<p>I took the SAT months ago, so I already know what I got on the essay. But, I’m interested in your prediction. What score do you think I got on the essay?</p>
<p>“Is success in life earned or do people succeed because they are lucky?” </p>
<p>Success in life is earned. Although people may succeed because they are lucky, they work extremely hard to succeed. A proficiency of examples through literature and history serves to illustrate this point explicitly. </p>
<p>An illustration that success is earned occurs in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. The patients are put in the ward because they cant conform to society; their manhood, however, is destroyed by the Nurse. McMurphy risks his life by rebelling against the Nurses authority and teaching the patients to become men. He struggles doing this, but he still persists to help the men. He once takes them on a fishing them that becomes a transformation of the men. He puts a lot of his efforts to make them realize that they shouldnt be scared of the world. Because of his hard work and sacrifice, McMurphy becomes very well-known in the ward and a respectful man. As a matter of fact, the patients go to him when they need help, and because of McMurphys persistence, the patients become the real mean. They leave the ward and conform to society… This accomplishes McMurphys goal; as a result of his hard work, he succeeds in helping the patients. </p>
<p>The theme that people work very hard to succeed is illustrated throughout John Steinbacks The Grapes of Wrath. The family lives and suffers from harsh conditions of the Great Depression. They, in fact, have no food, water, house, or job. They decide to move to the West for a better life. They, however, still suffer by encountering people who criticize them as rednecks and getting kicked out of camps because of the limited number of people to live. The family still strives to find food, job, and house. Although they dont find the permanent home or job, they are still lucky to be alive. Many people died from the Great Depression; the family is very fortunate because of their persistence. Most importantly, through their hard work, they learn the significant value of family and the appreciation of life, which people fail to achieve. </p>
<p>The theme of earning success is not limited to literary examples; we see this immutable principle throughout history too. During the time of slavery, slaves faced horrible conditions of slavery. In fact, they were punished severely and given little or no food. The black people sacrificed their lives fighting for their civil rights until the 1960s when the civil movement took its place. They were beaten by white police, shot to death by their white neighbors, and hanged for crimes they didnt commit. No matter what, the black people still persevered to fight for their rights. Because of their hard work and sacrifice, they were given equal opportunities as white people did. Without their efforts, they would not succeed in getting civil rights and equal opportunities for all African Americans. </p>
<p>Hard work and persistence are crucial to success in life and dreams. Otherwise, people will not succeed. This point is illustrated explicitly through literary examples of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, where McMurphy persists to help the patients to become men, and The Grapes of Wrath, where the family struggles to be alive in the Great Depression. Earning success is also illustrated throughout slavery and the civil movement, where black people fought passionately for their rights. </p>
<p>PS: I underlined the novels’ books.</p>