When I first saw the list of I-Search words, the word grace spoke to me. I was debating whether to use the word grace, peace or inspiration. I finally settled on grace because I felt I could connect with this word the most. I just had to wait and see if any other of my sister classmates had chosen that word. No one did…I lucked out! When I first saw grace as one of the choices, two things immediately came to my mind. Since we are asked to do interviews, two people named Grace came to mind, my twelve-year-old niece and my confirmation teacher. Also, the song “Amazing Grace” immediately popped into my head. These are the two main reasons I chose the word grace! The word grace has always intrigued me. It has always been mystifying or my mental wheels have been turning thinking about this word. I think this project is going to be somewhat hard, yet there is so much information on the word grace to help me do my report. I also chose this word so I could research more about the word grace and learn about a word that has played an important role in my life.

Grace is only five letters long. People sometimes have to stop and think when they hear the word because it sounds to them like they just heard pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcano-koniosis. Sometimes I feel that the most simple-sounding words can be the most complicated to understand or describe. At first, I did not know whether the word grace would be a complicated word to research. At the end of this paper, I believe that the word grace will not be complicated to understand. By the time you are finished reading the entire paper, you will be able to tell everyone you meet about my word in a way that they can understand! I hope you are interested in the word grace which is truly a great virtue.

The very first part of research we had to do was find the origin of our word. The word grace dates all the way back to the twelfth century! It comes from the Latin gr?tus meaning ‘pleasing.’ The noun grace is also taken from gr?tia, which means ‘pleasure, favor, and thanks.’ It was given to the English language by Old French. The word “gracious” first appeared in the thirteenth century from the Latin, gr?ti?sus. Grateful is the English formation and the word came about in the fifteenth century.

I looked up the word in a World Book dictionary and the definition is probably one-hundred lines long. I took the first definition: “beauty of form, movement or manner.” I feel sometimes the most mystical sounding and mysterious words have very simple definitions. When you describe a dancer, you usually say that she has grace or beauty in her movements. Also, the word in a religious (Christian) sense means God’s blessing.

After the dictionary, I headed to a thesaurus. When I looked up grace there, it told me to see mercy. So I looked up mercy and I could not find anything. Then I looked for an online source that might tell me some synonyms and antonyms. I found a website and it gave me forty synonyms! Since there was no first, second, and third groups I took the synonyms that sounded the closest related to the definition. Here are just a few…balance, beauty, elegance, refinement, smoothness, style, and tastefulness. I also found some antonyms on that website: tactlessness, ineptness, and clumsiness. The synonyms and antonyms I feel sometimes help me understand the word better than the definitions!

Now that I understand the meaning of the word grace, it is time to use the word in context! The first place we are required to use the word in context is the Bible. I am using the New International Version 2010 online. This was my favorite passage from Psalms:

“My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the
pen of a skillful writer. You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been
anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever. Gird your sword on your side,
you mighty one; clothe yourself with splendor and majesty. In your majesty ride forth
victoriously in the cause of truth, humility and justice; let your right hand achieve
awesome deeds.” (Psalms 45:1-4)

Since the verse with the word grace was verse two, I could only put one verse before the two lines with grace. (However, I could put the two lines after.) This Bible passage speaks to me because I feel the word grace is used very well in the verses. The word grace is used as a noun. The speaker says that the person’s lips ‘have been anointed with grace,’ that is like saying a person’s lips have been anointed with beauty, because God has blessed them. God has great beauty. Whenever He blesses someone or something, they become beautiful and full of grace. This concept of being full of grace also is in the Hail Mary prayer. “And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28-35, 42-48). In this context, the angel Gabriel is telling Mary that she is full of God’s blessing. God certainly wanted someone full of holiness to carry His Son and be His loving mother.


After finding a Bible passage, we are required to find it in a work of Shakespeare’s. I chose Romeo and Juliet because we are going to be reading it in January. I found the word grace in Act 2, scene 3:



FRIAR LAURENCE:




Not in a grave,




To lay one in, another out to have.




ROMEO:




I pray thee, chide not; she whom I love now




Doth grace for grace and love for love allow;




The other did not so.




FRIAR LAURENCE:




O, she knew well




Thy love did read by rote and could not spell.




But come, young waverer, come, go with me,




In one respect I'll thy assistant be;




For this alliance may so happy prove,




To turn your households' rancour to pure love.

