Swirling Water

Jack L.

• Artist Statement

  The later years of high school are characterized by looming dread and existential doubt. It is a period of bold decision making that will forever alter the course of one's life. The things that you do -- or do not do -- will effect your future prospects entirely. My piece, Swirling Water, seeks to capture the entirety of that aspect of high school life. The first half of the piece seeks to convey the stress and pressure that an average student may be under. The sentences are shorter and more chaotic. Many have double meanings. As the story progresses, it shifts to an allegory about the nature of life as compared to the behavior of water. The short story concludes as the narrator makes a final, lifechanging decision. The later half of the story is slightly longer and more pleasant to read as a reflection of the narrator's shifting state of mind. The story itself is directly inspired by my own experiences. Immediately after I returned home, with an enormous weight lifted from my shoulders, I put the experience to paper.

• Creative Statement

  Creativity is deviating from the standard course and using your imagination to construct something entirely unique.