samplestrongpaper7
Basic Composition – Section RM
Deborah Allen
Final Draft
October 3, 2013
The Reality about Fantasies
When children are young, they are often asked what they want to be when they are older. The customary answers include president of the United States, clown, princess, astronaut or a doctor. However, children do not know that the application of these dreams is, in reality, extremely difficult and can oftentimes result in failure. When they grow up, kids begin to view the world in a new light, and realize that transforming a dream into reality requires money, time, social connections, and self-confidence. Therefore, having the courage and self-awareness to convert an idea into action is both impressive, but at the same time, risky. In Jeanette Winterson’s short story, “The World and Other Places,” the narrator embarks on a journey to discover himself. As a pilot, he travels the world and meets various individuals and learns about different lifestyles. Two of these individuals, a dress designer and a gambler, in their own way, both get lost in their fantasies. The narrator and his two acquaintances have what Alain de Botton describes in his essay, “On Habit”, as the “grid of interest”. De Botton explains that one can apply two types of mentalities when observing a location, an open-minded one or a narrow-minded one. The gambler and narrator struggle with their “grid of interests”, while the new, more modern approach to life is developed with the dress designer, as she embraces it. While some individuals regard getting lost in a dream as extremely harmful, others are convinced that living an illusion can be just as rewarding and fulfilling.
When dreaming, it is important to keep track of what is reality and what is fantasy, as it is far too easy to live in an imaginary world. The imagination is one of the few things that no one can take away from human beings. Creative power is the door to fantasy where one can dream big and create goals for himself. Gambling is an
Deborah Allen
Final Draft
October 3, 2013
The Reality about Fantasies
When children are young, they are often asked what they want to be when they are older. The customary answers include president of the United States, clown, princess, astronaut or a doctor. However, children do not know that the application of these dreams is, in reality, extremely difficult and can oftentimes result in failure. When they grow up, kids begin to view the world in a new light, and realize that transforming a dream into reality requires money, time, social connections, and self-confidence. Therefore, having the courage and self-awareness to convert an idea into action is both impressive, but at the same time, risky. In Jeanette Winterson’s short story, “The World and Other Places,” the narrator embarks on a journey to discover himself. As a pilot, he travels the world and meets various individuals and learns about different lifestyles. Two of these individuals, a dress designer and a gambler, in their own way, both get lost in their fantasies. The narrator and his two acquaintances have what Alain de Botton describes in his essay, “On Habit”, as the “grid of interest”. De Botton explains that one can apply two types of mentalities when observing a location, an open-minded one or a narrow-minded one. The gambler and narrator struggle with their “grid of interests”, while the new, more modern approach to life is developed with the dress designer, as she embraces it. While some individuals regard getting lost in a dream as extremely harmful, others are convinced that living an illusion can be just as rewarding and fulfilling.
When dreaming, it is important to keep track of what is reality and what is fantasy, as it is far too easy to live in an imaginary world. The imagination is one of the few things that no one can take away from human beings. Creative power is the door to fantasy where one can dream big and create goals for himself. Gambling is an