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Read my essay?

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  • 08-04-2012 9:55pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 113 ✭✭


    Anyone really good at the essay willing to read mine ?
    If you are please post on this and I shall post it on your channel.
    Please do not be too harsh.
    Thanks
    :)


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 404 ✭✭DepoProvera


    For? English?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,249 ✭✭✭Bears and Vodka


    Sure you can PM it to me if you want. I won't grade it but I can give you tips. Or you can post it here if you dont mind people reading it and we will all give critique! :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,992 ✭✭✭✭partyatmygaff


    Post it here. If it's English or French i'd be glad to have a read of it for you. If it's Irish on the other hand... i'm the last person to ask :p


  • Registered Users Posts: 25 paaula


    Yeah sure I can read it, but you could post it here so everyone could help and give you some hints :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 387 ✭✭Medicine333


    I'd be glad to help too!:) I did my Leaving Cert. last year:)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 283 ✭✭Curlyhatescurls


    I would help too! As long as it's English, I am studying English in college so can offer some tips.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,249 ✭✭✭Bears and Vodka


    Actually, since you're all so willing to help can I sabotage this thread a little and post my essay too? :P It's a personal essay about ''a place I consider beautiful''.
    Dublin Airport

    I love Dublin Airport. I love the confusing parking, both terminals, old and new, and I love the endless trail of passengers and planes in a never-ending cycle of Departures and Arrivals. I love the feeling of being a drop in the ocean of people, every one of them on their own unique journey. I love the queues for check-ins which are always a possibility for a chat with fellow passengers about the inefficiency of the system, the sound of printing boarding passes and the sight of bags rolling away to the underworld of the airport floor. I love the bottlenecks at the steel metal detectors which beep mercilessly at forgetful passengers and the way x-ray machines churn out luggage which slides across the belt by inertia. But my favourite place in the airport is the departure gate.

    In my opinion it has the most beautiful view in the world. Its wide window opens a fascinating view on the gates, the grounds and the runway. I can never be bored of it. No matter how many times I have been in front of that window it never got boring. I adore the view at the sunrise, during the day and in the dark of night. I adore that view in the summer when the grass beside the runway is lush and green, and in winter when there is frost on the grey tarmac. I could spend hours watching planes land, refuel, take on new passengers and take off again. There is always something profound and amazing to be found on the other side of the dusty glass.

    The sight of a landing airplane on a sunny day is magical. First it’s only a dot in the vast blue sky which flickers playfully as sunlight falls on to it. Then as it approaches you can make out the wings, spanning gracefully like wings of an eagle despite the heavy burden of powerful jet engines. Soon it seems to approach faster and faster and now you can make out its smooth metallic fuselage, precisely designed to glide through the cool air. It looks like a huge bird made of cold metal, oblivious to flocks and predators. Its distant call is like a forceful wind, accompanied by a loud rattling hum. Suddenly the plane stretches out its metal and rubber claws from under its long body as it prepares to touch the runway. It never dives, always lands with a slow and sensible glide above the white marking of the runway. The proud bird pulls its nose up and there is a tiny cloud of smoke and a screeching sound of rubber as the wheels touch the tarmac.


    With a light shudder and a howl plane struggles to stop while rolling freely along the runway. You think it has no chance of stopping before the tarmac turns to grass but steadily the metal machine slows down and the next thing you see its being dragged to the airport entrance by a pull car like a cruise liner is tugged into the harbour by a tugboat. Soon it stops and a long jetway extends lazily to the aircraft like a feeding tube which feeds the hungry airport with tired passengers. A moment later a little army of service cars and trucks surround the stationary plane like small pilot fish surround a great white shark. A train-like car with carts for the luggage, a chubby fuel truck and the service truck with extending legs which are able to reach the elevated hatch of the plane all work tirelessly to help the magnificent machine take to the skies again. They work quickly. Not a minute of time is wasted and in minutes the airplane is ready for another lengthy voyage. Then all service vehicles retire from the aircraft like servants retire from a monarchs' presence with a bow.
    At this moment an echoing beep of an airport announcement fills the vast hall of the airport and a staff member invites passengers to board the plane in a clearly trained yet warm voice.

    Straight away the hall of the airport is filled with the sounds of feet stomping and bags rolling along the smooth floor. I turn around and curiously watch passengers eagerly form a lengthy queue to the plane exit. You can always guess where a person in the airport is travelling to by the way he is dressed. You see a family with two overly excited kids and you can almost definitely say they are going to Disneyland, or a holiday perhaps. Next to them a man dressed in a suit awaits his flight. He stares thoughtfully into the screen of his laptop as he tries to concentrate on his email while the excited children next to him loudly anticipate their trip. Now you can take a guess that the man is going on a business trip to one of the European capitals while a group of young men wearing Liverpool jerseys on the other side of the hall are travelling to see their team play in a derby game.

    Minutes later I hear another airport announcement, for my own flight this time. I give the familiar view of the airfield another longing glance and walk away from the window, reluctantly, as always.


  • Registered Users Posts: 404 ✭✭DepoProvera


    subz3r0 wrote: »
    I love Dublin Airport.Good opening - short sentence I love the confusing parking, both terminals, old and new, and I love the endless trail of passengers and planes in a never-ending cycle of Departures and Arrivals. I love the feeling of being a drop in the ocean of peoplebit cliché, every one of them on their own unique journey. I love the queues for check-ins which are always offer the possibility of a chat with fellow passengers about the inefficiency of the system, the sound of printing boarding passes and the sight of bags rolling away to the underworld of the airport floor. Do people talk about this? I love the bottlenecks at the steel metal detectors which beep mercilessly at forgetful passengers and the way x-ray machines churn out luggage which slides across the belt by inertia. But my favourite place in the airport is the departure gate.
    I like the repetition of 'I love' here - some of the sentences run a bit too long - a really idiosyncratic observation might be good here

    In my opinion it has the most beautiful view in the world. Its wide window opens a fascinating viewwording on the gates, the grounds and the runway. I can never be bored of it.rephrase No matter how many times I have been in front of that window it never got gets boring. I adore the view at the sunrise, during the day and in the dark of night.opportunity for a more detailed description here? I adore that view in the summer when the grass beside the runway is lush and green, and in winter when there is frost on the grey tarmac. I could spend hours watching planes land, refuel, take on new passengers and take off again. There is always something profoundand amazing to be found on the other side of the dusty glass.

