Here's a question: Why did I always only place second in a beauty pageant? Why not first? And why did I only get 10 bucks for placing second? You can't even buy a good set of curlers for 10 bucks!

At any rate... on this day in 1933, an unemployed salesman named Charles Darrow copyrighted the board game he created. It was called MONOPOLY. Since then, friends and families all over the world have been competing with each other to buy up valuable properties and railroads (while at the same time, being weary of the dreaded Income Tax and, of course, Jail). Believe it or not, I was always partial to Baltic Avenue. I felt sorry for it. Anyway...

In the February/March issue of Writing magazine, we asked you to answer this question: When you play MONOPOLY, are you the horse? the iron? the canon? the thimble? What does your MONOPOLY piece say about you?

Below are some of YOUR thoughts about the different game pieces used in MONOPOLY. Why do we choose the pieces we choose? I am always either the thimble or the doggy... depending on my mood. What are you? Let us know! You know the drill. Click on the comment button below.

"The Ship!" I say when ever someone asks me what piece I would like to be in MONOPOLY. I remember when I was a little girl, we would play MONOPOLY as a family. I would never choose the same piece because I liked variety and I got bored with routine. I began to notice that every time my brother would choose the ship, so I began to choose the ship too. I still do not know if I chose the ship just because I wanted to annoy my brother or maybe deep down I really admired him. Ever since the first time I chose the ship I have stayed loyal to my commitment and used it every time I play MONOPOLY.

I believe the act of choosing a playing piece at the beginning of any game is not only something to move around the board to beat your competitor but also a true portrayal of your personality. I think that choosing the ship at the beginning of MONOPOLY tells people that I am a "people person" because ships carry people. That is... I imagine it is a cruise ship when I play. I also love to travel and ships never stay in the same place... kind of like me. I always thought that boats and ships were so complex and I feel that I am a very complex person.

Emily Deason - THE RACECAR

If I had to be a playing piece in the game of MONOPOLY I would want to be the racecar. MONOPOLY is all about the economy and financial strategies and the car is a very important part in the economy. Plus, it represents modern technology, which would make me feel like a very needed and significant player during the board game. The racecar also represents me in a way. Racecars, when in use, are always moving. They are normally moving forward as well. That is a lot like me. I am always in motion whether I am completing a task or participating in an activity. I like to look towards where I am going and not where I have been. I believe that is just like a car. Cars also move at their own pace. I like to move at my own speed and not the speed of what others are doing. A car is also very stylish, so during the game I would feel confident that I looked alright and I could keep moving forward and completing my goal.

Lukas Reeves - THE MONEYBAG

When I play MONOPOLY I always play as the moneybag. It all began on the first day I ever played the game. One day at my after-school program we had a MONOPOLY tournament. I chose my piece as the moneybag, and then began the game. I played... and won! That's not all though, later that same day I recieved a $100 from my grandparents as a late birthday present, and that made me think of the moneybag as my lucky MONOPOLY piece from then on. Mainly, I keep playing with the moneybag piece because MONOPOLY is all about money.  So, if the game is all about money; then what better piece to play with than a bag full of it?

Alexis Jennings - THE PUPPY DOG

I've never really put much thought into why I've always chosen the dog, when playing my all time favorite board game, MONOPOLY. No one's ever asked me why, and I just never put much thought into it. It took me a while to figure out why the dog means so much to me. Thinking back, I guess I can really tell a lot about my individual personality when I know that I always choose the dog marker. I think that one might choose the dog simply because they have dogs, like one might choose the sports car because they have a sports car. Even before I had my dog, I still chose this dog marker piece. I now know that this was because I desperately wanted my own dog. Simple things like playing a board game with a new person, whom you want to learn more about, is a great idea. I believe this simply because of the exercise of examining why I choose the dog piece and what it tells about me. So now, I can ask others, "What MONOPOLY piece are you?" and, "Why do you choose this piece?" I can now look at learning about others in a whole new, fun way!

 

By the way, if you're searching for different versions of MONOPOLY, there are literally hundreds. You can click on any of the images or "MONOPOLY" links above to check out many different games. However, the coolest of all MONOPOLY games ever invented can be found by clicking here. Word.