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What Is The Impact On The Life Of Jonathan Larson And Rent

2607 Words11 Pages

Sutton Kaylor
MT HISTORY 134, WINTER 2023
ESSAYS: ASSIGNMENT NUMBER ONE
ESSAY #1: Jonathan Larson and Rent
A. Select 4 points from the video that had an impact on you and explain your reasons. These can be specific points made by the speakers, or your own general observations from moments in the video that you’ll remember.
This inspiring and powerful documentary approaches the life of Jonathan Larson as he went through the ingenious creation of Rent. Although Larson’s perspective could not be heard when making this film, his friends, colleagues, and relatives provided insight on his life and the process of his work. I found it very impactful how Larson saw problems in society, and used his gift of music composition and storytelling …show more content…

This was a moment which changed the trajectory of his work, as he had much more time to write music and dive deeper into his artistic exploration. The reason this moment really impacted me was because I have experienced something quite similar through my experience as an aspiring artist. My whole life, I played sports and thought about potentially pursuing them in college. However, my love for theatre and artistic collaboration was always a priority for me. I remember the exact moment where I made the decision to quit sports in order to fully commit to my artistic dreams.I have not regretted this decision since, and would make it again if I was in the same position. This moment in my life was truly liberating for me as I had much more time to explore and develop myself as an artist. Based on the video, it is evident that the same could be said for Jonathan Larson. Not only was this impactful due to the relevant experiences I have gone through, but it also demonstrated the ups and downs many aspiring artists face. Many pursuing art must work other jobs in order to pay bills and stay afloat financially. Larson’s family really understood Jonathan's roots and his struggle to become an artist even after his work became so successful. Julie Larson, Jonathan’s sister said when receiving a Tony award for Jonathan after his death, ‘“It took …show more content…

He was always able to make the most out of what he had in front of him regardless of what his dreams entailed. He never complained about his job at the diner and knew that it paid the bills and allowed him to write music. Although he was not making much money, he knew that it was all part of his process to becoming successful. Making the most out of the situation is something that Jonathan Larson seemed to live by. “Rent was John. The optimism and the hope that you see in Rent, is what I saw to be what he lived with” (Anne Taback) (Jonathan Larson’s cousin) His optimism set him up for success, just in appreciating all aspects that his life and artistic journey had to offer. This is a mindset that I would like to incorporate more into my

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