The Clerk by Brittany

The Clerk by Brittany - April 2015 Scholarship Essay

Fairy tales all start in the same manner, and normally they all start with something similar to, “Once upon a time…”. Well my story will start a little different.

A long while ago, when I was a freshman in highschool, I tried out for the school play. Like most fourteen year olds I was nervous, but I wanted to try something new. For two days thirty different individuals auditioned for The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. A week later the list was posted of who actually made the cast, and low and behold I was on that list. Of the ten individuals who were cast I was the only freshman girl on a cast of all seniors, and I was proud.

However, this fourteen year old version of myself had no idea what The Canterbury Tales was all about. It didn’t take long for me to understand what the story was about, and a band of unlikely characters unfolded before me. One in particular, the clerk, stood out to me. A man who would gladly learn, and share his learning with others, is described as a man who rarely talks, but when he does his words are filled with wisdom. I’ve heard some english teachers call him the eternal student, and one whose thirst for knowledge is never quenched. It wasn’t until I was in my mid twenties that I realized this character, Chaucer’s clerk, was onto something all along.

My first career was as a pastry chef, and after two years of school I graduated with an associates degree. Five years later I found myself wanting to enroll in school again. I’ve never regretted the path I took to get where I am today. In my opinion, any knowledge is good, and in returning to school a whole new world of knowledge was opened up to me.

The purpose of education to me is about the sharing of knowledge to not only aid in the betterment of one’s self, but to society as a whole. Education is not only about furthering your mind, but it’s about sharing that knowledge with the world that surrounds you. There are so many wonderful and interesting facts in the world, and every little bit of information that I gain is well worth the effort in obtaining it.

This thirst for knowledge is a commonality I share with Chaucer’s character, but I’m not the only one. I believe everyone has something to offer their surrounding world, but in order to share that special talent one has to get an education. Education is a stepping stone to unlocking one’s potential. Whether you want to be a doctor, a computer programmer, or a journalist. The clerk was chastised for spending all of his money on books, but by doing so he was the smartest one of the lot. Education provides a means to impart your particular passion on the world.