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The Yeshiva Atlanta Alumni Association's mission is to support Yeshiva Atlanta graduates by cultivating relationships amongst alumni, creating programs for alumni, and promoting alumni involvement within the Yeshiva Atlanta community.
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Congratulations to Chana Zolty, YA Class of 2012
Chana is second from the right.
Congratulations to Chana Zolty, YA Class of 2012, for winning the UMass Amherst Common Reading Essay Contest! Hundreds of UMass Amherst freshmen entered the competition, and Chana was one of only three winners.
Her essay analyzed the effective use of video game imagery in the novel Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. As a reward for her excellent essay, Chana and her fellow winners got the opportunity to meet and hang out with the author during Cline's recent campus visit. Click here for more details.
In her essay, Chana argued that "the world of Ready Player One, though seemingly fantastical due to the video game-themed imagery, is actually a quite accurate prediction of our future, as well as a cleverly executed parallel of the current life of the average American teenager." Relating this imagery to the quest for higher education, Chana pointed out that "'I want to go to college and succeed,' stems from the same sort of desire as 'I want to defeat this boss monster and level up.' Life is about success. It is about defeating monsters, whether metaphorical or literal, and leveling up our characters. And so, when the decision for college comes up in our lives, it is merely us leveling up our characters." You can read the full text of her essay here.
Her award continues her commitment to excellent writing, as she blossomed as a writer and poet during her time at YA. Chana studied poetry independently with YA English faculty for two and a half years in addition to taking Honors and AP English courses. She was also YA Co-Poet Laureate in 2012. We're sure this is just the beginning of her writing accomplishments in college and beyond. Great job, Chana!
Her essay analyzed the effective use of video game imagery in the novel Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. As a reward for her excellent essay, Chana and her fellow winners got the opportunity to meet and hang out with the author during Cline's recent campus visit. Click here for more details.
In her essay, Chana argued that "the world of Ready Player One, though seemingly fantastical due to the video game-themed imagery, is actually a quite accurate prediction of our future, as well as a cleverly executed parallel of the current life of the average American teenager." Relating this imagery to the quest for higher education, Chana pointed out that "'I want to go to college and succeed,' stems from the same sort of desire as 'I want to defeat this boss monster and level up.' Life is about success. It is about defeating monsters, whether metaphorical or literal, and leveling up our characters. And so, when the decision for college comes up in our lives, it is merely us leveling up our characters." You can read the full text of her essay here.
Her award continues her commitment to excellent writing, as she blossomed as a writer and poet during her time at YA. Chana studied poetry independently with YA English faculty for two and a half years in addition to taking Honors and AP English courses. She was also YA Co-Poet Laureate in 2012. We're sure this is just the beginning of her writing accomplishments in college and beyond. Great job, Chana!
Chana's Article:
Common Reading Essay Prompt:
At the heart of Ready Player One is a treasure hunt, full of puzzles to solve, villains to vanquish, and opponents to out-score. And yet unlike a lot of “fantasy” fiction, the book often feels quite realistic, as if it were set in our world, only a few decades into the future. Write an essay in which you connect Wade’s quest to themes or issues important to us today. How is this book of gaming about more than just a game? Use specific examples from the book to support your analysis or interpretation.)
The Game of Life
Chana Zolty
The world of Ready Player One, though seemingly fantastical due to the video game-themed imagery, is actually a quite accurate prediction of our future, as well as a cleverly executed parallel of the current life of the average American teenager. The book even takes place in the not-so-distant future; it is a clear warning for this generation to watch where our so-called innovations may take us. The hordes of teenagers, zombie-like, absorbed in a text-induced disconnection from reality; the hours spent staring mindlessly at what is really just a box of metal and plastic; the silent air of desperate-tinged, smoke-filled street corners where mysterious chemicals promise an “escape”; these are the first hints of the world Ernest Cline creates in Ready Player One. Although it feels as if a concept like the Oasis is far-fetched and utterly inapplicable to common, conventional life, various elements of Ready Player One are merely counterparts of the decisions my peers and I make every day. Wade is just "another sad, lost, lonely soul, wasting his life on a glorified video game" (198).
The other day I was speaking to a friend of mine about the decision to go to college. It seems like a lot of effort, as well as expense, simply for the sake of getting a job… which is something you can do without a degree. For me, education is necessary. It isn't an option or a choice, it's an accepted fact. Struggling to think of an analogy to convey my state of mind, I recalled Ready Player One, a book we had both read and enjoyed immensely. As we are both video game fans, I hit upon the perfect illustration.
Wade is more his avatar than himself--"Inside the simulation, no one knew who you really were, unless you wanted them to" (28).His existence is comprised mostly of dipping into a fantasy world where he can be the avatar he creates. Everything from his appearance to his occupations are utterly different from the way he is in real life. As with most multi-player role-playing games, Wade’s objective in the Oasis is to raise his levels by doing quests, battling fantastical creatures, and exploring the various, creative worlds. This "leveling-up" is the basis of video games--as it is in life.
