回答Common主文第四题：
戏剧小王子
Slaying Visigoths and apprehending secret agents made me realize that I have a problem with my dreams. During my junior year, who of the roles I played were Pippin in the musical “Pippin” and Richard Hannay in the Play “The 39 Steps.” Pippin is a young, erudite prince who has an overwhelming drive to do something meaningful and fulfilling with his life but hasn’t the slightest idea what that could be. He experiments with war, fame, politics, sexuality, art and religion until he settles down and lives an “ordinary” life. Richard Hannay, conversely, was leading a quiet, successful, boring life until adventure and intrigue literally shot at him out of the blue, giving him a ride James Bond would envy. He too comes to the conclusion that tranquility with a loving wife is preferable to constant dangerous exploits. I am faced with Pippin and Richard’s problem: how do I know what dreams are worthy of chasing?
生存还是毁灭，这是一个问题
Acting compels performers to have insight into their own character, not just the one way they are currently portraying. After playing Pippin and Richard, I contemplated what it means to be ordinary, and discovered I am as repelled by the idea as they once were. As a teenager, the thought of settling down with a family has not once crossed my mind, nor does it seem truly special or fulfilling. Pippin, Richard, and I all have one common character trait: unrequited yearning. We feel that life isn’t meaningful unless we fulfill our burning desire to make a mark on the world and do something truly spectacular. To me, it seems like a concession when both Pippin and Richard decide to settle with a family and live peaceful lives in obscurity; that isn’t a viable solution to my dilemma.
美国梦和消费主义
In America today, there is an overwhelming expectation to have a direction or set plan regarding personal aspirations. We are continually bombarded with advertisements, media messages and social pressure endorsing the notion that young people can be anything they want to be. Many around me are already locked onto such tracts toward what they think will make them happy ad bring them fulfillment.
But how can they be certain their plans will succeed?
以退为进，寻找我的那片天空
To an extent, I can understand why Pippin and Richard settled on family life: it made them happy. And what’s the point of living, of going about quotidian routine, ceaselessly toiling toward something that doesn’t truly bring happiness? Despite meeting all of society’s expectations and attaining wealth, Pippin and Richard were both unfulfilled and depressed. Just like those characters, I know that there is something out there that isn’t so mercenary that fosters a sense of meaning and fulfillment.
Who knows? Maybe my quest for profound consequence in life will lead me full circle back to the simple joys of humanity. But until then, I plan on writing every ounce of significance and excitement out of every extraordinary experience I can find. Why not chase all my dreams? While thinking of my future’s uncertainty once overwhelmed me with dread, it now instills me with enthusiasm for the unfamiliar roads waiting to be explored. In the words of Pippin, I know I have to search for my “corner of the sky.”
AADPS陈欣老师点评：确实是很讨巧的文书。第一点可以说的是至少对于Common主文而言，文书题目的扣题相对而言不像国内高考作文那么严格。题目更像是一些引起讨论的引子而非具体要求。大家在寻找素材和构思时也不用太被限制了。
然后文书里面要不经意的体现出折煞外行的专业知识，不过这点上知乎的各位大V做得更好。看上一百个高票答案基本也能无师自通了。
中国人和美国人其实在论证和争论的时候都容易认死理，觉得自己就是对的。但这篇文章的结论在我看来也未必是让步，只是美国高中生在课堂讨论批判性思维(critical thinking)的时候顺带学到的一种辩论技巧。不过这个技巧显然确实能把招生官套路住，所以大家也可以学一学。
招生官点评：对于这篇文书为何能脱颖而出，我有好几个理由：
首先，我读了文书之后，他对于戏剧的密切联系和激情让我久久难以忘怀。我当即明白了他为何选择这个作为文书主题。很多时候我会读到很有趣的故事，但其中并没有真正的联系和个人意义上的重要性。
其次，藉由他在舞台上描绘的角色，这篇文书传递了求知欲以及专业知识，以及这些对他人生观的塑造。这些特质并不能被假装或生造出来。他体现了自己的深思熟虑、自省和自知之明。这些都是文书中的亮点，通常在申请的其他部分也不好体现。
再次，写作水平非常之高。在阅读成百上千篇文书后，我们咬文嚼字的程度应该已经远不及你高中英语老师了。但对于一篇选词用心、句式多变且语言生动的文书，我们总还是欢迎的。
最后，文书表达的信息体现了探索的兴趣且展示了作者是一个思维开放的人，这点在我们的校园社区中颇受重视。他自己其实并不确信生活的下一章会把他带往何方，但他对未来的旅程十分激动并接受各种可能的结果。这篇文书让我确信他在埃默里可以充分利用时间、资源和机会。
重要通知
本文由AADPS编译自https://blog.emoryadmission.com/2016/10/strong-personal-statements-part-3-showcasing-your-passion/，原始发布地址是https://aadps.net/2022/14440.html。如发现其他自媒体盗用文章，欢迎粉丝告知或协助我们举报。