Mrs. Fulkerson
English 12-3rd period
February 8, 2013
Assignment: SAT Essay 19 To often we don’t realize what we have in life until it is gone. W.H. Auden once quoted something very similar, “Let us honor if we can the vertical man, though we value none but the horizontal one.” In this quote Auden appropriately suggest that great people are seldom appreciated while they are alive. I agree with quote and many other who say we don’t realize what we have until its gone. Many people in today’s society are very critical. They pick out the negatives in people’s actions instead of praising the good. They take actions for granite and expect the best. Many people hold grudges and don’t appreciate. What happens when what they’ve taken for granite all along isn’t there anymore? Once it is to late many people realize that what was in front of them they should have exhorted more. They realize they shouldn’t have overlooked all the small positive actions a person did. Many wishes they could go back and give them the appreciation they deserved.
An example from history of society not appreciating someone until they’re gone is Bill Clinton. While Bill Clinton was in office everyone looked down upon him. From the sex scandal mistake he made he never was exhorted for the great position he put our society in. While Clinton was in office our national debt was zero, we were in the black. Today we are over $16 trillion in debt. Now that Clinton is out of office and our economy has fallen many people look back and appreciate the choices of Clinton, but at the time very few looked past his mistakes to praise him. Many are guilty of taking people for granite and not appreciating them enough. Many don’t realize what is in front of them until it is to late. I believe this directly relates to Auden’s quote that we give praise to people long after they’ve earned it. Many people should start working on looking past minor mistakes to appreciate the