Leveling up in life is much different from in video games; there are no ogres or spaceships, and there is a notable lack of magical powers. And yet, such as in Ready Player One, comparisons seem to be easily recognizable. Wade's real life and video game life morph so easily together ("The lines of distinction between a person's real identity and that of their avatar began to blur" (60)) because, behind the mask of actions, the motivation is the same. "I want to go to college and succeed," stems from the same sort of desire as "I want to defeat this boss monster and level up." Life is about success. It is about defeating monsters, whether metaphorical or literal, and leveling up our characters. And so, when the decision for college comes up in our lives, it is merely us leveling up our characters.
This is the analogy I used-- when buying upgrades for a character, there are always two major options. One is to get the quick, cheap power-up, which costs, say, 30 coins. This will level up the character to level 10. On the other hand is the massive power-up, which costs 60 coins--double that of the cheaper one. This one, however, levels up the character to level 30. Every video game player knows that the further one gets in a game, the more opportunities there are for more advanced leveling up. I take the fact that I'm going to college as a fact, because I know that I would choose the more powerful power-up in a heartbeat. The world is about to change for my classmates and I; we have the opportunity to decide our avatars as we wish. We can be the nerd who studies, the jock who plays football, the party girl, the book lover. Because, as in Ready Player One, our avatars aren't so different from ourselves.
The video game version of Wade may go on quests with dragons, but does that mean his adventure into IOI headquarters was any less exciting? The skills he used were different, but the danger was similar. In fact, Wade's antagonist in both the Oasis and real life is the exact same group of people. This draws a parallel between the two worlds. It is the same sort of conflict in both situations--whether it is Wade outwitting IOI by figuring out the puzzles of 80s facts, or Wade outsmarting them by figuring out the riddles of programming.
Despite the fact that he considers himself a different person in the Oasis and in real life, I believe Wade's avatar is merely a reflection of his real self. Despite physical and obvious differences, such as his mage abilities or his weight, Wade ultimately decides who he is. Which is why in the end, he picks real life over the Oasis. Life is about the challenges. It is about the difficulty and stress of college as much as the excitement of independence. In the Oasis, the conflict is easier to identify, which makes it appear to be easier to deal with. The Oasis is the type of escape people who do drugs, smoke, or party all night, search for, and is even described as such: "…the Oasis provided [an escape] that was cheap, legal, safe, and not (medically proven to be) addictive" (59). It is a place where the easily identifiable conflicts, and the simple, straightforward solutions, beckon to those who don’t want to face life.
Without conflict, however, we are nothing. The best poets, writers, musicians, and artists are able to draw influence on negative occurrences in their lives. Wade discovers this when the avatar of his hero, Halliday, explains "That was when I realized, as terrifying and painful as reality can be, it's also the only place where you can find true happiness. Because reality is real" (364). He comes to his own realization of this through his love of Art3mis, another video game addict who he finds himself falling for. Real, human emotions help him realize that despite the superficial wonders of the Oasis, there are some things in life that can’t be duplicated merely with clever programming. "I'd come to see my rig for what it was: an elaborate contraption for deceiving my senses, to allow me to live in a world that didn't exist. Each component of my rig was a bar in the cell where I had willingly imprisoned myself" (198).
These emotions are what make us human; distress and frustration, conflict’s side-effects, are what make people relatable--and innovative. The Oasis is a metaphor for every simple path that artists and success stories ignore. Without the constant-push back of conflict, society would deteriorate into the type of stasis apparent in Wade’s life—“Sometimes…I removed my visor and stared out the window… But the view was perpetually bleak, and each decaying, overcrowded city we rolled through looked just like the last” (165). Conflict and failure are the influences of the greatest wonders of the world. And without them, though life seems more pleasant, it is dull and uninspiring.
Success is work; art is resolution of conflict. And college is the perfect example of both.
At the heart of Ready Player One is a treasure hunt, full of puzzles to solve, villains to vanquish, and opponents to out-score. And yet unlike a lot of “fantasy” fiction, the book often feels quite realistic, as if it were set in our world, only a few decades into the future. Write an essay in which you connect Wade’s quest to themes or issues important to us today. How is this book of gaming about more than just a game? Use specific examples from the book to support your analysis or interpretation.)
The Game of Life
Chana Zolty
The world of Ready Player One, though seemingly fantastical due to the video game-themed imagery, is actually a quite accurate prediction of our future, as well as a cleverly executed parallel of the current life of the average American teenager. The book even takes place in the not-so-distant future; it is a clear warning for this generation to watch where our so-called innovations may take us. The hordes of teenagers, zombie-like, absorbed in a text-induced disconnection from reality; the hours spent staring mindlessly at what is really just a box of metal and plastic; the silent air of desperate-tinged, smoke-filled street corners where mysterious chemicals promise an “escape”; these are the first hints of the world Ernest Cline creates in Ready Player One. Although it feels as if a concept like the Oasis is far-fetched and utterly inapplicable to common, conventional life, various elements of Ready Player One are merely counterparts of the decisions my peers and I make every day. Wade is just "another sad, lost, lonely soul, wasting his life on a glorified video game" (198).
