A comparitive to Bakers Gumption
Gumption, as defined in the dictionary, is courage and initiative. In Russell Baker's essay "Gumption" the author recalls his first job (which he obtained at age eight) selling The Saturday Evening Post. Baker tells how his mother constantly pressures him to find a job and do something with his life, in fear that he will become a good for nothing. Ultimately after a valiant effort in selling newspaper's Baker decides he does not enjoy that profession and realizes he has a passion for something else, which turns out to be writing. I can relate to Baker's experience because not only do I have a strong passion for writing but I too know the pressures' stemming from high expectations my mother has for me. These expectations, which probably are a result of early academic excellence in my elementary and mid - school days, peaked in high school. High school was a very turbulent time for me, resulting in my dropping out early. Leaving school forced me to decide what exactly I wanted out of life, and after working for awhile I finally decided to come back to college, not only so I could make something of myself, but so I wouldn't let down my mother. In elementary school I'd always receive high marks. This in addition to an advanced read
So there I was, a seventeen year old dropout with no diploma facing the harsh reality of the poor decisions I had made so far in life. My mother decided she was fed up with my behavior and gave me two choices: either straighten up and graduate on time or drop out and move out of her home. Upon testing into the gifted program my workload began to increase. This made my mother very proud that her little boy was possibly going to be in a program that could lead to all sorts of opportunities. At first I made a sincere attempt to actually make the effort to go to class, because I knew if I went the work would be fairly simple to comprehend. After my twentieth birthday I spoke with my mother who had expressed to me her concerns with how my life was shaping up and told me that all she had ever wanted for me was a better life. Even though my mother wasn't thrilled with my lackluster middle school performance, she really just wanted me to get through high school and go on to college. After that I worked several jobs including: package handler, set - up crew for a retail store, cook, and customer care representative amongst others. By the end of my junior year I was lacking credits, and it looked as though I was not going to graduate on time. Even though I took pride in my work and committed fully to holding a job I just didn't feel fulfillment in life. I'd also decided to test out of seminar (the gifted program) and decided to take no advanced placement or honors courses in high school. ing level, (I could read The Scarlet Letter on my own at age five) led my first grade teacher to recommend I be tested for the gifted program. She said all the lectures, all the times she would hound me for not going to class, all that was done out of her love for me and was done not in spite, but in hope I would go to college and lead a better life for my self.
Common topics in this essay:
Scarlet Letter,
Post Baker,
Baker I've,
Russell Baker's,
,
middle school,
gifted program,
life self,
i've learned,
decided college,
|
Acceptance Essays
