BA English Modern Essay 'Take the Plunge' by Gloria Emerson

                     Take the Plunge

                          By Gloria Emerson             

‘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.

When she told her decision to her friends and colleague, they made fun of her.She was weak physically.She had a bad back and uncertain ankles. But mentally, she was a determines and strong woman.

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 plane. 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 from the plane. First she heard the loud noise of the plane and the fast moving  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 s he 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.

Important Questions:
1.What are Emerson s' feelings after and before the jump?
2.What is the message of the essay?
Did her feelings changed constantly throughout the essay or it remain constant?

Points to Remember:
1.By profession ,she was a journalist but she wanted to perform some daring deed.
2.She decided to jump from a plane with parachute because it was the most self satisfying sport in respect of proving some one as daring man or woman.
3.When her colleagues came to know of her decision,they made fun of her as she was the least suitable person for this job.
4.At the invitation of Jacques Istel who had opened a parachute jumping center,she went to Orange,Massachusetts.
5.It was the slogan of that center that parachute jumping is as safe as swimming.
5.In that center,she got the necessary training.She was boarded in a Cessna-180 plane with a male companion and she had to jump from the height of twenty thousands feet.
6.Her male companion jumped but she got nervous,she jumped unwillingly.
7.The parachute opened and she began to enjoy the scene and she was no more nervous now.
8.She wished to stay long in the sky but she was landed on a sandpit.
9.She was successful in her mission and proved , "If one is determined,one can do any impossible task."
10.She was taken to see General James Gavin who praised her act of courage.