Question was based off of the Practice SAT on the Collegeboard website: Should people make more of an effort to keep some things private? 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.
First off, I made up the first quote, based on some advice from some SAT books I read that supported the idea. What I would like to know is if it is obvious that it is fake. Other than that, please grade the rest of the essay as it usually would be.
FDR once said that “Things should be left where they were meant to be.” In other words, the natural location of objects should not be disturbed. Privacy lies along a similar vector. Though one of the cherished principles of the United States is privacy, heralded and boasted everywhere by Americans, internal security concerns and corruption have led to exposure of people’s lives. Privacy should be emphasized upon the people, in order to protect their interests. This notion is reflected through history, literature, and media.
The importance of privacy is illustrated in the Watergate Scandal during President Nixon’s term. Due to Nixon’s desire to monitor and curb any and all opposition to his presidency, he embarked upon an attempt to infiltrate the Watergate hotel to gain information. However, due to an imperfectly executed plan, the plot was uncovered, and Nixon’s rapid firing of cabinet members and staff only served to exacerbate the situation. Had Nixon simply “left things as they were”, and ignored any naysayers, he may still be remembered today as one of the greatest presidents. Due to the scandal, he is now infamous for one of the worst terms in office. No other president save for Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton have ever come as close to being impeached as Nixon had. Privacy is key to the people’s good will, and by disturbing the privacy, Nixon brought upon his own demise.
Another example of emphasizing privacy is reflected in the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The primary antagonist, Chillingsworth, seeks throughout the entire novel to unravel the identity of Hester’s lover. His push consumes him with rage and hatred, transforming him from a scholarly scientist into a frail, wretched creature. Even after Chillingsworth has realized Hester’s lover is the minister Dimmesdale, he only seeks to inflict more pain upon the two, despite Hester and Dimmesdale’s efforts to cover up the scandal. Had Dimmesdale not decided to atone for his sin of adultery by carving an “A” into his chest, Chillingsworth’s wrath may have left the two lovers untouched. But due to both parties’ lack of proper concealment of the crime, Hester is forced to wear an “A” on her chest, and Dimmesdale the flesh and blood equivalent of Hester’s.
A final picture of the importance of privacy is shown through modern media. In the television series “Arrow”, Oliver Green, the protagonist, spends the entirety of two seasons attempting to disconnect himself from the hellish years he spent on a deserted island. While on the island, he made himself into the sworn enemy of a former ally, Slade Wilson. In addition, Wilson is empowered by the “Mirakuru”- a superhuman drug that turns the average human being into a demigod. Oliver’s failure at properly concealing the past leads his family to suspect the validity of the fake stories he conjured. It also leads to the ultimate death of his mother and girlfriend. Oliver could’ve chosen on the island to actually conceal the true cause of the death of Slade’s lover, but his failure to do so cost his fortune and family.
As exemplified through the Watergate Scandal, The Scarlet Letter, and “Arrow”, privacy is something most take for granted. In doing so, multiple gaps are left through which deceiving charlatans can expose facts, ruin lives, and tarnish reputations. A tremendous emphasis on proper privacy must be commanded in order to protect the people’s desires and secrets.
