Mack Academy Weblog

I thought I'd share a paper that I wrote for my English class.  The requirement was to use at least two methods (I decided to use reasons and comparison and contrast) to develop the paper.  The assignment was to write a paper about why I prefer a vacation at the mountains rather than a a vacation at the sea shore.   I do want to clarify that, while I still would prefer a visit to the mountains, I do enjoy visiting and learning about the seashore.  (And I love to visit aquariums!).  Just thought I'd mention that.  Here's my paper:

For a vacation, I prefer a visit to the forest rather than a visit to the seashore.  The variety in color, sounds, and sights in the mountains are much more appealing to me than the variety at the seashore.

The color scheme of the forest is extremely varied:  green trees burst into a brilliant gold, orange, or red in the autumn and scatter their leaves; the brown forest floor teems with insects and animals in a splattering of blues, grays, blacks, pinks, browns, reds, and many other colors; flowers poke their heads out to dazzle the world with their delicate colors and beauty; and berries pop out in delicious arrays of reds, greens, and blues.  While the seashore has a beauty of its own, there is very little color variety to keep me interested.  All is a blur of blue water, blue sky, white sands, white rocks, and white seagulls.  Most of the different colors in the seashore comes from the shells which have strips of pale pink or pale blue, and from the dirty brownish-green seaweed that washes up on the shore, and perhaps an occasional starfish that is washed into tiny pools.  There is an assortment of color, but not as striking as the collection of color found in the woods.

There also is a diversity of sounds in the forest that can be enjoyed by any listener.  Brooks and streams babble along, and birds chirp, sing, bicker, and call to each other throughout the day.  As the wind moves through the trees, it seems to hum a few notes - perhaps even a forgotten melody?  In the night, owls hoot, and a symphony – presented by the nearby frogs and crickets – reminds the listener that he is not quite alone.  The sounds of the sea however, are beautiful but not quite as varied.  The gentle whoosh of the waves washing up on the beach or the pound of the surf cannot match the strings and voices of the frogs and crickets.  Here, there is no chorus of birds – only the squawking of a hungry seagull.

Finally, the sights of the forest far outweigh the sights of the seashore.  In the early mornings, droplets of dew reflect the sunlight, causing the leaves and petals of bushes, trees, and flowers to sparkle as if thousands of tiny jewels had been sewn to them.  Timid deer wander out of their hiding places in search for food, and a lazy bear might lumber off in search of berries.   Of course the busiest animals by far are the squirrels and chipmunks who spend their days gathering nuts for the upcoming winter and planting trees.  In the winter, the snow falls, causing the whole wood to appear pristine and new.  In the forest, there is always a new creature to see, tree to climb, or path to explore.  While the seashore has its own sights – the sunsets; pools with crabs, starfish, and other life; and caves – it lacks the variety that keeps me guessing.

God created the forest and the seashore – each with its own beauty – and pronounced it good.  For me however, I will always prefer the color, sounds, and sights of the forest to that of the seashore.