Walking
POSTED ON: 2009年5月1日金曜日 @ 15:18 | 1 comments
"What is it that makes it so hard sometimes to determine whither we will walk? I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright. It is not indifferent to us which way we walk. There is a right way; but we are very liable from heedlessness and stupidity to take the wrong one. We would fain take that walk, never yet taken by us through this actual world, which is perfectly symbolical of the path which we love to travel in the interior and ideal world; and sometimes, no doubt, we find it difficult to choose our direction, because it does not yet exist distinctly in our idea." -Henry David Thoreau, Walking
This today, was my hell. No, seriously. It hurts to visit this monster of a paragraph again. I have nothing againt Thoreau, and in fact, I think he is a brilliant writer but this question today..
So, last period of the day we are told we are going to do a practice exam. Which, everyone had already been dreading. She hands us a small blue sheet of paper and says "40 minutes, okay go" because she is trying to immitate argument essays on the AP Exam.
The question was, "now challenge, defend, or qualify Thoreau's sentiments about people making 'heedless' and 'stupid' decisions because there path is possibly not chosen yet."
It was something strongly similar to them. 40 minutes to answer a question like that for me is absolute hell. How can anyone form something decent in such a short amount of time? Particularly to such a profound question like that.
I scribbled down some ideas and started over three times but to no avail. I ended up getting about half a sheet down and I sure felt like cursing her. I know of course, it's not her fault I am an inadequate writer.
I hope I can do better next time.
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