    The sight of a landing airplane on a sunny day is magical. First Initially/At first it’s only a dot in the vast blue sky which flickers playfully as sunlight falls on to it. Then as it approaches you can make out the wings, spanning gracefully like wingswings used earlier in the sentence, rephrase of an eagle despite the heavy burden of powerful jet engines. Soon It seems to approaches faster and faster and now you can make out its smooth metallic fuselage, precisely designed to glide through the cool air. It looks like a huge bird made of cold metal, oblivious to flocks and predators. Its distant call is like a forceful wind, accompanied by a loud rattling hum. Suddenly the plane stretches out its metal and rubber claws from under its long body as it prepares to touch the runway. It never dives, always lands with a slow and sensible glide above the white marking of the runway. The proud bird pulls its nose up and there is a tiny cloud of smoke and a screeching sound of rubber as the wheels touch the tarmac.
    I like the imagery here, try to vary language though

    With a light shudder and a howl plane struggles to stop while rolling freely along the runway. phrasingYou think it has no chance of stopping before the tarmac turns to grass but steadily the metal machine slows down and the next thing you see it's being dragged to the airport entrance by a pull car like a cruise liner is tugged into the harbour by a tugboat.sentence a bit too long, I think if you talked of the apprehension you feel instead of 'You think' Soon it stops and a longbetter descriptors jetway extends lazily to the aircraft like a feeding tube which feeds the hungry airport with tired passengers. A moment later a little army of service cars and trucks surround the stationary plane like small pilot fish surround a great white shark. A train-like car with carts for the luggage, a chubby fuel truck and the service truck with extending legs which are able to reach the elevated hatch of the plane all work tirelessly to help the magnificent machine take to the skies again. They work quickly. Not a minute of time is wasted and in minutes the airplane is ready for another lengthy voyage. Then all service vehicles retire from the aircraft like servants retire from a monarchs' presence with a bow.
    At this moment an echoing beep of an airport announcement fills the vast hall of the airport and a staff member invites passengers to board the plane in a clearly trained yet warm voice.

    Straight away the hall of the airport is filled with the sounds of feet stomping and bags rolling along the smoothagain vary language floor. I turn around and curiously watch passengers eagerly form a lengthy queue to the plane exit. You can always guess where a person in the airport is travelling to by the way he is dressed. You see a family with two overly excited kids and you can almost definitely say they are going to Disneyland, or a holiday perhaps. Next to them a man dressed in a suit awaits his flight. He stares thoughtfully into the screen of his laptop as he tries to concentrate on his email while the excited children next to him loudly anticipate their trip. Now you can take a guess that the man is going on a business trip to one of the European capitals while a group of young men wearing Liverpool jerseys on the other side of the hall are travelling to see their team play in a derby game.
    I think this could be worked better - like 'I scrutinize every passenger, like a scientist observes insects that swarm and multiply. A man.' then describe his appearance and literally ask questions in the passage ' where is he going?' etc etc
    Minutes later I hear another airport announcement, for my own flight this time. I give the familiar view of the airfield another longing glance and walk away from the window, reluctantly, as always..I like the ending
    Its tough to write in the present tense. However I like it, but there are a lot of missed opportunities for quirkiness, little details etc which the examiners seem to love. Less of the 'Soon','and then' 'suddenly', it sort of makes the story sound juvenile.

    Then again, I am also a Leaving Cert student like yourself so take my advice with a grain of salt!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,249 ✭✭✭Bears and Vodka


    Its tough to write in the present tense. However I like it, but there are a lot of missed opportunities for quirkiness, little details etc which the examiners seem to love. Less of the 'Soon','and then' 'suddenly', it sort of makes the story sound juvenile.

    Then again, I am also a Leaving Cert student like yourself so take my advice with a grain of salt!

    Thanks! What do you mean by 'vary the language' though? Give an example please? Also, my teacher said that it would be much better if I used an anecdote or two, are they essential in mainly descriptive essays like these?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,763 ✭✭✭finality


    You should post it here OP, I'll have a look if you do. :)

    Can I post one too, just for funsies? Maybe I shouldn't reveal my issues here, this short story is a bit disturbing...but seeing as we're sharing...

    Monotony


    They were all the same. Quite the same.
    Expectant, inconsiderate, uninspired.
    Almost wooden in their movements;
    sometimes I imagined their actions were
    dictated by some crazed, omnipotent
    master of marionettes. Their destiny was
    dangled before them but their hands and
    souls were bound and each year they
    slipped farther away.
    They were given every opportunity, really,
    but embracing life isn’t cool when it’s
    fashionable to be bored, and objectionable
    to show interest. Interest declines in the
    absence of expression.
    They had made that transition from
    childhood to, well, somewhere uncertain: a
    contrasting and sinister incarnation of
    childhood. Light to darkness, eyes dulled,
    smiles inverted. They had no opinions, no
    thoughts to think, and too much to say.
    They were quite convinced and secure in
    the knowledge that their emotional range
    extended from hatred to indifference to
    mild amusement. They had the best
    defence of all; nothing to defend. Nothing
    to lose, and I was afraid of them.
    They would walk down the street and hold
    eye contact for excessive, defiant amounts
    of time; feeling glorious in a world of
    downcast avoidant gazes.
    Once they spoke directly to me. I was
    anxious, and I didn’t respond. There was
    something unsettling about their eyes, they
    didn’t seem coherent with their facial
    expressions. Their faces were frozen in a
    virulent sneer; that was to be expected, but
    there was something not quite right. Some
    state of balance had been altered. They had
    asked me a question; they repeated it now,
    in the same oddly calm tone. Everything
    was too tranquil, the situation had a
    surreal edge. Something had changed this
    time.
    I realised that I didn’t know the answer,
    but it was too late now. Perhaps it had
    always been too late, it had been building
    up to this moment for years. Years of terror
    and hopelessness. They were lurking in
    every dark driveway. Every sound was a
    threat. The wind imitated their voices,
    taunting me.

    ***

    They had cornered me, shark-circling,
    whispering profanities almost delicately in
    my ears. There was nobody within hearing
    distance, the building was effectively
    deserted, and it revolved around me. I was
    paralysed; they were fluid, a sinister blur of
    depravity and despair. Shadows danced
    across their faces, eyes narrowed and teeth
    bared in some grim mockery of laughter, as
    they gently undressed me, and suddenly
    tore the skin of my back with their
    fingernails. I became the situation, the
    person I was hid somewhere in the
    recesses of my mind.

