The sample essays below are not model essays, nor are they exhaustive. They are essays written by former students who have kindly consented to share them with those who are interested. The essays have been duly acknowledged.
The pleasure of reading can never compete with the pleasure of modern entertainment. Discuss this statement.
The world of entertainment can be spilt into two parts. On the one hand, is modern entertainment that consists of video games, television and the Internet. However, on the other hand, there is traditional entertainment which we find in books, board games and sports. Out of all these, one of the most common forms of traditional entertainment is reading. Unfortunately, reading as a hobby has taken a severe beating in popularity since the introduction of modern entertainment. Many will say that the pleasure of reading can never compete with the pleasure of modern entertainment. However, is this statement true? Only to a certain extent. Modern entertainment has the advantage of graphics and interactivity but reading is able to stimulate our imagination and is more descriptive.
Let us first talk about modern entertainment and its ability to appeal to our senses. When it comes to modern entertainment, it has the upper hand due to sound and graphics. Scientists say that the more senses we use when doing something, the better the experience is and the stronger the imprint on the mind. Modern entertainment is able to fulfill this requirement by giving us moving pictures and sound effects to match the mood. Conversely, a book is unable to provide these things, thus making it a less pleasurable experience. For example, when watching a movie, the sound effect will greatly impact our perception. If horror films were silent movies, then I am sure many will not find them so scary. Indeed, modern entertainment is more pleasurable because it can provide us both graphics and sound.
In addition to all that, modern entertainment is also much more interactive as compared to reading a book. When reading a book, we are only able to flip pages and read words on paper. However, with modern entertainment, we are able to actually take part in the scene or activity being conducted. Take for an example a game popular with teenagers known as ‘Dance Dance Revolution’. In this game, a figure is shown on the screen and music of the player’s choice is played. The floor will consist of a mat with four or sometimes eight direction arrows. The player will then step on the arrows on the mat and dance according to the combinations shown on the screen. The figure on the screen will also move following the player’s movements. This type of interactivity is indeed impossible to obtain from reading books.
However, reading is able to stimulate our imagination. There is a popular saying that ‘The best way to have fun, is to use our imagination.’ This is indeed true, especially when it comes to books. While reading books, our minds automatically begin to picture what the words describe. As a result, scene after scene is pictured in our heads. The details are what we imagine and therefore a world of our very own is created. No two people have the same mind, so one story could produce various different images. One could say that our mind is tailoring a movie just for us. In comparison, movies already show us everything on screen, so there is no need for us to think. Thus, it is definitely correct to say that imagination makes reading more pleasurable than modern entertainment.
Last but not least, reading can be considered more descriptive than modern entertainment. Many movies have been made based on famous books. To name a few, are ‘Hunger Games’ by Suzanne Collins, ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ by John Green and ‘Harry Potter’ by J.K. Rowling. These adaptations all have one thing in common and that is they are not as descriptive as their book counterparts. Many descriptions are cut out in order to ensure that the movie is of a convenient length. However, as a side effect to this, the feeling of depth is lost. This is one of the reasons why many people always comment that ‘The book is better than the movie.’ A loss of description is a loss of depth and this causes the audience to lose the sense of connection with the characters which comes when reading the book.
Both reading and modern entertainment are pleasurable in their own way. They each have their advantages and faults but the important thing is for us to keep an open mind towards both. After all, it is much better to have the best of both worlds, compared to restricting ourselves to merely one medium.
This essay is by Veronica Tan
Why write or read poetry?
‘A thing of beauty is a joy forever’. So said John Keats in his timeless poem ‘Ode to Spring’. In truth, he was stating the obvious, but he did it in a way that makes people think. The man was a writer, a poet to be exact; and his words, penned during the Renaissance, still inspire us today, bringing out simple aesthetic creativity from the depths of our emotions and intellect. However, poetry is no longer as prized a skill or as enjoyed a matter as it used to be. In fact, most people do not believe in the importance or even benefits of writing or reading poetry; but we all know of the occasional diamond found among ash on volcanoes. As such, though the majority may not emphasize the importance of poetry, I do.
