Serraiocco 1

Lucas Serraiocco
Ms. Parent
Ap Language and Composition
10 June 2014
The Living Sequel
Whenever a sequel to a movie is released, the audience expects it to surpass the original.
The expectations are high and viewers scrutinize every detail. The movie is met with animosity
if it does not do justice to the story it continues. In a different sense, being a younger brother is
just like being a living sequel to the movie the older sibling is filming. The audience of the world
will always make comparisons to the original. The pressure put on younger brothers can be
beneficial, but also harmful. Expectations cause younger brothers to work hard at lifes tasks in
order to emerge superior. Younger brothers must balance, however, the pressures of being the
successful sequel in order to reach independence.
I fight the battle of sibling competition every day. Whenever my older brother sets the bar
it is my duty as a younger brother to set it higher. There is no draw in this game. In all scenarios
there is only one winner, and people are going to judge based on who performs better. This
motivation propels me to strive in life. However, the pressures set by older siblings can be too
much at times. For example, just recently with the ACT test, I studied exuberantly just to score
better than my older brother. I took a total of 10 practice tests, three hours each, with additional
practice classes completed. The stress I was under at the time was unbearable. However, I did
end up scoring better on the test. After seeing the score show up on the computer screen I started
to think to myself if all the time I used was worth it. I started to wonder who I was studying so
hard for. Was it for myself, or the people around me? This type of competition is different in the
sense that I do not want to win necessarily: I just do not want to lose.

Serraiocco 2
My brother also had a job at Kmart for two years. As soon as he gained the position, my
parents were already pressuring me about finding a job of my own. A constant barrage of job
applications and questions ensued. The mission was not only to find a job but to find
employment that paid more.
My brother attended the Macomb Mathematics Science and Technology Center during
high school. Knowing the prestige and rigor that comes with this program, I naturally followed
suit. Upon entering, the teachers started to compare me to him on the first day. I never wanted to
hear my teachers tell me to ask him for help. I made it my top priority at the time to ensure that I
made a better first impression than my brother did. This mindset, of course, generated an
unrealistic goal for me to trump him in every category of school. The challenge induced sleepless
nights and constant stress. However, the adrenaline that came with raising the bar never seemed
to outweigh the work that came with it. Still, whenever one of these opportunities presented itself
I always took them without question. When reflecting on these past decisions I always ask
myself who I am trying to please. I can rarely come up with an answer.
Being a younger brother is not a position of wisdom or knowledge. It is a constant
learning experience that covers all subjects of life. Younger siblings are not mentors, rather they
depend on elders to gather experience. They are never allowed to lead a situation. They are told
to stay in the back and not get in anyones way. Younger brothers are always player two in the
game of life.
The word younger was originally created to describe something that was still in
development. The word can also mean lack of experience (Young). In todays world, holding
these types of qualities can be detrimental. This title only toughens the journey younger siblings
must take in order to achieve independence.

Serraiocco 3
The term younger brother is portrayed throughout all forms of media. Television shows
showcase them as scapegoats and punching bags for older siblings. Younger brothers are often
used as the comedic relief by being simple minded or oblivious. This negative stigma is common
practice in television programs and further deteriorates the definition of younger brothers.
Another form of media is in the world of sports. One such example is that of the Manning
brothers. In this past season alone, the middle brother Peyton dominated the field in all aspects of
the game. He led the Denver Broncos to the super bowl and journalists heralded him as one of
the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. Peyton explains that the motivation came from his
older brother Cooper, who also played quarterback. Cooper Manning was a top tier player during
his time and was well on his way to the NFL. Peyton always felt that he was out matched when
compared to his older brother. When Cooper became permanently injured, Peyton took the
opportunity to outshine him through rigorous training. Now he has become one of the best
players in the NFL. However, these successes became the downfall of the youngest brother, Eli.
Throughout the entire season, journalists constantly compared the two brothers. The ridicule that
was placed on Eli had to affect his performance, because he went on to play one of the worst
seasons of his career (Klis). Even if he would have played an average season, Peytons
performance would have far outshined Elis. This is an example of how the comparisons made
between siblings can be positive and detrimental.
The quote It will never be better than the original can be applied to more than just
movies or books. No matter how much effort is put into the sequel there are always going to be
people who resent it. There has always been a negative connotation with the term younger
brother. Just the name implies an annoying person who wants to go places where he is not
wanted. Younger brothers are compared to their older counterparts far too often, and it detracts

Serraiocco 4
from the qualities that make them unique. Instead of being judged by their character, younger
brothers are judged by how well they continue the story of the child previous.