    ***

    They were holding me down now, there
    was no escape. I lay in silence while, with
    surgical precision, they cut my arm, in one
    quick, deliberate motion, from my elbow to
    my wrist. Blood began to flow freely,
    unrestricted by the life which had
    imprisoned it. I pictured it evaporating, an
    angry red mass of coils and tendrils slowly
    dissipating. It passed through the ceiling
    unhindered. A pale cloud, unable to stain
    the placid canvas of the sky. The world
    disintegrated.

    ***

    It was a nice morning: April, as nice a
    morning as any. With a tentative foot I
    tested the floor, to make sure it was still
    there. It was cold. I recovered the foot and
    almost entertained the thought that I
    should get up, opening my eyes for a
    moment.
    Wisps of sunlight crept in, flickering and
    swirling. Light never filled the room, the
    darkness that lurked in the corners always
    seemed to stand steadfast in the wake of
    its advance. It seemed there were several
    little horizons stretching across the floor. I
    couldn’t see beyond any of them. It was a
    comforting thought that perhaps nobody
    could breach my horizons, perhaps I was
    safe.
    I smiled, opted not to get up, and drifted
    back into a soft, dreamless sense of
    security.

    ***

    It was a nice morning; October, a nice
    morning for October. Someone had been
    in to tell me what a nice morning it was.
    They had insisted on it, I thought it best to
    agree with them, they had seemed quite
    emotionally invested in the fact. They had
    taken my curtains away long before that;
    presumably someone felt that increased
    exposure to Nice Mornings would cause me
    to develop a similar emotional connection
    with them. Somebody else joked that I had
    tried to hang myself with them. I didn’t
    need curtains anyway, there was no privacy
    now.
    This person always talked at me
    continuously, as if they were afraid I would
    find in a moment’s silence an opportunity
    to plunge them into a topic that would
    make them uncomfortable; hold their head
    under the surface. It didn’t bother me
    much; people who pretended to believe in
    the traditional format of conversation were
    far more difficult. They always rearranged
    their features into the same expression,
    somewhere between concern and casual,
    careful cheerfulness, and they’d say
    impossibly sincere things in a monotone
    like “how are you getting on,” and “it’s good
    to see you again”. Then they’d smile at me
    until I’d respond with some default
    pleasantry. It was always very careful,
    serious conversation, as if they felt obliged
    to make an effort or as if they felt they did
    me a great service by gracing me with their
    presence. Perhaps they did but I was
    ungrateful and didn’t appreciate it and it
    was a wonder they dealt with me at all.
    I could see the pity in their eyes.

    ***

    Pity... I had seen something similar in their
    eyes that day. Pity at first, as I screamed at
    them, begged them to stop, to leave me
    alone, as I cried. I couldn’t take anymore.
    I don’t understand, pity doesn’t make
    sense.
    I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the
    polished steel of the bed’s frame. My
    cheeks are hollow and emaciated. The
    medication has rotted my teeth, several are
    missing. My hair is thinning, it hangs
    limply. They wouldn’t gain any pleasure
    from violating me now. I felt as disgusting
    then as I do now.
    Pity became wide-eyed fear when they saw
    the knife. This memory doesn’t make sense,
    I can’t make sense of it. I remember a
    question, “Are you alright?”
    I see the pain on my mother’s face as she
    kneels over my father’s lifeless body, in a
    pool of blood. I begin to scream. My throat
    feels raw, but still I scream, and tear at my
    skin with my fingernails and teeth. I throw
    myself on the floor and scream.
    The door opens and a woman walks briskly
    in. I hardly notice her presence. She breaks
    my skin with a small syringe, and my body
    fades away. I feel nothing. Another woman
    appears and together they lift me back into
    the bed and straighten out my limbs. I
    suppose they think they’re making me
    comfortable. I think I see one shake her
    head. I catch parts of their conversation as
    my consciousness fluctuates.
    “A very sad case, killed her family in a
    psychotic episode. We think she saw them
    as a group of men who had abused her for
    years, sexually you know?”
    “No I don’t believe she ever told anyone...
    Tried to take her own life, but for better or
    for worse hahah, she was found and
    resuscitated...”
    “Yes, eleven years she’s been here actually.
    As you can see not much progress has
    been made...”
    “Quite tragic, she is sedated almost
    continuously; you can see the reason for
    that yourself, hahah...”
    “No, actually, hahah to tell you the truth
    Mabel, I don’t think she’ll ever leave the
    institution.”

    ***

    The darkness rose up and swallowed me.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 113 ✭✭Izymunz


    Jesus, you people are amazing! Brilliant! Well done to all that posted!!
    But I am absolutely terrified to post mine as, mine is quite simple in structure and language!!
    A simple essay merely focused on three points. :(


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,763 ✭✭✭finality


    Izymunz wrote: »
    Jesus, you people are amazing! Brilliant! Well done to all that posted!!
    But I am absolutely terrified to post mine as, mine is quite simple in structure and language!!
    A simple essay merely focused on three points. :(

    We'll be nice, don't worry :)


  • Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 8,572 Mod ✭✭✭✭Canard


    Wow. That was incredible finality! Really! :eek:
    And you too subzero, gosh you guys are making me question my abilities :P

    Might as well hop on the bandwagon, wrote this earlier using the title I didnt do in my mock exam - "A story in which an old person looks back on an important event". Kind criticism welcomed :P
    Write a story in which an old person looks back on an important event.
    Unusually, I woke up to the sound of birds chirping rather than an alarm beeping. Had I slept in? I glanced to my left – “5:45”, my alarm clock says in its trademark, fluorescent red silence. I was getting old – what young person ever got up at dawn by choice? I smiled at John – sleeping peacefully. He must have had a few years of youth left in him.

    I looked out my window and saw the sun rising slowly over the ocean. Living by the seaside never really lost its allure. I knew it would be useless to try to return to the peaceful land of dreams with dawn so imminent. I changed from my silk nightdress into my clothes and sandals and decided to go for a walk.

    I stepped onto the beach and sank my foot into the sand, it was greeted by rivulets of water who had escaped from the sea. It was cool and refreshing to my aching feet and made me more alert. I always felt so peaceful at the sea, and so free. The baritone noise of ships’ horns rang clearly in the air as the waves crashed around me and whisked me away to my youth, when John had proposed to me on this very beach.