So, why write or read poetry? Poetry is a very effective and productive form of self-expression. When the burden within the heart is too heavy to bear and no one shares the burden with you, you will feel better if you put your emotions in words. . You might end up getting some fun out of it when you try rhyming your lines. For instance, an adolescent in love might write:
‘Oh my heart that has been pulled from me, To a distance too great for the eyes to see…’
Besides, poetry is actually a very good way to develop one’s language skill. Just by reading poetry and understanding it, one learns about the techniques of creative writing. Sometimes, in poems like those by Shakespeare, we find lines and verses that mean more than what they seem to mean. Take for instance Shakespeare’s famous poem, ‘Sonnet 18’. In this poem, the beauty of summer is compared to the beauty of a woman. Robert Frost in his beautiful poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ uses the term ‘roads’ to refer to the choices in life. Poetry, whether it be written or read is an effective method of improving language competency.
The lines below, taken from my favorite poem ‘Auguries of Innocence’ by William Blake are not merely descriptions of the grandeur of imagination but very closely related to the scientific concerns of the time, the poem being written when Astronomy and Physics were being developed as fields of knowledge.
‘To see the world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wild flower, To hold the universe in the palm of your hand, And infinity in an hour…’
The poem, some say, pays tribute to the beauty of science and knowledge. To me, it challenges us to perceive what we do not know as a defined value.
I believe poetry is inspirational. Reading verses such as ‘Hope is a thing with feathers…’ can truly move a person to turn over a new leaf. Sometimes, poems generate thought, and at other times, they merely offer perspective. Perhaps they sometimes tell tales of heroic spirits and romanticize on the simplest of things. Whatever it is, reading and writing poetry are very worthwhile pastimes which should be encouraged. After all, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and poetry harbors so much beauty it should not be wasted.
This essay is by Puvanesvari A/P Rajan.
The most influential individuals in society are those who have caused the most harm. How far do you agree?
In this day and age where violence reigns and corruption exists in abundance, one cannot help but feel that the world is indeed becoming more and more wicked. However, is there more to this world than evil? Is it true that in order to be influential and in order to prosper, a person needs to be cruel? In my opinion, the most influential individuals are those who do not bring harm to the society.
Let’s compare Abraham Lincoln to Adolf Hitler. Adolf Hitler was influential but only amongst those who believed in his beliefs. The Germans were his followers but apart from the Germans, not many were in favor of his leadership and his ideas. Hitler caused the loss of many innocent lives, and not many would praise someone like him.
Abraham Lincoln, however, was entirely different. He never resorted to violence to achieve his ambition. His heart was for the discriminated group in America and what he did was not for show or for fame. Abraham Lincoln was thoughtful and caring and he was concerned for the well-being of those who were labeled ‘inferior’. He was a very influential leader who didn’t have to force others to believe in his ideas. No doubt, a civil war took place as a result of his beliefs, but he never meant to harm others; all he wanted was justice for the under-privileged.
Violence and torture come from an evil heart, and not many, save those who have been convinced otherwise, would follow a leader that is brutal. Take Osama bin Laden as an example. He had many followers; he was influential, but his influence was limited to the group which believed in his ideologies. Osama bin Laden in his lifetime slaughtered countless people, all in the name of his religion. He felt strongly against those who did not believe in what he believed in, and because of that, he wanted them dead. If every other individual around followed his mindset, this would be a chaotic and bloody world.
Leaders don’t need to preach violence and torture to be influential. Jesus didn’t have to kill people or torture them to get them to listen to him. All he did was to care for the needy, feed the hungry and heal the sick. . Who wouldn’t love such a person and want to follow him and learn from him? Jesus loved mankind and that love radiated from the heart. He did not send those who did not believe him to the gas chamber or punish them and this made them revere him.
Abraham Lincoln, Jesus and others like Mother Theresa could influence more though love, care and sympathy than Hitler and Osama bin Laden could through violence. Therefore, in my opinion, the most influential individuals in society are not those who have caused the most harm to this world.