The Last Hoorah Research Paper
The Last Hoorah I am constantly surrounded by individuals who are determined to succeed. At home, at school, and around friends, I find myself being pushed further and further to achieve and surpass my goals. Being that I am surrounded by people who face troubling obstacles with confidence, I often feel I must exceed common expectations. Continually exposing myself to this environment, has taught me to adapt to the challenges that I must face in and out of school. I am my own biggest critic, and I acknowledge that my own desire to do well can cause me to feel stressed. One of the biggest sources of anxiety for me is competition. Consequently, the thought of the last track meet of the season made me uneasy. I had been preparing all season for the middle school track and field finals and was beginning to feel both mentally and physically exhausted. I had been
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waiting for the meet where my season long efforts would be put to the test. Doubtful of my ability to break my own personal record, I was reluctant to the thought of running at the meet. Before I knew it, I was boarding the bus to the school the event was being held at. The bus unloaded and the crowded, disorganized track appeared in-front of me; the day’s humid heat surrounding me. I triple knotted my shoes and waited for the girls’ mile race to be called. Still hesitant and unsure of my capability to run faster than I ever had before, I stepped onto the track.
Shoulder-to-shoulder with innumerable opponents, I felt my chest tighten and my muscles tense. The man yelled three commands and the whistle sounded. I accelerated forward and began to merge into the inner lane. I ran around the track three times and was coming up on the last lap. My mouth was dry and I had nearly given up on pushing myself to run any faster. The final lap arrived and I could feel my hands and legs begin to tremble. Red with exhaustion and tremendously out of breath, I crossed the finish line. Relieved the event that caused me so much stress was over, I walked off the track and discovered I had passed my personal record. Still shaking and exhausted, I smiled with content.
The feelings and emotions of this event help me to connect to the feeling of catharsis that Oedipus feels in Oedipus the King. When finding out that he may have killed his father and married his mother, he is distraught by the accusations. He becomes outraged at Tiresias for telling him and is very upset by
this.
waiting for the meet where my season long efforts would be put to the test. Doubtful of my ability to break my own personal record, I was reluctant to the thought of running at the meet. Before I knew it, I was boarding the bus to the school the event was being held at. The bus unloaded and the crowded, disorganized track appeared in-front of me; the day’s humid heat surrounding me. I triple knotted my shoes and waited for the girls’ mile race to be called. Still hesitant and unsure of my capability to run faster than I ever had before, I stepped onto the track.
Shoulder-to-shoulder with innumerable opponents, I felt my chest tighten and my muscles tense. The man yelled three commands and the whistle sounded. I accelerated forward and began to merge into the inner lane. I ran around the track three times and was coming up on the last lap. My mouth was dry and I had nearly given up on pushing myself to run any faster. The final lap arrived and I could feel my hands and legs begin to tremble. Red with exhaustion and tremendously out of breath, I crossed the finish line. Relieved the event that caused me so much stress was over, I walked off the track and discovered I had passed my personal record. Still shaking and exhausted, I smiled with content.
The feelings and emotions of this event help me to connect to the feeling of catharsis that Oedipus feels in Oedipus the King. When finding out that he may have killed his father and married his mother, he is distraught by the accusations. He becomes outraged at Tiresias for telling him and is very upset by
this.