Whaling Out West Reflection

Of the lessons of this course, the distinction made between story and situation will be the most important legacy in my writing. I learned a great travel essay cannot be merely its situation: its place, time, and action. It requires a story, the reader’s internal “journey of discovery.” While the importance of establishing home, of balancing summary and scene, and other lessons impacted my writing, this assertion at least in my estimation the core argument of the course.

Charles D’Ambrosio’s “Whaling Out West” was the best of the reading in drawing the distinction between the story and the situation. His ability to describe the situation of the conflict over whaling by native peoples to convey the story of his inner struggle over his decision to not procreate was immensely admirable. The excerpt from David Foster Wallace’s “A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again” was another readings which excellently illustrated this point. His criticism of the cruise ship industry and of American culture more generally is ever present with his growing feelings of despair. This was my favorite essay of the semester. I imagine this will not an unpopular opinion in these reflections. The selection from A

Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid was another standout by its willingness to engage directly with read. To challenge “you” with how their travel is perceived by inhabitants of their destinations. While less forceful in its prose, I admired Susan Orleans’s “The Place to Disappear” for its willingness to engage with this problem of travel.
On a practical note, I also learned when pasting an essay into ICON, one should always double check to make sure said essay is the first draft rather than a pre-proofreading rough draft. This problem I suppose could have also been solved through better labeling of documents on my Mac. The flaws of this posted draft were deeper than mere grammar. This final draft of my major essay addresses many of the issues in which the first was lacking. I believe this draft grants greater access to the interiority of the narrator, focuses the piece through the slicing away of distracting digressions, and better establishes the narrator’s conception of his role at Harpers Ferry. I would not describe this draft of my major essay as an unmitigated success.
I believe the revised third micro essay included in my portfolio is superior writing. The prompt to take a walk and find a pattern forced me to approach the essay with more of an open than I did for the others. This prompt did not allow me retreat into preconceived notions about who I was or be overcome with the demons of guilt and pride. It allowed me to built the essay around what I saw rather than what I wanted to see before diving into my own psyche. The guidelines I converted to binding rules liberated me from my oppressive instinct to force my experiences into my essay allowing me to construct the essay around those experiences for a more interesting and thought-provoking discussion.
In February, I will be driving to South Carolina and then Washington D.C.

on a research trip for an article I am writing for the State Historical Society of Iowa. I hope to visit the home of a Robert Butler, a murderer and slavecatcher, who has featured prominently in months of my research since the house is owned by the Butler family, this will require me to interact with his descendants who have a very different perspective on how he should be remembered. I hope to apply the skills discussed in this class to writing a non-academic reflection on this journey. From this course, I know this essay will fail without my personal story. I have learned I must allow my experiences to shape this “journey of discovery,” to challenge my preconceived notions rather than adhere to

them.