Chris Sallarulo
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Ms. McGee
2B AP English 12
16 March 2009
My Soul
In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde uses the Dorian Gray=s portrait as an insight
into the soul of this badly influenced man. I attempted to create a similar portrait of myself. In this
endeavor to mimic the concept created by Wilde, I must inform my audience that I lacked the
supernatural forces to make the illustration correspond with my changing soul; accordingly I chose
to show all of the changes I can consciously recollect. Reflecting upon my illustration I will
attempt to differentiate my soul from my personality, and explain that which collectively makes
me; Christopher Patrick John Sallarulo.
The soul I bear is a multifaceted one to say the least, it is complex and unique; eccentric
and broad; weird and changing; however it is described, it is mine and mine alone, and for that I am
truly most proud. On this note I can explain the two quotes on the left hand side of my soul
illustration. As said by Ralph Waldo Emerson, ADo not go where the path may lead, go instead
where there is no path and leave a trail.@ This quote is a great example of how I feel about
conforming, I refuse to do such a thing; I shall not follow because I choose the role of leader. As
said by Henry David Thoreau, AGo confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you
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have imagined.@ This quote explains how I can aspire to be the leader my soul demands me to be.
I have dreamt a life only attainable by those ambitious and determined, my vivid imagination has
created a destiny for me, I must adhere to this calling and accomplish all that I have imagined to
do. However, none of this can be done without knowledge. To have a strong mind is absolutely
vital; my soul revolves around the hopeful notion that a strong mind is its conductor. Translated
from Italian to English, Acognizione e= chiave@ means knowledge is key. This translation is done
in Italian because of the importance being Italian has to my soul. As many people know family
means everything to the Italian culture, but what many do not know is that knowledge means
nothing to the Italians if you have no family to support it.
Aside from my ways of thinking, my soul is symbolically represented through many of the
material entities shown in this illustration. Sadly, my physical self does not show all that makes my
soul; luckily this illustration gives me the opportunity to display such things. For example, in
reality, I do not have a beard upon my face; however I am quite sure that my soul=s face is fully
bearded. I can=t be sure why my soul has this, perhaps it is my subconscious rationalization for not
having a beard. However, other material items in this illustration I can explain. My soul wears a
relatively bright shirt in this, I believe this accounts for one of my methods of expression. Notice
that the shirt is left unbuttoned, this is intended to symbolize my openness to everything, I suppose
my acceptance of diversity. Within this shirt opening lays a gold chain with a crucifix upon it. This
gold chain was once my late uncle=s, now it is my way of keeping his soul within my own. Upon
it lies a crucifix, this is one of the most important symbols within this illustration. As the first name
Christopher means, I am a bearer of Christ, my soul belongs to him. The glasses upon my eyes
have far greater purpose than for protection from the sun, they are truly shields. I believe looking
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someone in the eyes is the same as looking into their soul. I don=t intend on having my soul stolen
or analyzed by anyone, and accordingly, I will let the world know only two things about my soul
from the exterior; peace and love. I believe that peace and love should be embraced, for they are,
deep down, universal attributes to the soul. Although I do realize that peace and love is the cliche
hippie saying, I do believe that my soul demand these two things. Life should be harmonious and
enjoyable; such a life is possible when our souls are peaceful and loving. The violence, hatred,
greed, and selfishness which are so prevalent in the world today exemplify the toxins which result
in the horrid souls such as Dorian Gray.
Many other aspects of this illustration contribute to my soul. Shining from above is a sun
with a smile on its face; symbolically this refers to the positive light which shines upon me,
ultimately leading to my uncanny optimism. Below the sun lies my soul=s preferable setting, the
serene locations of the mountains and the sea. I believe that even if these are not the setting I end
up in, the most important thing to do is taste what the location has to offer, hence my soul=s tongue
flailing in the wind. The ability to sense and perceive the world around me is one of the most
significant attributes to my soul. I have expressed the importance of sight, taste, and touch to my
soul, but none equate to the significance of hearing to my soul. Without the sense of hearing my
soul would be empty, hearing gives my soul the inspiration it needs through music. Music is
colored in highlighter upon the illustration and is done so because it is the highlight of my soul. My
soul is expressed through music more than anything; whether I am listening to it or creating it,
music completely reflects my soul. Next to the illustration of music is a swirl with different colors
being compiled together. This is done with the intentions of expressing the fact that everything in
my soul is correlated with music. Music is truly the cornerstone of my soul.