First Year Winner: The Price of Freedom

WRIT 1700A, Writing: Process and Practice. CD: Jon Sufrin.

Abstract

“The Price of Freedom” is a compelling, beautifully written personal essay on sacrifice, motherhood, and intergenerational connections. The author effortlessly moves the reader through their reflections as a daughter — through their inner turmoil of feeling indebted to their family to a profound recognition that repaying loved ones is to live a “life like they could not.” Through strong descriptive writing and thoughtful rhetorical flourishes, the author explores the themes of guilt and selflessness, womanhood, and childhood. The writer details vivid, moving memories of and with their mother and grandmother while constructing a harmonious relationship between self-discovery and their environment. The sentences are meticulously crafted, each adding nuance to the narrative and gracefully moving it forward. “The Price of Freedom” ultimately unveils and explores the dynamics between personal growth and selfless love, teaching readers that happiness is the best payment of all.