What's Happening to America?
Lyndsey Tilton
Ms. Jacoby
Honors English 11
7 September 2012
“An Ingenious Paradox” Gosh, I find myself sitting here contemplating so many paradoxes of the world today and which one to bring up. Saying an ingenious paradox alone is a paradox, and it almost seems as if you word something correctly about an issue then it can be a paradox. Swirling around in my little teenage brain, are every paradox that John Steinbeck wrote about in What’s Happening to America?. They all touch a small spot in my heart or brain, because this is a topic that I do truly care about. It was funny, because when my father asked about what my homework was for tonight, I told him I was writing a reflection about paradoxes of American ways for English class. This in itself was a paradox because you would think, well why is she writing about American ways in English and not History, but it makes sense because you are writing a reflection on a critical reading piece. Well, to get down to the point everyone always says to me, “School is very important Lyndsey because it defines your, but make sure that you don’t overdo it.” At first that did not make any sense to me because they are telling me to not work too hard on school, yet I need it for my future. So, after taking some time to think about it more in depth, I realize what they were trying to say to me. If I don’t make time for other things, I will never know how to prioritize, I will never have time to work, which provides a stable income, and I would never have the chance to sit and relax so I don’t abuse my body too much. I believe that this happens to many of the youth today and conversely there are many youth that don’t focus enough on school. So much pressure is put on us as kids/teens in order to make something of our lives, like being in all honors, and doing lots of extra-curricular, as well as maintaining a job. We are told to do all of this, but not overwork ourselves. Which to me makes no sense, because how are we to not
Ms. Jacoby
Honors English 11
7 September 2012
“An Ingenious Paradox” Gosh, I find myself sitting here contemplating so many paradoxes of the world today and which one to bring up. Saying an ingenious paradox alone is a paradox, and it almost seems as if you word something correctly about an issue then it can be a paradox. Swirling around in my little teenage brain, are every paradox that John Steinbeck wrote about in What’s Happening to America?. They all touch a small spot in my heart or brain, because this is a topic that I do truly care about. It was funny, because when my father asked about what my homework was for tonight, I told him I was writing a reflection about paradoxes of American ways for English class. This in itself was a paradox because you would think, well why is she writing about American ways in English and not History, but it makes sense because you are writing a reflection on a critical reading piece. Well, to get down to the point everyone always says to me, “School is very important Lyndsey because it defines your, but make sure that you don’t overdo it.” At first that did not make any sense to me because they are telling me to not work too hard on school, yet I need it for my future. So, after taking some time to think about it more in depth, I realize what they were trying to say to me. If I don’t make time for other things, I will never know how to prioritize, I will never have time to work, which provides a stable income, and I would never have the chance to sit and relax so I don’t abuse my body too much. I believe that this happens to many of the youth today and conversely there are many youth that don’t focus enough on school. So much pressure is put on us as kids/teens in order to make something of our lives, like being in all honors, and doing lots of extra-curricular, as well as maintaining a job. We are told to do all of this, but not overwork ourselves. Which to me makes no sense, because how are we to not