Copying an essay?

Ok the title might be a little clickbait because i won’t exactly be copying, but I am having a dilemma.

I recently read an essay that I really loved structure wise and want to mimic that in my own personal statement.

Specifically - the author first talked about a language barrier that limited he/she from communicating with older generations in his/her family. He/she then goes on to explain how music helped bridge that gap.

I really like the way he/she communicated that idea, and would like to do something like that. I also cannot communicate with older generations in my family because of a language barrier and cultural differences (they grew up in another country, I grew up in America) but art has always been what has connected my family together. I want to write about art in a similar structure as the author of the music essay did but of course with my own experiences.

Is that plagiarism? I won’t be copying any lines from the music essay, but I do think both will sound somewhat similar structure wise.

Please give me some advice!

I would use the concept but not the structure. If you just plug different words into the same paragraphs, you’re playing with fire. Surely you can find a different way to present it.

“Nana and I were strangers until …”

“I speak __; my grandparents speak . We were strangers until …”

Random offerings. There would be many better.

I think that it is okay that you were inspired by that essay. As far as using the structure, you should try to put a different twist on it. Definitely do not read that essay anymore because you don’t want any of the phrases and wording “stuck” in your head. If you write an essay that is too similar that would be a form of plagiarism. Use it as a launching board to start brainstorming your own language barrier/art essay. You should be able to come up with a final essay that is uniquely your own.