    Suddenly I felt it all again. I had been sunbathing on the beach and listening to its mellifluous sounds – the seagulls squawking, the children laughing, the footfall of a dog anxious to retrieve its treasured toy lest the waves keep it forever. I felt the opulent rays of the sun beating down on my legs like I was there once more. John was lying beside me and there we lay together in placid silence, in the heat of a July afternoon. The halcyon days. At that moment a beach ball bounced pass us, ricocheting off our bags and interrupting my slow drift to sleep.

    John groaned, he had been interrupted too. We shared a look and nodded – that was all we needed to do. We gathered our things and began to walk to a more isolated area. I had my towel draped around me for warmth and so I didn’t have to carry it and sand fell onto my feet, tickling them. We got to the edge of the beach, close to the noise of the town but just far away enough that it didn’t matter. Our spot.

    I took out a sandwich and started to eat it, John did the same. We chatted about trivial matters as we watched the people walk up and down the beach, sometimes in pairs and sometimes alone, but ostensibly happy nonetheless.

    I’d left him a little while to go for a swim. It was starting to get dark at that point but the ocean retains heat a little longer than the land so I thought it’d warm me up. As I braced myself for the water, an unexpectedly large wave glided towards me, broke around my knees and the backwash silently pulled away over my feet and dragged rocks with it, almost as if to invite me in. There was no going back now.

    I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and jumped in. The water was sharp and salty, but cool and refreshing. A high-pitched scream escaped my throat and I saw John look up, slightly worried. He laughed as he saw how deep in I’d gone and he knew I must have been cold. He walked down the beach towards me and jumped in too.

    “Oh wow that’s chilly!” he said, the words barely escaping his mouth through the chattering of his teeth. “You’re crazy, Catherine!”

    “Not as crazy as you for running in after me!” I said, playfully pushing him over into the icy grips of the water once more as waves broke around us and seaweed danced at our feet. He surfaced, spitting salt water out of his mouth with a grimace.

    “Well I got lonely without you up at the sand” he smiled.

    “Oh, the sand! Our bags!” I exclaimed. John laughed and told me there was no one else around and not to worry. Even at that I was starting to get a little cold, and it was getting darker and it was perhaps a little dangerous to have been in the water so late. He agreed that we could go back, “if I really wanted to”.

    Slowly we emerged from the sea, from the top down, and slowly the air hit us hard with icicle daggers. I’d always found it odd how you’re cold going into the water and cold coming out. We walked over to our towels and sat back down, wrapping them around us for warmth as the sun took its warmth with it as it left. It was now just a small semi-circle on the horizon.

    We sat there in silence as we watched it set, sitting close together for heat and because we were a couple. The sun finally disappeared behind the ocean and all the light that was left came from the marine reflection of the moon and the coruscating stars.

    “Cathy?” asked John, in a hushed tone.
    “Yes, John?”
    “I love you.”
    “I love you too.”
    “This is for you,” he said, “if you want it.” I felt a smooth chill travel up my middle finger as John held my hand. The lack of light left it slightly obfuscated but it was unmistakable. A ring. “Will you marry me?” he asked.
    “Of course!” I cried a little louder than I’d intended, and began to laugh at myself and laugh with happiness. I hugged him and he laughed too. I remembered it all so clearly, hard to believe 40 years had elapsed, and I still felt that same surge of exultation every morning when I woke up and saw him.

    I got lost in my imagination and had walked further than I usually did. A cool sea breeze brushed gently past my face as if to shake me back to reality. I looked around me and there I was – that same spot, 40 years on. I felt butterflies once more. The sun was rising and I smiled, the beach’s crepuscular charm never failing to take my breath away.

    Knowing John would be waking up soon and wondering where I’d gone, I turned around and started to walk back to our house. The romantic in me had never died and I followed my footsteps the entire way back, eager to see John and to spend the day with him.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,249 ✭✭✭Bears and Vodka


    finality, what was the essay title you chose? Or did you just write it? I think it's incredibly engaging because of the way it's written. I don't like this genre but it was so interesting to read on which is always great. Throughout the whole essay until the end I wasn't sure who exactly all these people who 'tortured' you were or who you were. Then in the end it all clicks together when you read the dialogue between the two ladies. I would have given things and people names more than you have but I think you might have deliberately went for the very abstract approach.
    What was the title though? Off the top of my head I can't think of a title where this will suit nicely.

    Patchy, great story too, very vivid and with nice dialogue. But the story is about an important event and that event here is the proposal itself. You spent most of the essay describing the day, the build-up, but the actual 'important event' is left till last and is fully dealt with in about two paragraphs. I think you need to give the proposal more detailed treatment. Maybe expand a little bit more on feelings felt, or the scene. If you fear the essay might get too long you can leave out the unnecessary details about lying on the beach on one spot and then in another. You could just say ''after finding place X much too loud for us, we went to place Z etc.''
    Other than that it's a finely crafted tale :) Oh and by using commonplace names like John you tried to make the point that they are ordinary people living ordinary lives? If not, choose your names carefully. They can tell a lot about the character. Upon reading the name John in this essay I instantly got an image of an ordinary Average Joe kinda man in his later years. Which is what he is, judging by the essay. If you gave him an exotic name like Vyvyan then the reader would have got a very different impression of him. Well done anyway :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 217 ✭✭snoreborewhore


