<p>I was just reading another parent’s concern about a boring essay. My daughter is a good writer and has an enormous personality. Is it possible to display too much personality? Where does the line get drawn?</p>
<p>(We have lots of time, she’s only a sophomore in HS … this was just a question that popped into my head.)</p>
<p>Depends on the personality. :)</p>
<p>But probably not a problem. My younger son had very good results being funny and quirky.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what it means to have “enormous personality.” Certainly you can write an essay that uses humor inappropriately or an essay that degenerates into narcissism instead of focusing on the prompt. She’ll write the essay when it’s time, and you’ll know whether it’s her genuine voice or not. If it’s not her, she’ll rewrite it.</p>
<p>Shaba- I had that concern about my son, too, but his essays wound up working quite well. I thought they were risky, but they were well-received.</p>
<p>Yes, my oldest son who ended up graduating with an English writing minor, had really quirky essays, not humorous just off beat…but it’s him, how he writes and it worked.</p>
<p>Yeah what is an enormous personality? Obnoxious, loud, bossY?</p>
<p>There’s no such thing as too much personality, but there is such a thing as a crass, silly, or tasteless essay. Think about the actors/comedians you like and don’t like. Chances are, the amount of personality in their routines isn’t a good predictor of whether you like them. It’s about how they deploy the personality they have. You may not be able to describe where the line is, but you know a ham when you see one.</p>
<p>I guess we need examples on the “enormous personality” idea…</p>
<p>Sylvan meanders off to contemplate the scale of her personality…</p>