The Achievemnet of Desire

So far one of my favorite essay's. The way it was written reminded me a little of Henry Adams because Richard referred to himself in third person on a couple of occasions. The idea of the essay was great because I can relate, to the opposite side. I was never much of a reader until two months ago and now I love it. I get the same feeling that he got, ". . . anything to fill the hollow within me and make me feel educated." I do feel like that but not to his point of obsession. I wish that I had read more, and I feel like I'm starting to do that. It is quite funny though that his parents didn't really support his reading but I do like the fact the he says, "He is the great mimic; a collector of thoughts, not a thinker; the very last person in class who ever feels obliged to have an opinon of his own." This reminds me of the movie Good Will Hunting, there is a certain part in the movie that encompasses this quote from the essay:

[Sean (Robing Williams) speaking to Will (Matt Damon)]
"So if I asked you about art, you'd probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him. Life's work, political aspirations, him and the pope, sexual orientations, the whole works, right? But I'll bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You've never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling; seen that. If I ask you about women, you'd probably give me a syllabus about your personal favorites. You may have even been laid a few times. But you can't tell me what it feels like to wake up next to a woman and feel truly happy. You're a tough kid. And I'd ask you about war, you'd probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, 'once more unto the breach dear friends.' But you've never been near one. You've never held your best friend's head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help. I'd ask you about love, you'd probably quote me a sonnet. But you've never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes, feeling like God put an angel on earth just for you. Who could rescue you from the depths of hell. And you wouldn't know what it's like to be her angel, to have that love for her, be there forever, through anything, through cancer. You're an orphan right?
You think I know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are, because I read Oliver Twist? Does that encapsulate you?"

I think this is how Richard felt in some of his years of reading so much and just being that "mimic" and not having a fresh idea or any time to think on his own. He does later realize it though.