Why were you inspired to submit your essay, “Science vs. God in Early American Literature,” to the Scholastic Awards? 

“I was inspired to submit my essay because this is a topic that I am very passionate about.  Religion and science are not typically discussed together in a way that suggests that both are right as people often choose one side or the other, so I wanted to share my ideas with others to enlighten them about why both can be right and you don’t have to choose.”

What was the most difficult part of the writing process and which aspect of your critical essay are you most proud of?

“The most difficult part of the writing process was making sure that my evidence to support both science and God as the cause of events in William Bradford’s and Mary Rowlandson’s works was acceptable, without having one reason seem stronger or ‘more correct’ than the other.  The aspect of my essay that I am most proud of is how I overcame this difficulty and manage to provide strong evidence for why both science and God can provide explanations while also how showing that science and God can even support each other.”

How have teachers at Sacred Heart Greenwich influenced your writing? 

“My teachers at Sacred Heart have influenced my writing by helping me understand how to expand my ideas beyond the literature and create broader connections.  My teachers often mention the ‘so what?’ aspect of an essay and so I always keep that in mind to make sure that I leave my audience with an understanding of how the ideas present in the piece of literature and my essay relate to a larger idea.”

The King Street Chronicle thanks senior Elizabeth Murray ’21 for her contributions to “Humans of Sacred Heart.”