Grammar Evolved
Chunks of snow claw at the clouds above, and rifles pierce the air; the thwack of shells missing their mark. The snow is soaked blue with blood, and two men giggle. Their laughter fills my head as I lie dying. And here on the snow-capped peaks of avalanche, I find my inspiration for the Life Grammar Essay.
Grammar is a set of rules designed to help both the reader and writer create meaning through language. Without these rules meaning is jumbled, and comprehension is lost. A lack of understanding confuses the reader and frustrates the writer. Both the reader and the writer wish for clarity; clarity helps drive a story forward, and this progression facilitates meaning. Meaning is necessary for any communication to be successful, and videogames are no exception.
A well-made videogame uses a compelling story to hook the gamer. Players are sucked in by dazzling visuals, ear-popping audio, and a well-crafted fiction. These elements help game designers create meaning for players; this meaning immerses the player in a virtual world. A near perfect virtual world is found in the game Halo.
I love Halo. It is a superior game: an expertly crafted synergy between white-knuckle action and real-time strategy. Yes, it is that good. This infatuation is ruining my life—namely, the social aspect. I sit huddled in front of my glowing box for more hours than I care to tally. My addiction is neither attractive nor enduring. Girls are not wooed by a perfectly lobbed grenade; employers are not enticed by exaggerated stories of bravery. And I cannot stop. My only comfort is this: by admitting my problem—always the first step—I can now look forward to recovery; the long process of growth and reflection. It is a process that begins with the writing
of this paper. This paper draws parallels between the world of grammar and the world of Halo. To understand how these worlds connect, we must first understand Halo’s protagonist....