In Act 2, scene 3, Friar Lawrence, a Franciscan, and Romeo, Juliet’s star-crossed lover are having a conversation. Romeo tells the Friar he wishes to get married. Friar says that he is glad about Romeo choosing to get married to Rosaline. Romeo then tells the Friar it is not Rosaline he wants to marry, but Juliet. Friar is concerned with Romeo’s changed decision but he agrees to marry them. The word grace in this context is a noun. Romeo says that Juliet has grace. He says that if a person has grace, he desires to marry her (Juliet). Romeo says that Rosaline did not have grace. Shakespeare can sometimes be so complicated because of the Renaissance English language he uses. Thanks to Shakespeare for Students, I was able to analyze and understand what was going on between Friar Lawrence and Romeo.



Now I had to find a poem with the word grace! The poem I chose is by Emily Dickinson (1830–1886) and she does not have titles on her poems! The poem is the fifth part of poem “CXXIX” (129):





Her Grace is all she has,





And that, so vast displays,





One Art, to recognize, must be,





Another Art to praise.

This poem includes grace as an adjective of identity. When Dickinson says, “Her Grace is all she has,” she might be saying that maybe the girl she is talking about just has beauty and elegance. Then Dickinson says, “And that, so vast displays,” might mean that this grace this girl has shows a lot about her. The line, “One Art, to recognize, must be,” may mean that a person has to recognize this girl’s grace. Finally, Dickinson says, “Another Art to praise.” This line is saying that not only should people recognize this girl’s beauty but also praise the beauty and elegance she has. I have always liked Emily Dickinson’s poems. I first learned about her in fourth grade when we studied a poetry unit.


I found a quote in Barlett’s quotations that has the word grace. This was my favorite:

“Grace is given of God but knowledge is bought in the market.”

This quote was said by Arthur Hugh Clough (1819–1861). I think this quote is very beautiful because he says that God gives grace to His people. I think that statement is very true because grace is a gift from God and is given by God freely. He goes on to say, “…knowledge is bought in the market.” I think this is true as well because you exchange and share information that you have in a bustling area of trade or in a market place. Grace is special. You cannot buy, trade, or bargain for it. It is God’s freely given gift to each and every one of us here on earth.

I have found the word grace in a magazine article which is the next required context. The article is entitled “A Graceful Home Coming” and it is in the East Side Monthly magazine. This magazine article was about a man named Jonathan Huyck, his wife Ann, and their son Benjamin moving from Paris to Providence. Jonathan is an Episcopal Reverend and a graduate from Brown University. After becoming ordained at twenty-five years old, he had to go out into the world and look for a job. Jonathan found an opportunity at Grace Episcopal Church in Providence and immediately applied for the job. Mary Connor (the author of the article) said that he made a “Graceful homecoming.” He said in the article that the sense of community he felt in Providence was wonderful. Jonathan said that the great music and the church’s diversity bring people to Grace Church. In this article, grace is used as a noun and an adjective. It is used as a noun in the article because the building, Grace Church is referred to many times. Also, it is used as an adjective because the article said the Rev. Jonathan and his family made “A Graceful Homecoming.”

Now it’s time for the fun part!! We had to interview at least three people in three different age groups. The results varied and were very interesting. I think the interviews were a good idea because that exercise helped me get away from books and using the word in text. We had the opportunity to see the word used in real life situations! As I said in the first paragraph, I know two people with the first name of Grace. Another person I interviewed has a daughter whose middle name and grandmother’s name is Grace! I’m going to start from the oldest to the youngest. The participants’ ages range from twelve to about sixty-two.

The oldest participant is my mom. She’s sixty-two and this is what she said about the word grace. When my mom hears the word grace, she first thinks of her oldest granddaughter, Grace (whom I also interviewed). She also said, when she thinks of grace, she thinks of it as a religious quality. My mom says that grace is a gift freely given by God, and that we are fortunate and blessed to have it. She says that grace is a saving quality. Also, she thinks of social graces, and she believes that people who have it know how to make other people feel comfortable and welcome. She says that someone who has social graces is often eloquent in how they speak. In addition, she sees grace as a quality of poise and elegance.

