50 Harvard Essays

Essays are for reference only. Do NOT copy or imitate anything! 
Plagiarism is severely punished! 
them to know how to taste life! 
My exclamation point symbolizes a general zeal for life that I want to share with 
others. And I know that is has become as much a part of me as it has my signature. 
ANALYSIS 
This essay uses a small punctuation mark to make a big point, loudly and forcefully. 
It answers the question “who are you?” in a notably creative, exciting, and 
elucidating manner. Through an unconventional presentation, the author manages 
to captivate the reader’s attention, while informing him/her of substantially 
revealing personal qualities. The strong, energized voice that is used delivers both 
a general, palpable sense of enthusiasm and a glimpse into specific ways that it 
manifests in the author’s life. 
The technical writing in this essay demonstrates skill. Each paragraph expresses 
one idea with cogency and brevity. A personified punctuation mark is presented 
through an interesting image and is then related to in light of the author’s character. 
The final lines of each paragraph then cleverly bring a close to the ideas presented 
therein. 
Though the addition of an exclamation mark could be seen as gimmicky, the author 
demonstrates that she has the energy and thoughtfulness needed to back up her 
unusual choice, in real life and on the page. It is obviously not a decision she has 
made lightly, not just to make her application stand out, although one gets the 
impression that Myung! would stand out in any crowd, regardless of her name. it’s 
a risky move, but for her, it works. 
“Myself” 
“Myself” 
--by Jamie Smith 
A teenage girl, JAMIE, walks out on stage alone from stage left. She has brown hair 
that falls to her shoulders and deep blue eyes. She is wearing a white blouse and 
blue jeans and in her right hand is a pair of binoculars. The stage is dark except for 
a single spotlight following JAMIE across the stage. When she reaches the center, 
she sits down on the edge of the stage, her feet dangling over, and raises the 
binoculars to her eyes. She proceeds to stare at the audience through them for a 
few seconds, then slowly moves them away from her face. 
JAMIE: With these binoculars I can see each one of you on an extremely personal 
level. (She brings the binoculars to her eyes then down again.) Do any of you 
audience members by any chance have your own pair handy? (scanning the 

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