Frenemy

Dear English,

I hate how you limit me. Why make us follow rules that no one likes? It’s like, do the laundry; make dinner; don’t forget to take the garbage out. Instead it’s make your thesis; state your avenues of approach; don’t forget your closing. Now that’s not really following the rules, is it? And those who don’t follow the rule, make history. Why not make history with them and write in your own style. I hate how everything about you has to be straight forward. “You can’t do this, or you can’t do that.” “How could you start a sentence with ‘and’?” Maybe I want to make a difference. Maybe I want to break the rules. Maybe I want to write for me and not for you. I detest the way English teachers put a book in front of your face and say, “Read it.” The only thing worse than writing an essay is being forced to read something just because it is on the curriculum. Books should be chosen by your personal interests. They should be a reflection of yourself and not how good you are. With your perfect sentence structure and your amazing reviews. That means nothing but words to me. And yet, and please note that yes I did start with ‘and’, you make me keep wanting to come back. I live for using my own rules, but the only way I can do this is by writing anything but an essay. Story writing- where the rules go as far as your imagination goes. Nothing counts, and yet it still manages to come out like a masterpiece. Why is that?  Earnest Hemingway wrote a complete story with only six words. Jamaica Kincaid wrote a story in only one sentence. This is what I like. This is what I remember, so thank you. I am loving this love hate relationship we have going on.

 

Sincerely,

Rule Breaker