The second oldest person I interviewed was my confirmation teacher. Her name is Grace Dugan. She is probably in her thirties. She is a jeweler and made my most special Christmas present which is a gold purity ring. Miss Grace told me she was not thrilled being named Grace. She did not know one person in her world named Grace who was under the age of 90! She explained that once she moved about in the world, she realized her name was very special and it carried great responsibility. Miss Grace said the word grace by definition was to act in favor, to honor, and to embrace elegance. She also told me that her parents are very religious and are SO PROUD to have named her Grace. She told me that that makes her laugh today.

The third oldest person I interviewed was my old baby sitter. Her name is Kim Celeste and she said “grace” to her means; kindness, beauty within. Her daughter’s middle name is Grace. Also, her grandmother’s name is Grace. Because of these two reasons, this is why she believes grace stands for someone elegant, kind or holds a beauty within.

The youngest person I interviewed was my niece, Grace Mahoney. She’s twelve years old and really close to me. She says grace is “a gift from God.” People of any age have a lot to say about the word grace. I am so glad I was able to use all of their inputs in my paper.


I have a tenth source…It’s a song…I bet you guessed it already! “Amazing Grace!” The song “Amazing Grace” written by John Newton (1725-1807) tells me a lot about the word grace. Here are the first few stanzas:


Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,



That saved a wretch like me.







I once was lost but now am found,




Was blind, but now I see.




T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.

And Grace, my fears relieved.

How precious did that Grace appear

The hour I first believed.


Through many dangers, toils and snares

I have already come;

'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far

and Grace will lead me home.

These lyrics speak to me through the word grace because I know that I fully understand the meaning and purpose of the word. The word grace in this song is used as a term of a beautiful gift and faith. When the speaker says, “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,” he is using the word grace as a word to describe elegance. When he says, “How precious did that Grace appear The hour I first believed,” he is clearly using the word grace to describe the trust and faith in God the person has. Newton is expressing in this song that grace allows the speaker to keep moving on in life with the help of God’s grace with him. Even though the speaker has had many troubles and worries, grace, the trust, elegance, and faith in God has allowed him to keep going. Lastly, when Newton says in the song, “and Grace will lead me home,” he is talking about how deepened trust and faith in God will lead the speaker to safety (home/heaven). I have heard this song so many times at church. I always thought it was a beautiful and profound song but never fully understood its meaning or purpose. Now I understand it more than ever.

I was really looking forward to doing this paper and I ended up loving this project. I was in total glory while I was doing the entire thing! The first day of Christmas break, I actually shot upstairs to the third floor (where my computer is) and started doing my research and typing my introductory paragraphs! I know this isn’t probably what you typically hear about this seven to ten page long paper. I am thankful that I had such an enjoyable time doing most of my research. My favorite part was definitely the interviews. I thought those were especially cool and exciting because I know two people with the first name, Grace. Very few students have people whose name is their I-Search word. I was surprised to find out that the word grace dates back all the way to the twelfth century and comes from a Latin origin. Even though I loved the project, there were a few parts that were tedious. I felt that explaining the origin of the word grace and explaining the use of the word in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet were probably the hardest parts of the I-Search paper. I enjoyed the project and I feel that my greatest accomplishment was learning how to research the meaning of an abstract noun. Even I, like so many others, think that grace is a mystifying word. I hope now you fully understand the word grace!

Whenever I think of the word grace, I think of a ballet dancer. I always think of how graceful and beautiful they are to watch. I was a ballet dancer but I quit last year because of the demanding schedule. I also think of grace as God’s greatest gift, salvation. I think of grace as a virtue or good quality of a person. If you tell a person that he or she is graceful, you are giving them a compliment. Having grace from God or as a compliment for an outstanding performance are both very special. You will never forget either of them. Also, whenever I hear the word grace, I think of my twelve year old niece that I interviewed. She has a lot of grace and her name fits her perfectly. I also think of grace when you say ‘Grace’ before a meal. You are thanking God for the food He has given you in a prayer that has great beauty and elegance in the flow of its words. I chose, “Grace: A Great Virtue” as my title because grace is a great virtue. There’s also a silly rhyme about grace, “Grace is a virtue, virtue is a grace, Grace is a little girl that never washed her face,” always comes to mind when you mention the word grace! Lastly, there are the three graces in Greek and Roman Mythology daughters of Eurynome and Zeus. These three goddesses are Thalia (Good Cheer), Aglaia (Splendor) and Euphrosyne (Mirth). Grace has many different meanings but I’m going to have to say good bye, even though I don’t want to. I had a great time doing this project.

Goodbye grace. I’ll miss you…