<p>If I can recall well enough, the Jan SAT essay prompt was to argue whether it's better for one to change one's attitude or one's circumstances. What did you argue, how did you argue it, and what grade did you receive on the essay?</p>
<p>i said attitide. i got 11.</p>
<p>Kewl. I argued for attitudes as well and got a 10. My premise was that attitudes are what truly help us to be successful, and to understand our attitudes, we need to introspect (as Titchener advocated). I talked about Raskolnikov in Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment trying to change his circumstances (his poverty) by killing a pawnbroker and her sister, but then being plunged into a hell of guilt. After all, his salvation didn't come until he changed his attitude. Then I discussed Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, and talked about how Okonkwo tried to change his circumstances because he didn't want to be like his "unworthy" father, therefore he committed violent and brutal acts, i.e killing his son, mistreating his daughter, abusing his wives, yadda yadda. All that all he needed to do was change his attitude, but that never came because he committed "the most cowardly act - suicide." Finally, I applied my thesis to a historical sense lending on the works of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller (vertical integration) and steel tycoon Andrew Carnegie (horizontal integration). I mentioned how they had attitudes to change the world, but umm nearing the end of this paragraph, my proctor called time. I only wished I'd finished. Boo hoo.</p>
<p>oh too bad you didnt finish. i bet it was a good essay. i used 2 supporting paras, one on its a wonderful life, and the other on life of pi. luckily i had seen the movie a month before, during christmas, so i remembered it. i just finished writing the last word when the lady called time so i couldnt read my essay over.</p>