TAKE THE PLUNGE
Gloria Emerson
Gloria Emerson was a famous journalist. She worked as a foreign correspondent for the New York Times from 1965 to 1972.But besides being a journalist; she was the writer of the first water. It remained her strong desire throughout her life to do something extraordinary.
The essay, “Take the Plunge”, is a beautiful description of her personal experience of sky diving. . She focuses on the view point that the youngsters should overcome come their shyness to go ahead with great deeds. Now it has been proved scientifically that men and women are equal in all respects.
The write was the least suitable person for the sky diving as she was weak physically. She was not bold enough to do it at all. . She had bad back, uncertain ankles. In spite of all this, she was dominant by the idea of doing something bold and thrilling and she decided upon sky diving.
The first U.S sports parachuting center was opened at Orange, Massachusetts seventy miles from Boston by an ex-marine Jacques Istle. He organized the first U.S jumping team in 1956. The writer was taken to this center on a May morning. This was a sky diving training center. The writer put on her kit and boarded a Cessna-180 plane with her companion who was also to jump.
The writer companion jumped first. Then it was her turn. She was horrified. She was tied up to an automatic opening device. Her instructor took her through the doorway and ordered her to jump out. . Her parachute opened at once and she found herself moving downwards to the earth with perfect ease and comfort. There was complete silence, no noise of the plane. . Now she was feeling very happy. She looked down and saw the colorful earth. . Parachute became a toy in her hands. . She was fascinated and she wanted to remain in the air for a long time. . But she landed at a sandpit with a bump.
The same day she was taken to see James Gavin. Everybody was happy as well as surprised because she was the first lady who had jumped from the plane with the help of parachute.
What were Emerson s’ feelings throughout the essay, did those feelings change?
‘Take the Plunge’ is a beautiful essay written by a world famous authoress, Gloria Emerson.. She was basically a journalist. But she wanted to do something extraordinary in her life. At last she decided to jump through a plane with the help of a parachute.
She joined a training center and got necessary training. After that she wore the kit and boarded Cessna -180 plane with her companion who also was to jump with her. When the plane reached the height of 20,000 thousand feet, they were asked to jump. Her companion jumped first, but when her turn came she got nervous. She clung to the iron rod of the pane. . She wanted to go to the washroom. Her heart started throbbing rapidly. . She wanted to remove the heavy kit. . Her instructor yelled and said, Go”. At last she jumped the plane. First she heard the loud noise of the plane and the fast moving w gusts of wind. Her nose and eyes were discharging water. She was totally terrified.
But all of a sudden, her parachute opened with a jerk. The noise of the plane and air vanished.
Parachute became a toy in her hands. The blue sky was looking very beautiful. ,. There was utter peace and comfort. The earth looked beautiful and colorful to her. Now, she wanted to stay in the air for a long time. But she was getting nearer and nearer to her destination. At last, she landed on a sandpit. At the same time she was taken to see James Gavin. Now everybody was happy and surprised at her bold act.
It is proved that women are equal to men in all respects. Emerson was the least suitable person for a parachute jumping. But she did that and made every one surprise. She was a bold lady a courageous woman. No doubt that during all her venture, she could not focus on her feelings but over all she enjoyed it.
1. Take the Plunge’ deals with human s’ desire to do something unusual?
2. How does Emerson maintain the focus on her feelings throughout the essay? Do these feelings change?
