely,life doesn't mean anything .The author also suggests that people are important in life.The author establishes his point by using some words  and tones.    
"Only our human lot & means nothing".In this quote the author tries to show how life doesn't mean anything.By analyzing the title of the poem ,the author talks about the red colors which means the shift of emotions or love and anger.Life doesn't mean anything it's like life on earth is not forever. Everybody will die one day.I think that's the reason why the author refers to his death in the poem.It seems like he feels people aren't  supposed to die.He doesn't want to die."i would never & never will live alone until we vanish."this quote shows how the author doesn't want to be away from people in his life .He's trying to say that separation is hard.        
I can divide the poem into three pieces.A piece where the author is talking about the setting where the  event takes place.And,a piece  where the author 's talking about his emotions,how he feels about being away from others.Finally,a piece where he talks about himself ."I'm only pronouns & I am all of them,"the author refers to himself  like he's everything ,he's really important.  
I think the idea that this poem proposes is an important one because people should think about how to live a good life,to share a good relationship each other because we are not going to live forever.There's a permanent estrangement like the author says.