Math had always naturally been one of my stronger subjects. Since Grade 8, I had been recruited into Mr. White's little cult of enriched math students. Therefore, I knew a lot of concepts that were covered in the Grade 11 math curriculum. I wanted to perform exceptionally well in all my math courses in Grade 11, and I thought that since I already had the knowledge, getting a high ninety wouldn't take much effort at all. At the start of this year, I strolled into my functions and data classrooms with airy confidence, thinking that these classes would be a breeze. I think my teachers knew how I felt too, because as soon as I sat down on the first day, both teachers issued a solemn warning: "You may think that you know everything in this course," they said, "but by not taking this class seriously and not doing your homework, you will be digging yourself a deep grave. If you do not try in this class, don't come crying to me when you receive a bad grade at the end of the year, because you will receive. No. Mercy."
It was a huge mistake not to take those words into heart. Indeed, I did cruise in the high nineties during the first semester. I began to think that the math teachers were just intimidating me with shallow comments. But boy, was I wrong. Pretty soon, I saw a gradual but unmistakable decline in my marks as the curriculum tackled harder material and I continued to neglect my math homework. By the third term, my conceited attitude had completely disappeared, and I was working feverishly everyday to catch up to my high standards. The scenario was synonymous to Aesop's fable, The Tortoise and the Hare. Even though they were not as smart as me, the students who had worked diligently since the start of the year were getting higher marks than me, who was essentially the hare scrambling to catch up in the race. This experience definitely made me learn an important life-lesson. To this day, I vow to never be so haughty, and to do my homework, even when I think the material is lucid.
***
The connection to Macbeth is instantaneous. Macbeth also fell victim to the trap of over-confidence. His unfaltering faith in the witches led him straight to his demise. Even though the witches were telling the truth, they were only alluding to snippets that misled Macbeth and caused him to make wrong assumptions. Most notable are the following two prophecies:
The power of man, for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth (IV.i.86-87).
Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until
Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill
Shall come against him (IV.i.100-103).
These two prophecies destined Macbeth to be doomed, because he inferred that he was invincible, and that he would be victorious in the upcoming siege against Malcolm. Who would have thought that Birnam forest would actually creep towards his castle on Dunsinane hill? Nonetheless, Macbeth should not have trusted the prophecies so easily. Those flattering prophecies that seemed too good to be true should have aroused suspicion. Instead of being so cocky and reckless, thinking that he was surely going to win against Malcolm, Macbeth should have taken more caution.
Macbeth's ambition was completely misled by the fiendish witches; they instilled false confidence in Macbeth, and made him believe that his goals would be easier to conquer than they actually were.
***
Now back to my story.
...My math teachers weren't dumb. Over their years of teaching, they had seen many cases where even the brightest students were seduced by laziness and ended up achieving nadirs in their academic history. Listening to my teachers' invaluable advice and approaching my math courses with a humbler attitude would have made me more successful in school and enable me to achieve my full academic potential.
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