The other day I was speaking to a friend of mine about the decision to go to college. It seems like a lot of effort, as well as expense, simply for the sake of getting a job… which is something you can do without a degree. For me, education is necessary. It isn't an option or a choice, it's an accepted fact. Struggling to think of an analogy to convey my state of mind, I recalled Ready Player One, a book we had both read and enjoyed immensely. As we are both video game fans, I hit upon the perfect illustration.
Wade is more his avatar than himself--"Inside the simulation, no one knew who you really were, unless you wanted them to" (28).His existence is comprised mostly of dipping into a fantasy world where he can be the avatar he creates. Everything from his appearance to his occupations are utterly different from the way he is in real life. As with most multi-player role-playing games, Wade’s objective in the Oasis is to raise his levels by doing quests, battling fantastical creatures, and exploring the various, creative worlds. This "leveling-up" is the basis of video games--as it is in life.
Leveling up in life is much different from in video games; there are no ogres or spaceships, and there is a notable lack of magical powers. And yet, such as in Ready Player One, comparisons seem to be easily recognizable. Wade's real life and video game life morph so easily together ("The lines of distinction between a person's real identity and that of their avatar began to blur" (60)) because, behind the mask of actions, the motivation is the same. "I want to go to college and succeed," stems from the same sort of desire as "I want to defeat this boss monster and level up." Life is about success. It is about defeating monsters, whether metaphorical or literal, and leveling up our characters. And so, when the decision for college comes up in our lives, it is merely us leveling up our characters.
This is the analogy I used-- when buying upgrades for a character, there are always two major options. One is to get the quick, cheap power-up, which costs, say, 30 coins. This will level up the character to level 10. On the other hand is the massive power-up, which costs 60 coins--double that of the cheaper one. This one, however, levels up the character to level 30. Every video game player knows that the further one gets in a game, the more opportunities there are for more advanced leveling up. I take the fact that I'm going to college as a fact, because I know that I would choose the more powerful power-up in a heartbeat. The world is about to change for my classmates and I; we have the opportunity to decide our avatars as we wish. We can be the nerd who studies, the jock who plays football, the party girl, the book lover. Because, as in Ready Player One, our avatars aren't so different from ourselves.
The video game version of Wade may go on quests with dragons, but does that mean his adventure into IOI headquarters was any less exciting? The skills he used were different, but the danger was similar. In fact, Wade's antagonist in both the Oasis and real life is the exact same group of people. This draws a parallel between the two worlds. It is the same sort of conflict in both situations--whether it is Wade outwitting IOI by figuring out the puzzles of 80s facts, or Wade outsmarting them by figuring out the riddles of programming.
Despite the fact that he considers himself a different person in the Oasis and in real life, I believe Wade's avatar is merely a reflection of his real self. Despite physical and obvious differences, such as his mage abilities or his weight, Wade ultimately decides who he is. Which is why in the end, he picks real life over the Oasis. Life is about the challenges. It is about the difficulty and stress of college as much as the excitement of independence. In the Oasis, the conflict is easier to identify, which makes it appear to be easier to deal with. The Oasis is the type of escape people who do drugs, smoke, or party all night, search for, and is even described as such: "…the Oasis provided [an escape] that was cheap, legal, safe, and not (medically proven to be) addictive" (59). It is a place where the easily identifiable conflicts, and the simple, straightforward solutions, beckon to those who don’t want to face life.
Without conflict, however, we are nothing. The best poets, writers, musicians, and artists are able to draw influence on negative occurrences in their lives. Wade discovers this when the avatar of his hero, Halliday, explains "That was when I realized, as terrifying and painful as reality can be, it's also the only place where you can find true happiness. Because reality is real" (364). He comes to his own realization of this through his love of Art3mis, another video game addict who he finds himself falling for. Real, human emotions help him realize that despite the superficial wonders of the Oasis, there are some things in life that can’t be duplicated merely with clever programming. "I'd come to see my rig for what it was: an elaborate contraption for deceiving my senses, to allow me to live in a world that didn't exist. Each component of my rig was a bar in the cell where I had willingly imprisoned myself" (198).
These emotions are what make us human; distress and frustration, conflict’s side-effects, are what make people relatable--and innovative. The Oasis is a metaphor for every simple path that artists and success stories ignore. Without the constant-push back of conflict, society would deteriorate into the type of stasis apparent in Wade’s life—“Sometimes…I removed my visor and stared out the window… But the view was perpetually bleak, and each decaying, overcrowded city we rolled through looked just like the last” (165). Conflict and failure are the influences of the greatest wonders of the world. And without them, though life seems more pleasant, it is dull and uninspiring.
Success is work; art is resolution of conflict. And college is the perfect example of both.
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Jessica Morse's Video
Jessica Morse, granddaughter of Dr. & Mrs. Perry Brickman, and a 2006 graduate of YA, and 2011 graduate of Vanderbilt, is in her second year of Teach For America. She teaches algebra at an inner city school in the Phoenix, Arizona area and found her students were having difficulty with fractions. Revving up her creativity, she had Grandma Shirley make a video, attached here, which she hopes will make fractions relevant to her students. We are proud of our alumna and Mrs. Brickman!
Here is the Video
Here is the Video