    ~jumping on le bandwagon
    The Modern Shopping Centre: A Modern Phenomenon?
    What is it that makes the modern shopping centre such a shrine to us all? Is it the three euro per hour parking? What about the endless queues for the bathrooms? Or maybe the screams of tantrum throwing toddlers echoing through the mall? Can we honestly say these are the things which bring us back every weekend, to endure another two hours of trawling through shops? Yes, actually. No matter how much we may complain about how mind-numbingly boring and stress inducing shopping may be, it is most certainly an addiction. An itch we must scratch almost on a weekly basis.
    What’s most appealing about modern shopping is the unbelievable convenience of it all. It’s almost impossible to live in Dublin today without being within a five mile radius of a McDonalds or Starbucks. I can practically roll out of bed and be at the cash register of a Penney’s in less than twenty minutes, with an overfilled basket in hand. From Grafton Street, to the monstrous complex of Dundrum Shopping Centre, we are literally spoiled for choice. The modern shopping centre itself is nothing less than a haven of shops, restaurants and facilities catering for every need. And every need certainly is catered for, no matter how superfluously. When buying an ice-cream for little Máire and Seán isn’t enough to pacify their tantrums, parents have no problem with carting their kids off to the crèche facility available. While the noise of little ones in the play pen may be reminiscent of a zoo, it’s certainly an invaluable service for any shopping centre to have. With disabled access, food courts and vending machines on every corner, you’re guaranteed to leave satisfied.
    While we may marvel at how thoughtful and considerate these shopping centres may be for our needs, we can’t ignore the fact that shiny dollar signs are all these businesses are thinking of. Everything boils down to greed. Whether it be retail outlets or family orientated restaurants, it all comes at a price. And with prices as steep as €3 per hour in Jervis Shopping centre car park, there certainly is no dip in funds for the business. And don’t be fooled into thinking that the prices is where the greed stops. With a little help from Mr. Air Conditioning, the temperature of the shopping centre is cranked up to boiling point in an effort to promote drink and ice-cream business. And the food court isn’t on the top floor by mere accident. For those dying of hunger and thirst, getting to the closest Costa Coffee is as tiresome as a pilgrimage to Camino De Santiago, all for the sake of encouraging business in the shops on the floors preceding it. Not enough? Take a look at the new Hollister store opened in Dundrum. I’m sure the mahogany-skinned models greeting young customers at the door speaks for itself. It may be ludicrous, but it works.
    I’m by no means trying to condemn shopping centres tactics in increasing business. Who are we to criticize these marketing techniques when we eat them up like an obedient lap dog? No matter how much money these shopping centres rake in by manipulating us, we’re always entertained by what they have to offer. Today’s modern shopping centre is a hedonist’s dream. From playing relaxing music through the speakers, to the smell of Marks and Spencer’s cookies wafting through the centre, it’s an unadulterated feast for the senses. Shopping has become more of a guilty pleasure than a chore nowadays, and we’re all guilty of indulging on a trip to Debenhams every now and again.
    But really, how obsessed have we become with these trips to Dundrum? With everything so readily available to us in these malls it’s difficult to not get consumed by it all. Saturday’s and Sunday’s have for generations been synonymous with Religious resting days. But have the likes of Top Shop and Lifestyle Sports become a modern place of worship for us all? It’s almost as if materialism has transformed itself into a religious sect, and we the ever-obliging public are more than happy to be indoctrinated by its latest trends and special offers. However it is not necessarily a negative thing. Where else would we be able to have our designer jacket dry cleaned while buying groceries at the same time? I mean, if Dundrum were to close tomorrow, nothing less than complete bedlam would ensue. Whether you love it or loathe it, shopping is a necessity. Now classed by some as a modern form of sport, the shopping centres peppered throughout the country are no doubt an equivalent to a Ben Dunne Gym. However like the gym, it’s difficult to “work out” for any more than two hours, and when your Jimmy Choo’s begin to hurt, you know its home time.
    Bear in mind this is no where near as good as the other ones that are being posted :/ would appreciate feedback though!


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,989 ✭✭✭PictureFrame


    'The path of his life had just detoured down another trail'

    ‘As human beings, the greatest thing is not our ability to change the world, it is our ability to change ourselves’
    -Mahatma Ghandi.

    The early morning sun rose majestically over the quaint, enclosed valley. Its’ rays split out like tongues of fire, illuminating everything in its’ path in a golden, tacit light. The rays reflected off a small pool of the purest turquoise water and caused the surface to shimmer and shine. A thick, persistent fog lingered in the air, shielding the golden sun from the gently stirring earth. Overhead, a strong, unforgiving wind swished around, a constant reminder that everything was not well. In the distance, the innocent chirping of birds was drowned out by the menacing sounds of gunshots and explosions in the distance.

    Nhengu awoke with a jolt, his brow dripping with sweat. It took mere moments for the realisation to hit him, it was the day he was dreading, today his life would rake an abrupt change, it was his time to fight in the war. He felt weak, trembling with nerves. He peered anxiously through the paper-thin curtains, a tiny veil separating him from the menacing reality that he had to face. A tiny veil which differentiated between his life and death. As he pulled back the curtain with fumbling fingers, he heard the fragile breathing of his baby, Amu in the said of the tiny room. He walked over to her wooden crib and lifted her gently into his arms as he cradles her protectively, he pleaded with God, fate, anything to let him return to his family after the war. He had always wanted to be there for Amu, to hold her, to comfort her, to watch her blossom into a picturesque rose, a part of her entangled in his soul. Nhengu placed her carefully in to her crib and walked into the kitchen where his wife stood.

    She stood staring out the window. At the scenes of destruction and horror in front of her. In the distance, fires raged in small forests, a thick cloud of grey smoke billowing up into the heavens. The land was blackened; left scorched and devastated sky mere miles from the effects of bombs dropped from their home. Nhengu looked into her tear-filled eyes, she looked lost, forlorn, isolated. He hugged her tightly, her head settling into the crook of his neck. He wondered if she could hear his heart thumping erratically, suddenly beating loudly with dear. Neither said anything, neither wanted to let go. Nhengu kissed her gently on the forehead, took his rifle and a lass fleeting look at the live he loved, the live he now realised he would not regain.

    As Nhengu walked slowly to the train track where they had been ordered to meet, a peal of lightening illuminated the dark sky, it reflected off phosphorescent wings and a low rumble filled the air. It was the colour of silver, like a mailed army gleaming in the heavens. Nhengu peered into the pale faces of the other men who had been enlisted to fight. Some looked no older than sixteen, struggling to keep up under the heavy weight of the guns they latched onto. When they reached the rusted track, officials in deep-navy uniforms stood ,large guns ready to shoot if necessary. Men shoved up against each other, sitting on the dusty ground as the dust swirled under the persuasion of a dry wind. As they heard the piecing sound of the ancient train grinding to a tops, Nhengu watches as one young man attempted to the flee the track, suddenly aware of his inevitable fate. He saw as one official took aim and a loud crack filled Chengdu’s ears. A cheery blossom stain appeared on the fleeing man’s white top, he crumbled to the ground already dead. As Nhengu boarded the train, he started into the dead man’s face, the ghost of his last smile etched on his face, as he gazed into the darkened sky how could no longer see.

    Nhengu gazed out of the dirty, condensate window s it began to move swiftly through the countryside. In the distance, he could see what appeared to be a pine tree forest, the trees stood erect, needles pointed like a hedgehog under attack. Black bombs dropped downwards, plummeting from the darkened sky. The poignant countryside burning from the raging flames. Without warning, the train screeched to a halt. The doors were flung open, as the soldiers began to climb off the crowded train. The men were divided into groups by the officials who shouted roughly in foreign tongues. Nhengu climbed onto the back of an open-topped jeep and they were carried away, each awaiting their destiny.

