Transitioning from writing five paragraph essays to a five page paper was definitely a challenge. In writing 121, we spent our time reading, discussing and analyzing complex stories in particular Heart of Darkness. We analyzed not only Joseph Conrad’s novel; but also, Anton Chekhov’s short stories on characterization. After reading these short stories from Chekhov, we wrote our 100 minute timed write; in addition, I wrote my best other essay about poverty. This class has given me a glimpse of the writing expected of in college. Although it posed challenges for me, it has helped me improve my skills as a writer.
Writing 121 was unlike any other language arts class I had taken before. I decided to take this class to improve my skills as a writer; also, learn how to write college level papers. Expectations and assignments were different than what I was used. Something I had never done before was use citations, so incorporating them into my paper was a major challenge. Up until now the closest I had been to a research argumentative paper would’ve been either a persuasive essay which doesn’t compare to such a complex novel. Heart of Darkness changed this and in writing my paper I had to think critically about what Joseph Conrad meant and decide how to explain the quote after inserting it. At first I didn’t know how to do it but after practicing a bit I got the hang of it and now instead of simply stating “Conrad is a racist because he said he saw “a certain enormous buck nigger” and that he “fixed [his] conception of blind, furious, unreasoning rage” so he’s a racist for talking like this about them (Achebe 10). Now, I’m able to introduce and discuss this quote better. Instead I say, Chinua Achebe, a Nigerian novelist, professor and...
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...lt material and write a five page paper on it, it was much simple so this was a new and difficult concept. I got valuable skills out this class, experience in research, using citations and glimpse into reading material for college. Getting experience with this will be beneficial in my future college language art classes. At the beginning of writing 121 I knew it was going to be hard but I thought I wouldn’t enjoy the material. Quite the contrary, reading Chekhov’s stories were difficult to understand but very interesting because I wasn’t used to reading material in that format or maybe I had but hadn’t really given it much thought. I also found the articles addressing poverty interesting. It was interesting seeing different writers perspective on the issue then arguing my own. The experience and knowledge I have gained will be valuable in my future college paper.
"Ms. McMulkin, this is Alex. That essay--- how long can it be?" "Why, uh, not less than 600 words." He sounded a little surprised. I'd forgotten it was late at night. "Can it be longer?" "Certainly, Alex, as long as you want it." "Thanks," I said and hung up. I sat down and picked up my pen and thought for a minute. Remembering. Remembering a handsome, dark boy with a reckless grin and a hot temper. A tough, towheaded boy with a cigarette in his mouth and a bitter grin on his hard face. Remembering- -- and this time it didn't hurt--- a quiet, defeated-looking sixteen-year-old whose hair needed cutting badly and who had black eyes with a frightened expression to them. One week had taken all three of them. And I decided I could tell people, beginning with my English teacher. I wondered for a long time how to start that theme, how to start writing about something that was important to me. And I finally began like this: When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride
"Unit 2: Reading & Writing About Short Fiction." ENGL200: Composition and Literature. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. 49-219. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.
In this semester, I had to take the English 1301 course. However, I did not see myself liking this course and did not have the best attitude towards it. This course changed my overall experience with writing. In the course I gained so much knowledge that I did not see myself learning. This essay will help analyze my experience throughout the entire journey. It will help understand how I became the writer I am today. Over the last several weeks, I have grown into a great writer that I did not see myself as.
Writing 150 has been a truly enjoyable course for me. While I have always loved language and literature, this class gave me a fresh, new perspective on what it means to be a writer. From the very first class, I was redefining what writing means to me and how I could use it in my life, even if my career path isn’t centered around writing. As the semester comes to a close, I want to share with you which paper was my favorite from this course, how my identity as a writer has changed, and how I will approach future writing tasks with a new and improved writing process.
The purpose of Baker’s essay and its placement in The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers is to encourage young writers to realize that writing truly is a privilege. It is also placed in the book to show college English students that writing does not have to be a grim task and that thinking of it in that manner will only make the student average.
