Lessons from Between the Pages
Identity is a peculiar thing. It is the tapestry of every interaction, every experience, every thought we have ever had. Most importantly, it is a reflection of those who have touched our lives, for better or for worse. Of course, my parents, relatives, and friends have played a huge and crucial role in the shaping of my identity. However, there have been others—found in very unconventional places— who have touched my life and helped to sculpt me into the person I am as well. One such person is someone found not in the reality of the world around me but between the pages of a book. This person is Severus Snape, a character from the book series Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling.
Snape was rarely the most likeable person. He was cruel, spiteful, and vindictive. He bullied his students, he based much of his life off lies and deceit, and he secluded himself from the world around him, choosing instead to lock himself in the darkness of the dungeons and make children's lives miserable. However, Snape was, at the same time, the most selfless character in the series. In the final book of the Harry Potter series, after questioning the allegiance of Snape every other page for ten years, we discover that Snape was in love with Harry's mother nearly all his life, and everything he did was in order to redeem a mistake he made as a teenager regarding her. He taught me that it is never too late to turn your life around, and he taught me that love is the most powerful and driving force in all the world.
In spite of all the obstacles this character faced, and in spite of his very clear imperfections, he dedicated his life to doing good, to redeeming himself, and, most of all, to love. In life, I realize that there will always be obstacles and there will always be times when it would be easier to give in and do the wrong thing. However, like Snape, I believe I can find the strength to choose good over evil, and even if I make a few mistakes along the way, I know that there will always be a way to rectify them—however difficult it may be. The deep, death-defying, lifelong love this character harbored touched me more powerfully than I could have expected. The way a human being, even a fictional character, could love someone so purely that they would sacrifice their very identity for this person was such a beautiful, colossal, magnificent idea. I hope to make this selfless, unconditional love an element of my own identity—not only in a romantic sense, but, perhaps more importantly, in terms of my friends and family.
Identity is a peculiar thing. It is the tapestry of every interaction, every experience, every thought we have ever had. Most importantly, it is a reflection of love.
Well, there it is! The completed essay, thanks to all of your advice, criticisms, and encouragement! I appreciate every single review more than you know! Thank you, thank you!