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SAMPLE MODEL ESSAY

Expository Essay: Is attractiveness a necessary part of success?

When we compare a sunflower to a lily, we immediately notice that one is in a conspicuously

psychedelic shade of neon yellow while the other dons a coat of plain milky white. Some may find
the sunflower to be the flower bearing vibrant petals that brighten the day and that the lily is
sombre and soulless. Yet, there will still be some who believe that the attractiveness of the former is
not the sole determinant as to which flower is the ultimately better one. Attractiveness is the
pleasant quality that an object, place or person possesses which appeals to the senses of others
while success refers to accomplishments and positive outcomes. While attractiveness is a significant
contributing factor to success due to its initial appeal and its generation of positive first impressions,
it is far too abrupt and myopic to hastily conclude that it is always a necessary part of success.
Instead, less superficial qualities such as ideal personalities and genuine goodness are highly pivotal
in bringing about successes.

Being the charming quality that positively captivates others’ attention and appeals to their senses,
attractiveness is usually the first and foremost characteristic being observed by others and
welcomed as a pleasing trait. The most intuitive example is the external appearance that can be
easily judged by visual sight. What is commonly perceived to be attractive of a lady is a pair of doe
eyes and silky voluminous hair while an attractive male is usually one with a handsome visage and a
toned physique. Attractive people are likely to gain an advantage in the dating game and perhaps
job applications. For instance, online dating applications involve the swift process of swiping through
an almost endless series of profile pictures while job applications usually require applicants to attach
a recent photograph of themselves. External appearance becomes the likely criterion in determining
the successes of these competitions in the romantic and career arenas. The same principle can be
used to explain typical consumer behaviour. Prospective pet owners who are more likely than not to
pick the cutest looking Toy Poodle as compared to an irregularly shaven Silky Terrier from the pet
store. Retail investors are more likely drawn to a company prospectus promising attractive potential
investment returns as compared to a scheme that only mentions marginal earnings. The vital role
that attractiveness plays in bringing about success can be testified by the prevalence of the
marketing field where attractive marketing campaigns and initiatives are what drive positive
consumption. Thus, it is an undisputed fact that attractiveness is a key factor for things and
individuals to gain a great edge over their counterparts, attesting to the importance of
attractiveness in achieving success.

Attractiveness is also necessarily a part of success when it comes to gaining international recognition
and endorsement. The successful state of art works, architectural wonders and tourism sites is
largely owed to their conventionally accepted attractiveness. Without their features of
attractiveness, they would not have been as admired or appreciated and reputed for their aesthetic
beauty. Since time immemorial, the idea of orderliness, symmetry and repeated patterns have been
key guidelines to what is deemed as attractive. A Greek philosopher once quipped about how order,
symmetry and vast networks of neat designs objectively appeal to human’s visual senses, giving
them a sense of perfection as they view such considerably picture-perfect objects. The visual appeal
provides the viewers with a sense of charm and an ideal perspective. The famous paintings of Mona
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Lisa by Leonard da Vinci and The Lady of Shalott by John William Waterhouse Famous have always
fascinated art aficionados for their meticulous artistic precision and timeless beauty. The pre-
eminent tourist sites that have mesmerised multitudes include the seemingly symmetrical Eiffel
Tower coupled with its stunning grandeur, as well as the world-famous floral paradise, the Gardens
of Versailles in France. The far-reaching success of these tourist sites can be evidenced by the
abundant postcards and photography wallpapers capturing the scenic beauty of these places, and
the undying popularity of these destinations. These renowned places of interest have attained their
esteemed reputation and been the subject of extensive adoration for reasons of their attractiveness.
Therefore, attractiveness is a necessary part of success, especially in the areas of visual arts,
landscape designing and architecture that directly involve the appreciation of aesthetic beauty.

However, it may be argued that it is too parochial a view to conclude that attractiveness is almost
always a necessary part of success. Although attractiveness enables objects and people to gain an
advantage, it is not the alpha and omega. Ideal personalities and requisite skills are important
factors when it comes to success in the social world and corporate realm. For instance, in the
context of social interactions, true friendships usually form when personalities of the parties are
mutually compatible. For matters of lasting relationships, while physical attractiveness may catch
the eyes of a person initially, it is the deeper qualities such as their innate kindness and family-
oriented nature which take greater precedence over mere attractiveness at first sight. As for the
context of job application, applicants are likely to succeed only if they possess requisite technical
skills or expertise suitable for the job position. Hiring a computer engineer or a genetics research
professional would warrant employers looking into their resumes for relevant prior working
experience and qualifications rather than how the candidates present themselves during the
interview. Being superficially attractive may generate a positive first impression, hence giving an
applicant the opportunity to present themselves in front of the interview panel. However, there are
still many other aspects that recruiters will consider first to assess their suitability for the job before
the applicant can anticipate any true success. Therefore, attractiveness should be understood as a
critical part of success but not the defining factor of success.

It is undoubtedly a fact that attractiveness plays a pivotal role in determining success. The
aforementioned propositions elucidate how appearances and aesthetic beauty do capture the
attention of others. The position on personalities and skills-based qualities can be slightly more
controversial. These include academic qualifications, work accomplishments, charismatic eloquence
and personal values which all contribute to achieving successes in various aspects of life. At first
blush, they appear to be a set of characteristics that diverge far from the typical notions of attractive
charm. However, upon closer introspection, these characteristics can actually be regarded as forms
of attractiveness as well. Many aspects of success, or at least the many hurdles before finally
reaching success, involve others’ assessment of our image and capabilities, and this very assessment
significantly observes our attractiveness through their lens. Indeed, the concept of attractiveness
remains a quintessential part of a person’s and an object’s success.