Hey, I am a junior preparing for the SAT and wanted some advice for the SAT Essay. I had recently taken the SAT on April and my lowest score was on writing because of my essay, which was a 9. If you guys could grade my essay and give any advice, it would be great (btw, if you were wondering, I did make up some quotes :P).
Prompt: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
Most human beings spend their lives doing work they hate and work that the world does not need. It is of prime importance that you learn early what you want to do and whether or not the world needs this service. The return from your work must be the satisfaction that work brings you and the world’s need of that work. Income is not money, it is satisfaction; it is creation; it is beauty.
~ Adapted from: W.E.B. Du Bois, The Autobiography of W.E.B. Du Bois: A Soliloquy on Viewing My Life from the Last Decade of Its First Century
Is it more important to do work that one finds fulfilling or work that pays well? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
A common adage states, “do what you love, love what you do.” Mahatma Gandhi, a well-known civil rights activist regarded as the father of India, reflected this statement through his humanitarian actions and ideals. Although a well-established lawyer with an education from Britain and experience in South Africa, Gandhi was only able to find satisfaction by fighting for his country’s independence and by aiding those who were less fortunate than himself, such as untouchables, men and women who were treated harshly as they were born into the lowest caste. As shown by Gandhi’s experiences, it is more important for an individual to pursue what he loves rather than what achieves him money. This notion has also been exemplified by historical figures and American literature.
One compelling illustration, which demonstrates how satisfaction from a job is more significant than the wealth attained from it, is portrayed by the novel, Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison. The main protagonist, an unnamed narrator, must face a multitude of challenges as a black man in a segregated and racist society. Seeking to promote egalitarian ideals where he lives, Harlem, New York, the narrator decides to join an organization called the “Brotherhood” as a well-paid speaker. Later, though, the protagonist realizes that the Brotherhood has manipulated him in order to further it’s duplicitous schemes, which include bringing chaos and anarchy to Harlem. Consequently, the narrator abandons the Brotherhood to pursue his own ideals and beliefs rather than being an “invisible man” whose identity is dependent on the convictions of others. The protagonist follows what he felt would bring him satisfaction rather than upholding his well-paying job with the Brotherhood.
The theme that a job that brings happiness is more important than one that pays well is also exemplified by Frederick Douglass and his actions. Born as a slave on a plantation, Douglass experienced great mental distraught and consternation at the sight of his master beating and mistreating his family and other African-American slaves around him. Later, Douglass realizes that black men are not inherently inferior to whites but are forced to believe so because of their ignorance and subjugation. Because of this epiphany, Douglass rebelled against his masters and escaped from slavery, running away to New York. With his newfound freedom, Douglass had multiples opportunities to pursue further education and acquire a well-established and paying job. Instead, Douglass became an abolitionist activist, pursuing a profession that paid less but allowed him to fulfill his desires of making his story and ideals known to the public.
As literature such as Invisible Man and historical figures such as Douglass illustrate, it is much more important for people to follow their desires and ambitions through their professions instead of money and affluence. The ideal that following one’s beliefs is more important than acquiring money does not have to only be applied to professions though. It can also be applied to all decisions and experiences in life. As Martin Luther King once stated, “Money and power may satisfy you for a moment but following your heart will fulfill you forever.”
