Essay #2

Simple Man:
An Essay on Simple Things
An Essay by Inpyo Hong
9th Grade English
Pine Point School
10/03/11

    Henry David Thoreau said, “As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, or weakness.” My friend, Brian Lee, is a successful man who lives in a simple life with simple minds. My dad is also a simple man who simplified his complex life by trying and working hard. Perhaps this shows us that we have to be uncomplicated in order to benefit our life.
    To begin with, there are certain relations between “Simple Man” and my friend, Brian Lee. Firstly, one part of the lyrics—“Oh, take your time… Don’t live too fast”—reminds me of his uncomplicated personality. Brian always takes his time and gets things done properly even though he might have a lot on his schedule. Since he does not make an error nor rush to finish his job, he consistently gets favorable results. Secondly, the verse that says, “Oh be something, you love and understand,” cued me to recognize Brian’s profession. For example, Brian is a successful lawyer in South Korea who loves and understands his job. Plainly, he studied ardently for many years but did not give up because he desired to become a lawyer. Finally, the lyrics—“And you can do this, oh baby, if you try”—delineates Brian’s simple eagerness. He is a manifest and zealous man who tried his best to become a lawyer. He is an unadorned and fervent man who did not give up his study even though he confronted a few failures on bar examinations. Thus, “Simple Man” and Brian Lee have some connections, which depict that being simple assists our life.
          Not only does Brian have a few relations with “Simple Man”, but also my dad has certain connections with the song. First of all, the verse that says, “Troubles will come and they will pass,” makes me recall the story of my dad’s tireless exertion to overcome his adversities. When he was a juvenile, his inauspicious indigence interrupted his dream of being an artist. However, he enhanced himself by studying hard without any support from his parents, and extricated himself from poverty. In addition, another part of the lyrics—“Oh be something, you love and understand”—discloses another connection between “Simple Man” and my dad. My dad is a simple man who had a dream of becoming successful; he built his way up with magnificent endeavors since he always desired to conquer his afflictions. My dad is now a successful businessman and an architect who loves and understands his job. Furthermore, the lyrics that say, “And you can do this, oh baby, if you try,” demonstrates the other relation between my dad and “Simple Man”. My dad was born in a destitute family and raised by only his mother because his father died before he was born. Nevertheless, he did not let himself use an excuse of poverty and his father’s death, and he strove through hindrances by studying hard, moving on his own to a city to attend schools, and moving to the capital city of South Korea to confront a great success. Hence, a simple life—my dad’s life—equals a successful life, which we all should accomplish by living a plain life.
          Consequently, we all have to simplify our complex life to achieve a cheerful and successful life. Brian does not rush or make an error because he has uncomplicated thoughts and minds, which assist his life. My dad simply endeavored to overcome his adversities, which supported him to accomplish his dream. Therefore, Brian Lee, my dad, and “Simple Man” mirror Henry David Thoreau’s concept: “As [they] simplify [their] life, the laws of universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, or weakness.”