    It was morning when Nhengu woke up, the sun was rising over the valley as the jeep pulled over onto the side of a small road, the entrance to a huge rainforest. The officials instructed them to walk east, to an open camp where they would stay. As Nhengu walked nervously into the dark forest, the deafening sounds of gunshots rang in his ears. All around him lay bodies of men, strewn awkwardly against the thick bark of a moss-covered tree. Their clothes saturated with crimson blood. As Nhengu stepped into the darkness, his thought altered to his wife and baby at home, how would survive, he had to.

    He walked for hours, the ,moist leaves sunk under his heavy boot, twigs snapped threateningly under him. Her heart was beating fiercely, his throat seared with an undeniable thirst. As his eyelids attempted to close over, he fought against the, unwilling to allow the giant of tiredness to rest upon his weary shoulders. By now it was raining heavily, the silver liquid drops beat upon his head, the constant rhytmn began to hypnotise him, entrance him. As he was about to fall back into a weary sleep, the sudden sound of firing bullets terrified him. They reflected off the towering trees around his as he began to run . The adrenalin circulated through his veins, as he fired his gun aimlessly behind him. He had never used a gun before, his attempts to defend himself were futile against their military-precise aims.

    It happened suddenly ,a single shot rang out through the forest as the speeding bullet pierced Chengdu’s chest. The excoriating pain consumer his every though, as he fell to the forest floor, awaiting his death.

    Nhengu lay on the forest floor, gazing helplessly into the grey clouds. The pain was unbearable. A violent tremble shook through his frail body as the blood flowed copiously from his open wound.

    Time passed, even if it seemed impossible. It passed erratically, in slow lurches and lulls. It passed painfully, like a pulse of blood behind a bruise, but I passed, even for him.

    Suddenly, the sky opened up in front of Nhengu’s eyes. A blinding white light radiated down on top of him. The final change was about to occur, as death enveloped around his shaking body, as he departed this world for the next. The final change had occurred.

    ‘Live as if you were to die tomorrow, love as if you were to live forever’
    - Mahatma Ghandi.


  • Registered Users Posts: 850 ✭✭✭0mega


    finality wrote: »
    You should post it here OP, I'll have a look if you do. :)

    Can I post one too, just for funsies? Maybe I shouldn't reveal my issues here, this short story is a bit disturbing...but seeing as we're sharing...

    Enjoy your A1 :D


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 88 ✭✭skanger


    'The path of his life had just detoured down another trail'

    ‘As human beings, the greatest thing is not our ability to change the world, it is our ability to change ourselves’
    -Mahatma Ghandi.


    ‘Live as if you were to die tomorrow, love as if you were to live forever’
    - Mahatma Ghandi.

    Really good piece, I always use quotes to make my essays stand out too


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 98 ✭✭Long Time Reader


    subz3r0 wrote: »
    Actually, since you're all so willing to help can I sabotage this thread a little and post my essay too? :P It's a personal essay about ''a place I consider beautiful''.


    LOVE IT.... WHAT AN OPENING PARAGRAPGH. The faster you read it the better and more visual it feels.

    Don not let this talent go to waste.

    Or...

    I donlt know who you are... But I will find you and I'll make you write again!!!:):):)



  • Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 8,572 Mod ✭✭✭✭Canard


    snorebore, I loved how persuasive your piece was, really well done :) PF, that was a really interesting story :D Just one thing though, it's doesnt take an apostrophe if its possessive - you might know that but the its' kinda confused me :P

    And thanks for the feedback subz3r0 :) I kinda thought that too but I didnt know how to go back without overdoing it - I was going to put in something about going for dinner after but thats still not the proposal itself :/ The day itself was more the event and I tried to subtly show them being in love with the whole thing of him being lonely when she left for just a few minutes and things like that :) And thanks for the point about names, I just picked John off the top of my head :o


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  • Registered Users Posts: 46 xcorina


    Someone read mine?? :) It's a short story, ' a major change happens to the central character'

    Mother is worried about me. It's not because of my constant school absences, strange behaviour or my sister's recent death. She is worried because one of her house plants has spots. Mother has believed for most of my sixteen years that this particular house plant, which is of the non descript variety, reflects my emotional, spiritual and physical well being. I've grown to believe it too.

    She raises her hand to her face in distress and I go back to scribbling a poem in the margin of a novel. I'm huddled into a corner of the sofa. I love winter, I really do, but there's this distinct sadness I get during winter months ,just this melancholy greyness that comes and consumes me. I glance up. My mother and the plant are still peering at me, a tall duet of sorrow and concern.

    Craving to get away, my feet guide my body over the hill where we used to go and sled. The cold air rushed against my already rosy cheeks like a glacial wave. There are many little children here. I watch them flying. Doing jumps and having races. The blood vessels in my face widened and my skin warmed, as the memories rushed back, flooding my mind. I thought that all those little children are going to grow up some day. And do the things we all do. But for now, sledding was enough. I thought it would be great if sledding was always enough, but it isn't. I try to fend off the oceanic sadness, but I can't. It's such a colossal effort not to be haunted by what's lost, but to be enchanted by what was. The cold numbs my body and reminds me I should probably head home. Incidentally, I know my mother will examine my face closely, like she has ever since they found Molly's lifeless body in the river. Silence will tick tock between us, as it has lately. I can feel her frustration, how she wishes she could shake me up like a book, hoping all the words will just fall out. I tip toe around my mother and go inside unnoticed. I simply long to be in Molly's room, pressed into her closet, into the lingering scents of riverside bonfires, coconut lotion and cheery blossom perfume - her.

    I wake up much later with my face mushed into a pillow. I lean up on my elbows, trying to glance out the window. The stars have bewitched the sky of darkness. I crack the window open ,and the rhythm of the river sends the frost-scented breeze right into her room. Sometimes in the pitch of the night we would lie on our backs in the middle of the path and look up until the stars came back and when they did, we would reach our arms to touch them, and we did. We weren't afraid of the dark because even when the night was thick and starless, the dark was full of each other's voices across the room. With a sudden realisation that I feel slightly better, I try to push away all my thoughts. I take one more breathe of the river, Molly , the world and get up. I peek at the woods, where our secret code names, crystalised giggles and childish games left a mental footprint. Because of the wind, the trees are creaking symphonically.

