College admission essay

One part of the Senior Project in English IV requires students to write a sample college admission essay. The essay topics come from various universities around the country; Justin P. wrote an imaginative essay in reponse to this prompt adapted from the University of Chicago:

Create a metaphor for yourself using something you would find in your kitchen or your garage. List as many similarities or relationships between yourself and this object as you can think of, then elaborate on this comparison in an essay. Why is this object a good representation of you?

Justin's response:

If I had to compare myself to an object in my kitchen or basement, I would compare myself to a banana. Some, or most people, will think this is odd, but I think I have this figured out. The typical person would most likely choose something with obvious meaning such as a sharp knife, vicious blender, or powerful sledge hammer. As you can see, I’m not the typical person. Justin is a banana.

The main reason I would compare myself to a banana is because you can’t really judge a banana by its cover. In order to receive nutrients you must remove the outer layer and consume the fruit. In a way, I can relate to this. I believe that a person cannot get to know me until my outer shell is removed. Although I may not have the most nutritious core, it is their decision to accept me for who I am. It is better for someone to like me for who I am, other than how good I look on the outside.

Normally, bananas are usually long and pretty slender, as am I. Even though I’m not yellow and I’m not one big curve, I am tall and skinny. Also, bananas have a pretty tough outer layer and a soft inside. I can’t say I’m a tough man, but I’m no wiener. I am a banana. As soft as I may be on the outside, my inside is always softer.
However many bananas you’ve seen, I’m pretty sure you’ve never seen a matching pair. And for those who have, disregard this paragraph. Like a banana, I am one of a kind. There may be some people that look like me or act like me, but they aren’t me. So, for those who are writing about this same topic, “Justin The Banana” is already taken.

I hope I have made myself clear on why I think I’m a banana. The similarities between a person and boring fruit may be hard to find, but they are there. You just have to use your head and be a little creative. Here are a few thoughts to sum all this up. If you see me somewhere, get to know me before you make your assessment. If you’ve never eaten a banana, try it before you knock it. If you don’t like me, gather your thoughts, and let’s work something out. If you don’t like bananas then grab some sugar and vanilla wafers and let’s make banana pudding!