I always wanted to be a pirate. There’s something about how free spirited and adventurous they are that I really desired in my life. I wanted to be able to let go of everything and sail the seas, not caring about anything besides my next adventure. Recently. I had to write an in-class essay for my English class comparing myself to three of my favorite characters. Naturally, my number one pick was Captain Jack Sparrow from the Disney movies, “Pirates of the Caribbean.” I learned so much about myself from my comparison to Captain Jack Sparrow and realized that in my dreams of wanting to be a pirate, I actually became one in a sense.

Jack Sparrow is a selfish and free-spirited pirate that does whatever he has to do to survive. He doesn’t care about the consequences of his actions; he does whatever he wants then deals with the precautions later. He even goes as far as to betray his friend to settle a past debt. Jack Sparrow may be all of those things but he is also in a way a somewhat good person. He will help out his friends but he will also find ways to benefit himself along the way. Interestingly enough, Jack and I share a few of these qualities among others.

I can be selfish at times. When I came to Louisiana, I didn’t care how it would make my family or friends feel. All I knew is that I needed out so that’s what I did. I was selfish in the pursuit of my survival just like Jack Sparrow. I am also a bit of a coward in the sense that I ran from Washington instead of facing my fears. Jack spends most of his time running away from his enemies and chasing treasures and I find myself doing the same at times. My first instinct is flight, not fight. I am also very impulsive. I will do something on a whim without thinking it out fully or preparing for the possible consequences. With these similarities, I have discovered that Jack and I are one and the same.

Even though most of my similarities to Jack are negative, I really don’t feel that bad about it. I admire how passionate Jack is and how unflinchingly himself he is. He doesn’t care what other people think of him either which is something I have struggled with in the past. All in all, Captain Jack Sparrow is a pretty awesome guy and I'm happy to be like him.

As you can see, it's a pirate's life for me...