    Soon, I am the only person in a small hilltop cemetery. I sit beside the gravestone, rest my head against it, wrap my hands and arms around it. I want my sister to know there will never be a story she won't be part of, or a day she won't be missed. A tear travels down my cheek, as delicate a drizzle, but as harmful as a hurricane. I couldn't be stuck in this storm of constant precipitation, deep inside I knew the time has come to escape the labyrinth that has trapped me lately.

    I close my eyes, and tell Molly I miss her. I reach into my bag and take out the houseplant. It's so decrepit, just a few blackened leaves left. I slowly walk towards the edge of the cliff, so I'm right over the falls. I can feel my stomach drop as I glance downwards. 'There simply is no other way' , I tell myself.
    I take the plant out of its pot, shake the dirt off the roots, get a good grip, throw my arm back, take one deep breath before I pitch my arm forward, and let go.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 8,572 Mod ✭✭✭✭Canard


    I wasnt too sure what the change was - is it that she has to stop missing her sister so much? Either way, its very well written and really nice and descriptive, I really liked it! :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 46 xcorina


    I wasn't too sure either about the change haha, I guess she was just determined to move on with her life. Awh thank you that's so kind! My teacher only gave me 50% on it though :(


  • Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 8,572 Mod ✭✭✭✭Canard


    Maybe you could make it like the plant becomes healthy again and she feels she's finally moved on with her life? :) I put it into a word counter and its 757 words - thats around 3 and a half A4 pages for me, maybe a little short for the exam, though its a perfectly good short story in the classic sense :) It just needs to be fleshed out a little I think :D


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,130 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    xcorina wrote: »
    I wasn't too sure either about the change haha, I guess she was just determined to move on with her life. Awh thank you that's so kind! My teacher only gave me 50% on it though :(

    Has your teacher corrected for the SEC, if he/she hasn't, then the mark isn't really a guide.
    I enjoyed it, for what it's worth, but I'm not an English teacher.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,249 ✭✭✭Bears and Vodka


    xcorina, nicely written essay but I can see two problems straight away.
    The title is: 'a major change that happens to the central character'. I suppose you did this essay in your mocks? I did that title too. I think you will lose out on a good bit of marks for 'Purpose'. I don't really see a 'major change' in the character. You need to make it stand out more. The most important thing when writing an essay is to make sure you get as high mark for 'Purpose' (i.e. it has to be relevant) as possible. Suppose you got 20/30 for Purpose. Even if your Clarity and Language were top notch and deserving of 30/30 you will only get 20/30 for each max. Why? Because that's what you got for 'Purpose'.
    Another thing that I noticed is that the essay is a bit too short. Yes, I know teachers always say quality over quantity but for Honours English you need to have an appropriate length to it too. Our teacher recommends 1000-1500 words. I quickly checked your essay in Word and it was about 750.
    In short, try to write a little bit more and be a little bit more relevant.


  • Registered Users Posts: 46 xcorina


    Yeah I think making it longer is a must, my teacher said I should have dialogue too. anyway thanks for the advice! :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 311 ✭✭Manic2


    Hopping on the bandwagon bitchesssssss! :P
    This essay is about A central character undergoing change
    My teacher gave 86% on it but never said where I could improve.
    Any criticism appreciated, positive and negative. :P



