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Third-Prize Essays

Wednesday
Decision Tightrope
Carlee Tressel
Boardman High School
 

Decisions balance themselves on the tightrope between success and disaster. An error in judgment could result in a very dangerous plunge, while taking a chance on the opposite side may prove to be the best possible resolution. Many characters in this year’s Festival books walked that decision-making tightrope. Some jumped lightly to the side of success; however, some characters misjudged their precarious steps and fell. Two books, Into the Wild and Ender’s Game, exemplify the fragile nature of making a decision.

Chris McCandless of Into the Wild makes a decision that ends in misfortune. He sets off in the Alaskan wilderness obviously uninformed and ill-prepared. His adventure produces many decisions that influence his life. If Chris had not decided to eat the deadly plant, he might have survived. In addition, Chris should have told a friend or his family about his plans and whereabouts. Chris’s desire to find peace in the cradle of nature succeeds in making his family distraught with worry and, eventually, grief. If Chris had shown some regard for the emotions of others, he might have been rescued. Moreover, McCandless probably could have found a different, less harsh natural place to escape from society and modern life. For instance, Thoreau used a much milder Walden Pond to find the elusive inner peace. Even so, a place like Walden may not have satisfied the yearning for raw living; unfortunately, Chris’s decision to follow his yearning ends in death.

A number of decisions are also addressed in Ender’s Game. Colonel Graff is faced with an extremely difficult choice every day. He debates whether to push Ender and nearly grind his spirit into nothingness or risk not finding a commander to save the world from the Buggers. Even though the agony Graff makes Ender endure seems cruel, it is necessary in the end. If Ender had not turned into a marionette of heartless violence, he would not have chosen to destroy the alien planet. This decision, in fact, finishes off the Buggers. Some decisions, like Colonel Graff’s and Ender’s, seem wrong and painful at the time, but eventually they produce a beneficial resolution. As in life, the decision-making tightrope doesn’t always have sure footing.

Thursday
Character Hotline 7 - 0 - 2
Monica Cuevas
Boardman Glenwood Middle School
 

Oh no! Don’t tell me that my transportation machine has failed me. Why? Of all times, it had to be here—and so far away! Wait a minute . . . . wasn’t there something on the news about a character help hotline? Oh, now I remember: “Yell 7 - 0 - 2 and EF will help you through!” I need help to get home, so I’ll try it out . . . “7 - 0 - 2.!”

Wow! It worked! I see Beanpole from The White Mountains, Aerin from The Hero and the Crown, and Mr. Watson from The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963. They are just the ones I needed. I guess I should explain why these characters were just right for my problem. First, I’ll start with Beanpole (a.k.a. Zhanpole): He is the fourteen-year-old boy in The White Mountains, who is very smart and is a big help in Will and Henry’s journey. If he helps his friends out, how much more help could he be to me? He could invent things that could get me home faster or to help me survive, like a food collector or helicopter. I’m positive that Will and Henry were just as grateful for Beanpole in their trek as I would be for him in mine.

The next character that would be a big help is Aerin from The Hero and the Crown. She is close to eighteen or twenty years of age and successfully kills Maur, the Black Dragon. Aerin would be a good travel mate because she is brave and has gained knowledge from her time with Luthe. Her enchantment could help find us food or an easy way home. She could even ward off any dangers we might meet. The Blue Sword would be a great protection in the strange place, especially somewhere with predators. I find no reason not to take brave Aerin on my journey.

My last journey character is Mr. Watson from The Watsons Go to Birmingham. He was the “funny man” in that novel. He may be the last character that anyone would take along—but not for me. His jokes could be the reason for my survival. In a situation as bad as this, it helps to laugh a little—Mr. Watson’s jokes and wisecracks would brighten up my day, just as they brightened up the book he was in. When I think about it, a laugh each day does help us live on, which is just what Mr. Watson does so well—laugh.

As I read those three Festival books, I got to know the characters. I learned their personalities and how they reacted in problems. Each had a different way of living, and I know it is good to have variety. These characters may be fictional, but they are all my friends. As they say, it always helps to bring a friend along.

Friday
Overcoming Challenges
Emily Ann Taylor
Greenville High School
 

Many characters in the English Festival books must adjust to new environments. Some move to new areas; some travel; and some stay where they are; but many of them are forced to learn how to live in new areas, and because of that, they are forced to overcome many challenges.

In The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, ten-year-old Kenny learns that Alabama is very different from Michigan. His family visits their grandma, and Kenny finds himself in a place where people are judged by the color of their skin. The church they attend is bombed, and Joetta, Kenny’s little sister, is there when it happens. Kenny does not understand how someone could do this because it never happened at his home. Kenny will not eat or talk after the explosion. He hides all day until he overcomes his fear.

Byron, his older brother, helps him by explaining that he is safe, but it is still okay to be scared. I am sure that it takes Kenny a long time to understand why people do those things, but he overcomes the challenge of fear by talking about it and realizing nothing is going to hurt him.

Belle Prater’s boy must also face the challenge of a new environment. Woodrow’s mother disappears, so he is taken to live with his grandparents. Woodrow has to go to a new school, where people prejudge him because he is poor and his mother left him. Woodrow meets his challenge by having confidence in himself. He loves himself for who he is, and he does not care about other people’s opinion. He makes friends at his school because he is courteous to everyone and tells them exciting stories. Woodrow shows that you can overcome a problem by being yourself and keeping a positive attitude.

In My Brother Sam Is Dead, Tim never has to leave his home, but he lives in a new environment anyway. The war changes everything. He learns to live where his father and brother are killed, and the remaining family nearly starves. Tim never understands why this happened to his family, but he faces the challenge of death by working day and night so his family can have food. He also tries very hard to save his brother.

These books show that if you are put into a new environment, you will face challenges, but you can overcome them.

Festival of Writing 1999 Home Page