What Has Shaped You as a Person: Essay

“Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful” (Margaret J. Wheatley, 2019). Literature has always been a part of my life and now with the help of reflection, I am able to see the impact literary and non-literary text has had on my life. Throughout high school, I have read many texts and watched many movies that have shaped me into the person I am today. Looking back on my high school journey I can see that the major lesson high school teaches is that people should be treated with respect. The literary and non-literary texts that impacted my life the most were “To Kill a Mockingbird” written by Harper Lee, “The World We Make” directed by Brian Baugh, “A Bridge to Wiseman’s Cove” written by James Maloney, and “My Sister’s Keeper” directed by Nick Cassavetes

“To Kill a Mockingbird” written by Harper Lee is a novel about a family who believes in equality. Atticus (the dad) teaches his children Scout and Jem that folks are just folks; 'Naw, Jem, I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks” (231) When I first read this novel, it provided me with an insight into what racism is like from a perspective of a child. It also showed me that back in the 1930’s people were only treated by the color of their skin. “There’s something in our world that makes men lose their heads they couldn’t be fair if they tried. In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins” (131) “To Kill a Mockingbird” changed my perspective into what time was like in the 1930s because before reading this novel I had no idea how harsh people were. Growing up surrounded by people of color I didn’t know anything different. Now looking back at this novel, I am able to see how hard it was to be of color and that people should only be treated by their personality. High school is very similar to the situation that Tom Robinson was in and Harper Lee showed this with the use of irony. The irony was used to suggest the contrast of the literal meaning (Tom Robinson being prosecuted) to the contextual meaning (The discrimination against colored people) but in high school instead of being discriminated by the color of your skin, you are discriminated by the way you look (hair color, body size, clothes you wear and eye color). When looking into the future I can see that this novel will teach me that a person should only be treated by the way they treat others because if they don’t give respect, they don’t deserve it back. This novel shaped me to be the person I am today; a person who treats people the way they want to be treated and the way they deserve to be treated.

The movie “The World We Make” directed by Brian Baugh is a non-literary text that has touched my life. In this film, a young equestrian girl (Lee) falls for a colored footballer (Jordan) and their relationship is tested when racial biases are tested. Lee is unaware of what is happening so Jordan explains to her that racism is normal for him. After Jordan is attacked by jealous guys, Jordan’s father, Thomas (Gregory Alan Williams), warns him that Lee will break his heart, “Dreams can definitely die when white boys jump you because they’re jealous of a borrowed car or your white girlfriend” (84 mins). It was in this scene that their relationship comes to an end. Initially, this movie taught me relationships might come to an end, but friendships don’t. When they both are forced to give up their dreams, they help each other. Personally, I know what it feels like to have a person stay with you through the good and the bad. Looking back on the film I can see how it helped shaped me into the person I am today because it taught me that you may not be able to decide how people think, but you can decide how you react. Throughout this entire movie, you can see that Lee’s dad was there for her no matter what, “Couldn’t be prouder… I’m talking about everything you’ve done for this family” (100 mins). I can relate to this because throughout my entire life my parents are the ones who were always there for me, even when I did something wrong, they were still there. In the future, this movie will help me realize that friendships and relationships are not something that should be taken for granted.

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Another novel that influenced my life is A Bridge to Wiseman’s Cove written by James Maloney. This novel shaped my life because it tells the story of a teenage boy who suffers from body image, grief, belonging, and loss of family. In the book 15-year-old Carl is used to his mother leaving however she has never really gone for more than a couple of months, “She’s worked out we don’t need her… she’s taken off forever” (23). When I first read this novel, I could tell that all Carl wanted was to be a part of a family. I really related to this because at the time of reading this novel my family was going through a rough patch. Carl feels that not everyone in his family loves him, and he “Wants to toss be like old baggage” (110). As the book goes on Carl starts standing up for himself. This reminded me of when I first started high school. I didn’t always fit in but as time went on, I only cared about how I felt about myself. Looking back at this novel I notice how it changed me to be a better person. It helped me become more confident in everything I do, it stopped me from second-guessing everything. This novel shaped my life because it taught me that the only opinion that really matters and counts is my own. In the future, I hope that this book continues influencing kids to stop judging people and to be confident no matter who they are. At the end of the book Carl finds out that his mum was coming back to him and that she did love him, “the crash happened only five days after she left home… it was the same as every other time… the bus was heading north, towards the city, north towards you” (291). This particular scene shaped me to be the person I am today by helping me understand the true meaning of actions speaks louder than words.

When I was just 12 years old, I watched a movie that impacted my life tremendously; “My Sister’s Keeper” directed by Nick Cassavetes. This is a movie about family, suffering, and isolation. Kate Fitzgerald played by Sophia Vassilieva is a teenage girl who was born with acute leukemia (a blood and bone marrow cancer). Kate’s younger sister Anna Fitzgerald was born as a ‘savior sister’ who would donate anything Kate needed. “Once upon a time I thought I was put on earth to save my sister” (60 mins) Paradox is used when the director is showing the relationship between Kate and Anna but at the end of the story, the paradox is explained when they find out that Kate asked her sister to do it for her. “Kate wants to die… She’s making Anna do all this ‘cause she’s not going to survive another operation” (70 mins). This particular scene was one that shaped my life because this is when I really knew that a sister’s bond is unbreakable and that nothing can and will ever come between them. Initially, this movie showed me how much family means and to never take things that are given to you for granted. The title of this movie “My Sister’s Keeper” is an allusion. In the bible Cain says to God; “…Am I my brother’s keeper?” this makes her text artistically deeper and semantically loaded. When looking back at this movie I can see that it taught me no matter what happens your family is always going to be there, it taught me to love and cherish those that mean so much to you and it also taught me that even when a person is gone that person is never really “gone”. This movie really hits home because cancer has always been a part of my life, but it wasn’t until I lost someone who was extremely close to me, someone who was like my brother to help me realise that family is the most important thing a person could ever have. When I look into the future, I can see that this movie will be one that will forever always teach me to love and respect my family and to never take anything for granted because once you lose someone so very important life almost seems unbearable.

“That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you're not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong” (F. Scott Fitzgerald). Literature is a part of our everyday lives in high school. Some will impact you some will not. Some will teach you lessons, and some will teach you nothing. If there is one thing, I learned from reading books and watching movies it is that you’re the only one who can decide your future. Literature comes in many different forms; poetry, songs, novels, and movies. Any one of these forms has its own ability to shape or impact a person’s life.