From Fictional Failure to Personal Growth by Anelle
Anelle's entry into Varsity Tutor's October 2025 scholarship contest
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From Fictional Failure to Personal Growth by Anelle - October 2025 Scholarship Essay
Avoiding uncomfortable truths is a common human tendency, which can eventually lead to an unforeseen and devastating reality. Esme, from "The Lake," sneaks out of her cabin at the age of 8 with her best friend Kayla to burn a small fire in the woods. However, the fire ends up spreading and injuring a girl named Lillian in the process. Esme is a character who has provided me with a vital lesson: avoiding accountability for a past mistake is not a path to peace, but rather a path of corrosive force that inevitably consumes your life with guilt.
Upon returning to the camp, Esme's behavior is defined by intense anxiety and an overwhelming sense of guilt. As Esme returns to the camp, she is immediately put on edge and is paranoid. Esme’s unreleased secret dwells in the back of her mind, forbidding her to let go and have a carefree summer full of new experiences. This introduces a central theme of "Guilt, Secrets, and Lies.
Esme’s story taught me a lesson that allowing guilt from a past mistake to fester within you can paralyze you with dread and anxiety. For example, in middle school I had a test I didn't study for in science class. When I got the test, I sat in the back of the class so I could cheat on my phone. When I started my test, I realized it was fairly easy but was stumped on a few questions, so I decided to cheat. When I turned it in I felt an immense feeling of guilt that racked through my body. The guilt didn't go away, so the next day I told the teacher I cheated; he heard me out on my justification, but still took off points from the questions I cheated on. While my mistake was minor, the lesson was profound: by facing my pride and guilt I was able to feel relief within me. Since that day, I have prioritized integrity and honesty, even when it's difficult, because I learned that a clean conscience is more valuable than a perfect grade.
Esme’s fate within the book serves as a cautionary tale that ignoring problems and hiding from the past only gives your secrets more power. Being honest, though sometimes containing consequences, is the only path to a clear resolution. Esme’s failure has taught me the importance of facing challenges with integrity, taking responsibility, and being able to live with a clean conscience. Esme's tragic story has enforced a commitment within me to be an honest person who deals with difficult situations head-on, rather than hiding them in the past.