After Apple Picking

If money were no object, would everyone go after their dreams? Each generation teaches the next that to succeed in life they must make more money than is necessary. Because each generation is taught this, most adults find jobs that do not make them happy. This subject is the theme for Robert Frost’s “After Apple Picking”. Through the use of imagery, Frost conveys a message of boredom with repetition through well known sights, sounds, and feelings and regret for not pursuing one’s true desires in life.

As appealing as a profession may seem, one must love it to have the desire to continue it for the rest of one’s life. Frost states in “After Apple Picking”, “Magnified apples appear and disappear/ Stem end and blossom end/ Every fleck of russet showing clear” (l. 18-20). Every detail is clear, passing by the speaker who no longer seems to be amazed by these sights as they once were. Throughout one’s life, every detail should remain clear and astounding. One should never become bored or uninterested in what they do.

One may regret spending one’s whole life doing monotonous work with no satisfaction and little reward. Frost states, “My instep arch not only keeps the ache/ It keeps the pressure of a ladder-round/ I feel the ladder sway as the boughs bend/ And I keep hearing from the cellar bin/ The rumbling sound/ Of load on load of apples coming in” (l. 21-26). These lines talk about feeling and sounds that are all too well known to the speaker. Every action is now a pain to the speaker because the speaker has been apple picking so long. One should do work they will always love and never become bored of.

Frost means to say that one should do what they love, and ignore the money to be made in that profession. If one does what they are good at and they love, one will be happy with their lot in life. For example, I want to be an artist. Art is what truly makes me happy and it is what I want to do for the rest of my life. Frost uses imagery to show how tiring a hated job can be if one does not love it, and encourages readers to not make the same mistake the speaker did.

Aaaaaaad    /essay.

Biting is a No No

If I could change one thing that has happened previously in my life I would change the day in fifth grade that I bit a girl named Deliah. This would be the only thing I would change because every other event in my life has shaped me to be who I am today, and I do not want to risk changing me for the worse. During lunch one day in fifth grade I sat next to my neighbor Deliah. I cannot remember why I bit her, but I remember leaning over and biting her arm. She started crying and so did I. We left the lunch room to go to lunch, and our teacher spotted me with glorious snot running down my bright red face and asked what was wrong. Because I did not want to get into any more trouble, I told her everything. I was sent to the office where I cried for another 45 minutes. Eventually when everything was said and done, I avoided any real trouble. My principal knew me and my family, and knew that it would not happen again. This event was like a shadow following me around for the next three years. Guilt weighted me down just thinking about it. If I had not bit Deliah, she would probably turn out much the same as she is today. On the other hand, if I had behaved myself I would have more peace of mind. Looking back now I think it was a childish thing for me to do, and I would gladly take it back if given the chance. 

How I Waste My Time

I would like to say that my favorite hobby would be drawing, biking, or something more productive. The truth is that my favorite hobby would be sitting on the computer, wasting my life away. I do not do anything to contribute to the modern culture we call the internet; I am merely an observer of it's antics. Because I need something to keep my attention during this time, I tend to gravitate towards the more entertaining parts of the internet. I browse websites with hilarious pictures, websites that share original artwork made by unknown artists, websites that are a community of people who care for each other, and websites that just contain seemingly random pictures that I share for no clear reason. Even with the amount of time that I spend in front of my screen, I am still oblivious to most of the news that occurs in the real world. I am only aware of political, scientific, or social news if it causes such uproar that it invades my sanctum of fun. Although it may not be a productive or fulfilling hobby, it is one that I love all the same. Would that really be considered a waste of time then? It depends on the day, I think.

Mumford and Sons

My favorite genre of music is difficult to pin down. I listen to anything from screamo to dubstep to rock. Although my music taste varies, I would have to say my favorite band would be Mumford and Sons. Mumford and Sons are a folk rock band in which the band members use guitars, banjos, piano, upright basses, mandolins and other instruments. They put so much passion and emotion into their songs that I always get lost in them. More than once I have been caught singing along wholeheartedly and dancing to my embarrassment  One of my favorite things about this band is that they use lines and ideas from other writers and philosophers in their music. Whether it be a song about a lost lover, finding one's own true happiness, or exploring the world and keeping an open mind I can always relate to their lyrics. The raw power in the main singer's voice accompanied with the rhythmic instruments gives me chills every time without fail. Mumford and Sons never cease to touch me or astound me with their music.

The Cave

White Blank Page

Winter Winds

Liar

These are just my personal favorites. Between these four I would not be able to pick a favorite as I love each of them in their own way, so I figured that posting all of them would do the trick.