<p>I have a really good memory for words and this is almost exactly what I wrote yesterday, could somebody predict my score from the Jan. SAT? The prompt was whether it was better to be original than to imitate other peoples’ ideas.And yes, iknow it’s John Locke, but my best friend is named Jimmy Locke so I got confused. Whoops.</p>
<p>While originality is vital in both decision-making and creative processes, it is equally important to incorporate the ideas of others. (i can’t remember the rest of my intro bu it was pretty generic)</p>
<p>After the American Revolution, the Founding Fathers rejected the traditional monarchies of the day in order to create a constitution with original ideas about the importance of democracy. But their ideas were inspired by the work of Enlightenment philosophers like James Locke, who rejected aristocracy, and the Constitution of the Iroqois nation, which set a precedent for the democratic process. Equally importantly, had they not taken into account the ideas of Patrick Henry, our freedoms would not be guaranteed and protected by the Bill of Rights.</p>
<p>In his autobiography, Black Boy, Richard Wright chronicles a journey in which he breaks free of the bonds of illiteracy and racism from his childhood in order to become a free and original thinker. But his work was greatly influenced by a encounter with the Communist party of America and their opinions about race and the plight of the working man. Had Wright not been inspired by the ideas of the Communists, he would have remained as bitter, angry, and causeless as he was at the beginning of his adulthood.</p>
<p>As a writer myself, I recognize the importance of originality, and drawing on one’s own life experiences and opinions in creating a piece of literary merit. but I also know that it is equally important to borrow from and be inspired by other peoples’ work. When John Steinbeck wrote East of Eden, which is considered by some to be his literary masterpiece, his prose was original and unprecedentedly honest. But he used the ancient stories of the Bible as inspiration. This combination is what made East of Eden a novel that was as daring as it was relateable.</p>
<p>If people did not use others’ ideas, the world would sacrifice great advancements in the name of originality. But simply imitation would leave us in a trap of repetition. It is only with a balance of both </p>
<p>(i didn’t finish)</p>
<p>So what do you think?</p>
I am so ****ed about writing James Locke though!!!</p>