"Nothing Like Ellen" by Eve Sherwood is an excellent story that is very relatable. The passage starts off with the narrator's mother complimenting the narrator's sister's outfit and telling her that she looks very pretty. These comments immediately spark the anger of the narrator, Eve. Throughout the text, Eve explains how flawless her sister, Ellen, is and how she feels that her parents love Ellen more than they love her. She explains how everyone was always saying how pretty Ellen was and how her parents always love to talk about her. However, this causes Eve to feel that she has always been "living in her shadow" and wishes that she could be more like her sister. She would try on her dresses, test her makeup, and only would by clothes at the mall if Ellen loved it. However, there is a change in attitude. Eve realizes that her sister had taken some of her clothes to college and was given the satisfaction that her Ellen liked her taste. Then she tells about when she and Ellen were shopping for flowers and they both agreed that one was pretty. Eve is shocked that they agreed on this because she thinks that they never like the same things, but Ellen reminds her that this is just because they are not the same people. This causes Eve to have a realization, and the last part of the piece shows this by saying,"Never in a million years would I be exactly like Ellen. It was time to start finding what I liked about myself."
     I absolutely loved this piece because of how relatable it is. It is a true story, and has a lesson that is especially important for teenagers. They need to learn to stop trying to be someone else because they aren't and that they have to be their own person. Many teenagers try to be like someone else to "be cool," to fit in at school, or like Eve, to be appreciated. Though this story tells about Eve realizing that she has to stop trying to be like her sister, this can apply to anyone trying to be like anyone else. Anyone who has a realization similar to Eve's is doing a huge favor to themselves. The important lesson shown in "Nothing Like Ellen" by Eve Sherwood is what made me love this piece, and people just have to accept that they are their own person and that they too should find what they like about themselves.