    It was thrilling! It was exhilarating! I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins like hot lava. I could feel it flowing through my brain, heightening my senses, making my vision crystal clear but a blurry haze all at once. My eyes darted around to make sure nothing was alerted to my presence. I could feel laughter... No, not laughter, a cackle, bubbling its way up my throat, forcing its way out of my clenched lips. My laughter was met by another. Feminine, yet more aggressive. I looked over and there she sat, in the passenger seat, angled slightly towards me, her eyes glistening with victory. It was my first time... And I loved every minute of it.
    ***
    The first time I ever met Vicky Stone was on the 28th of May 2001. I think I remember it so well because it was the last day of school and as soon as I stepped off the bus outside my house, there she was. Well, that coupled with the fact that that was day that my dad moved in with his new girlfriend... who I detested. She was about fifteen years younger than him. She would be more likely to be my girlfriend than his. You could almost call her his mistress.
    Anyway, back to this girl. So she had moved next door. My first impression was, well, she was an intimidating looking person. She was my age, sixteen, but she looked about twenty. She was feminine, but had a tough edge. She had wavy red hair which hung to her shoulders, parted in the middle of her square shaped head, bright as the setting sun. Her hair hung over her face like silky, tread-like curtains. Her face was dominated by freckles. She had pale green eyes which complemented her fiery red hair. Her eyes held an arrogance and dominance which would render even the manliest of men into a feeble shell of themselves. She was curvaceous, but yet had a blocky figure. An emerald green t-shirt hugged her body and she wore black skinny jeans. In her hands she held a big brown cardboard box, marked with the word “kitchen”. In that moment when I stepped off the bus, and we locked eyes, I made a mental note that I must be wary of this girl. With that she turned and walked inside her new house.
    I walked in the big oak front door of my semi-detached house. I was greeted by my father and his ‘mistress’. “I have something to tell you, son” he said excitedly, with an air of hesitation in his voice. I looked from him, to her, to the many boxes I had just noticed behind them. “NO WAY!” I shouted. “My mother, your wife, has been dead for 6 goddamn months, and you’re already moving in with this bitch?” I stormed up the stairs. I slammed my bedroom door, in hopes to get my point across even more. I trampled across my cluttered bedroom, clothes strewn across the floor, a bed pushed against the far wall, with a window glaring down above it. A bedside locker was located beside the bed, with a nearly empty glass of water on it that I had been drinking the night before. Posters of various rock bands covered the walls, with the cream paint underneath fighting its way between them to make itself known, but to no avail. I leapt onto my bed and immediately put my headphones in and played music as loud as I could in order to block out everything. I closed my eyes and began thinking of anything that could possibly make this day worse.
    I awoke. I do not know how long I had been sleeping. All I knew it was dark out now, and my ears hurt from the awkward way my headphones had been sitting. The music played on angrily. A frail knock sounded on the bedroom door. I did not answer. Another knock, “There’s someone at the door for you, son”. I opened the room door and walked by my father, who stood in his police officer uniform, refusing to even acknowledge his presence. I went to the front door, and there she stood. She looked just as she had earlier when I saw her. “Hi, I’m Vicky. Do you wanna come outside for a little while?” She said kindly, with a slight hint of self confidence. “Sure.” I said with trepidation, dad was probably going on duty anyway, and I did not want to be stuck in the house with her, and so I stepped out onto the porch.
    I showed her around the estate, telling her stories about the various residents. I was telling her about how Mrs. Lee is a complete lunatic, and a raging alcoholic when Kelly interrupted, “Do you drink?” “Well, I have, but I don’t do it often. Why?” I saw a flicker of something in her eye, almost as if she had found an opportunity to strike. Her eyes flashed to her handbag, and back at me. She pulled out a bottle of vodka. A sinister smile curved on her face. “Come on!” she said with a wink. We went over to a large tree, a secluded spot on the other end of a large green at the end of the estate. It fanned out and stooped over the ground, covering us. She pulled out the vodka and took a large gulp out of it. She passed it to me. I looked at her hesitantly. “Come on, take some. What could possibly happen?” She said. So I did. She pulled out an A4 refill pad, a small bag and what looked like a straw. She poured some of the contents of the bag out onto the front cover of the refill pad, and started to line it up. “I don’t know, Vicky, I mean...” “Oh, come on, try it. You only live once, don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to you” She said with a laugh. So I did.
    Before I knew it, I was telling Vicky all about myself, all about my mother, my father and his new slut. She sat there listening attentively, smoking and slugging at the vodka. I finally stopped talking. Everything was a weightless blur. I saw everything through a different perspective. Everything seemed so easy. I felt that I was invincible. That all possibilities were endless. Vicky was laughing in the background. I began to laugh too, realising that it was probably the vodka and cocaine thinking for me. I loved it. I could not help but think that this girl was bad news, but this was the most fun I have ever had. She looked at me, stood up and grabbed my hand and dragged me toward the estate. She set her eyes on a beautiful little black mini like she was a lioness, stalking her prey. She picked open the lock of the door, looked at me with excitement in her face. I looked back, high off my face, and started toward the car.
    I woke up the next morning with my head pounding and a bitter taste in my mouth. I could barely remember the events of the night before. I could only remember little flashbacks. Sitting under the tree. Laughing with Vicky. Drinking the vodka. Doing coke. Carjacking. God, what had I done? This is so unlike me. But whether I liked it or not, I could not deny, it was the most fun I have ever had. I checked my phone, 1:33pm, and a text message from an unknown number. It read, “Last night was fun, let’s top it tonight ;)” I must have given her my number but forgotten to get hers. Already my heart was pounding, I could feel the excitement filling up inside me, I wanted to do it again, it was like an unquenchable thirst. “Definitely” I replied.
    At about eleven o’clock she texted me again, telling to meet her under the tree. I left without telling anyone where I was going. I wondered if they even noticed. I walked toward the tree, and with every step I took, I felt the adrenaline, mixed with fear, anxiety and excitement. It was overpowering, but I thrived off of it. I gazed up at the street lamps, orange like miniature suns, casting an eerie glow over the estate, which fell behind me. The overcast sky looked menacing and threatening, but I trudged on. The tall oak tree began to tower over me, blocking out the sky above. Vicky sat underneath, vodka out, doing lines, already half gone. She greeted me with a hiccup, and a laugh, simultaneously passing me the bottle. I knew what to do, and I began to pour it into me like it was water. We sat, talked, laughed, did lines and drank until we were hardly fit to stand. I loved it. “Wanna go for round two?” She said with a grin. She did not wait for an answer. Instead, she ran, laughing like an excited child. I ran after her, we stumbled multiple times and fell even more. Finally we got to a car we liked. It was a big black jeep, and looked very expensive. It was perfect. Somehow she unlocked the car, and told me to drive.
    We were not in the car more than two minutes when the sky decided to carry out its threat, and it began to pour with rain. This made everything even more fun for us. We got to the deserted back roads and began to pull skids, the radio blaring abrasively, laughing the whole way, we were having the time of our lives. Suddenly Vicky sat stiff, eyes wide, like craters forming in her face, she looked at me with fear washing over her face. I soon found out what was wrong with her. The red and blue flashing lights quickly filled the car filled the car like a deadly liquid, the faint sirens grew closer and began drowning out the sound of the radio. “DRIVE!” she screamed, and I slammed my foot on the accelerator. The car shot off, the rain hammering against the window, the wind howling past the car. We sped on, and the flashing lights followed effortlessly. Vicky was frantic in the passenger seat, probably heightened by the fact she was drunk and high, she kept telling me to go faster, “I can’t, stop yelling for God sake!” She shut up. My heart was pounding, my head was spinning, with multiple factors influencing it. My vision was blurry, but sharp, I could still hear the sirens, I looked behind me, they were hot on our tail, I could not shake them I did not know what to do. I knew there was a side road up ahead, I had hoped the police did not know this. I took a sharp turn to the left, the large jeep skidded sideways across the wet ground, it hit a pothole full of water and with a thud myself and Vicky were hurled sideways, the car flipping persistently over onto its roof. Glass shattered everywhere, there were screams. I did not know if they were mine or Vicky’s, I did not even know what side of me they were coming from, the car flipped for what seemed like an eternity. Wild red hair was being thrashed around the car, and with that my head smacked off of the dashboard. I last heard the screaming, and the sirens, with the blue and red lights, closing in on me, circling me.
    I opened my eyes. There was my father, standing over me. “Son?” I passed back out.
    I felt movement, I opened my eyes again, I was lying on the wet grass, I looked over, the only thing I noticed were the cold lifeless eyes, staring at me, half covered with matted, wet, red hair. I let out a groan, and passed out again.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 8,572 Mod ✭✭✭✭Canard


    ^ I like that :)
    One thing though, what does your teacher say about curse words in stories? Mine says its okay as long as you dont just drop them in for the sake of it, but he also advised us to avoid it in case we get an awkward examiner who'd hate you for it and that it could kinda make your entire exam lose it shine :pac:


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  • Registered Users Posts: 311 ✭✭Manic2


    Well she kinda encourages it because she thinks it adds character but I never thought of that, so I might not do that in future. Thanks. :P

    It may be hard to read because of the lack of paragraphs but I just wasn't bothered spacing it out when I copied and pasted it from Word. :L

    I think it could be too long though, written, it comes to almost 8 pages, I dunno where to shorten it though.


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