Throughout the essay, Walker Percy tried to convey views regarding society and preconceived ideas. I understood the example of the discovery of the Grand Canyon to how people view it now. People have idealistic views of what something is going to be like or what they are going to experience from outside sources such as pictures or stories. However, if their expectations do not match exactly what they were told or had in mind they are let down. I thought Walker Percy did an excellent job of describing the situations and the imagery was excellent. I could picture the sightseer getting of the beaten track and the couple who observe the Indian dance. I think that the Walker Percy’s goal was to leave the reader questioning society and their own individual experiences.

However, as the essay went along I began to understand less of what Mr. Percy was trying to say. On page 474, paragraph three I did not understand what he was trying to elude to when discussing the expert and the surrender of sovereignty to take up the role of the consumer. Furthermore, at times the flow of the essay was difficult and It seemed like Percy was jumping from one thing to another and not giving a clear explanation of how the two things were related. For example,he discuss the need for the ethnologist and the loss of sovereignty. Then, in the next page, the second part of the essay Walker Percy describes a biology student. The vocabulary Walker chooses is also very advanced, and I found myself going to the vocabulary page or looking words up, in an attempt to understand the overall meaning of the passage.

I could see how this essay related to our discussion of cliche. I thought the essay as a whole was trying to say that society in general is very cliche. Our class defined a cliche as something that was predictable and typical. In the essay, Walker Percy used the couple driving down to Mexico searching for “it” as an example that we are always surrounded by the familiar (a cliche) and that we need to find something out of the ordinary. Also the Grand Canyon vacation is a very cliche family “road trip” on a greyhound bus thing to do. Lastly, I was more aware of the cliches located throughout the essay, for example on page 471 “he has other fish to fry”.

Before I entered college, I had an idealistic view of what Mary Washington and college would be like. Now that I am here, some of my views have changed, but others have remained constant. There are many thoughts and images that come to mind when I think of an undergraduate college experience. One picture I chose which represents the college experience is a buffet. There are many options and new opportunities that are offered once one enters the college world. Students are able to take numerous classes and join a vast number of clubs and activities. Being at Mary Washington, a liberal arts college one can take different kinds of classes. Similar to a buffet, a student can try out what they are interested in and learn from not only one subject but many. At a buffet one is able to sample a variety of foods rather than settling for one main course. Here in college, students too can dabble in many areas. There are opportunities to learn a new language, join a club, study abroad, and meet new friends. Before one has to decide what they want to do for the rest of their life, college is a time to get in line at the buffet and try a variety of different classes and activities which will prepare them for the future. This image was copyrighted with permission to use from getty images.

This picture also represents the college experience. College is a time where different groups of people are suddenly living together. People from all walks of life come together each with his or her own own experiences, likes, and dislikes. This image shows diversity within a Mary Washington dorm. There is an athlete, dancer, musician, Indian, computer geek, bookworm, and tomboy. Each one of us grew up differently, however we are able to learn and teach each other something about our past. This image describes how college students are exposed to people from different cultures. Nonetheless with all of our differences, we have one thing in common, we all chose to attend the Mary Washington community.

Freedom is another thought that enters most peoples’ minds when they enter college. This picture represents freedom. The dolphin is swimming in the ocean without a boundary, all that is ahead is the vast sea, free of limits. When one enters college, there are no longer parents giving instructions. Students are able to make decisions for themselves. College is a time for exploration, like the image of the dolphin exploring the ocean. Also, students in college are free to be whatever they choose. The dolphin in the picture is leaping out of the water. This represents how undergraduate college students can leave the comfort of their homes and explore a new world. This image was copyrighted with permission to use from getty images.

This picture depicts two people beginning a race. I feel this could also represent an undergraduate college experience because it shows people taking on a challenge. Throughout the four years of college, there are going to be ups and downs. College is step into the real world, and with that comes changes and challenges. There will be times when the workload might seem too much, or there will be difficulties with friendships. Nonetheless, these are the years where one can work through the adversities in order to win the race and graduate. The two athletes had to practice very hard in order to be ready to race. Similarly, college is a time where one can practice in order to succeed in what they choose to do. Like this image, when one enters college, the experience forces students to be brave and find something inside themselves they never knew they had. This picture was copyrighted and used with permission from getty images.

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