Learning to be an adequate writer for certain people can be as easy as putting a pen to paper, but for others writing has proven to be a frustrating and difficult process. It can be challenging for a new student facing the first essay paper wondering what to sort out first; there is a great deal of confusing and tricky processes to follow, and rules to abide by. While the plethora of resources made available to avid seekers is practically limitless, it is no surprise that writing still isn’t a smooth process. Taking that into consideration, two profound authors in writing could aid with this kind of struggle. William Safire’s “The Perfect Paragraph” and Kurt Vonnegut’s “How to Write with Style”, providing their readers with an excellent
reviews of Heart of Darkness are mistaken in their compassion toward the author and the "European mind." He also refers to Conrad's "problem with niggers" and "his inordinate love of that word itself." After attacking the credibility and sanity of Conrad, Achebe goes on to belittle Conrad's book. He calls the book "offensive" and "deplorable," stating that the book "parades prejudices and insults" while calling the "very humanity of black people into question." By now the essay has turned to anger and you can feel the author's passion to defend Africa through his powerful words and exclamations.
As the semester finally approaches the finish line, I revisit my past work to compare and contrast how this class has developed me into a successful writer at the college level. Throughout the year my writing style has developed and become broader as I have learned how to incorporate more of my personal views as well as reliable, unbiased information. This portfolio is a representation of how many things I have learned along the way while being an English 102 student.
Hoping for the best but expecting the worst, I walked in to English not knowing what to expect. English 111 was boring at times but in many ways helpful. College Composition I main objective is to teach students the fundamentals of academic writing and critical thinking. Aside from learning how to academically write, recognizing grammatical errors, tone, and different styles such as MLA, APA, and CMS, are some other things learned in the course. This essay will be evaluating the book as a whole, self-reflections, essays, my strengths and weaknesses and my professor.
Throughout this semester I have written several essays and journals using techniques both important and unfamiliar to me. This class helped me use these techniques and steps that are involved in creating and formalizing an essay. The writing process of an essay includes information gathering, creating ideas, and writing it on paper to create a cohesive and organized paper. In complete certainty I can say I lack many of the skills necessary to create such a paper, but during this course I have learned some writing methods which I believe have improved my essays. The essays and journals in this portfolio reveal both my strengths and weaknesses in my writing and how I have both continued to make the same errors and improved in other areas.
Literature and the writing process. Ed. McMahan, Elizabeth, Susan Day, and Robert Funk. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2007.
Writing doesn’t come easily to me, which must make me a glutton for punishment. It has taken me years of training, learning to structure an essay and unlearning to begin again. Only since attending HSU am I realizing how exceptional my writing has become. Over the course of two semesters, I have seen my writing expand and grow. While I still adhere to the training I received in high school, I am excited to now take these tools and develop my own unique style in the years to come.
Over the course of this fall semester, my development as a writer have transformed positively. I feel more confident organizing my ideas because my literacy development has improved. Specific improvements that I can recall reflecting back to the three major assignments in this course are the thesis statement construction, forming my ideas together and write clear sentences. Another personal accomplishment would be the understanding and implementation of the rhetorical terms. Throughout my years in college, mainly I had struggle writing in English because English is my second language. However, I used all the tools and knowledge available resulting in a noticeable progress as a writer.
When I reflect back to the beginning of this semester I am astonished at how much I have learned. English 124 has been a real eye opener for me. Not only have I grown as a writer, but it has challenged me to become more of a critical thinker. In the class we have read many articles on diverse topics, studied theories of history’s greatest philosophers of education, and wrote various styles of papers.
In attempts to right the wrongs of the past and move to a better future, many critize the novels taught at school, taking their content at face value. While it is not the point to negate their claims, one ought not to dismiss the value of literature in an academic setting. As one of the most popular books of the twentieth century, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad receives much critizism. Sparking a debate over the merits of texts that are inherently racist and use hate speech, many hail it as an abhorrently racist view of the Congo and of Africa as a whole, because it erases African identity, culture, and history by painting its people as savages with animalistic tendencies or as body parts. , Conrad’s novel uses extensive derrogitory language