During the semester there were assignments and discussion board that we were asked to do. In some of them I did better and some less. I feel I was the assignment I was most successful is assignment 3. I feel like I’m a creative person and I like to do research. I enjoyed browsing poems and finding one i can relate the most both to the poem and the poet. I feel I could have done better in the fairy tails essay. I liked the fact that unlike other stories we read during the semester it reminded me my childhood. I had high expectations from myself and even though I felt connected to the assignment I could have put more attention to the small details. This semester I learned a few new skills. As a foreign student it is important to me to improve my reading, writing and critical thinking to be able and understand texts better. I mainly enjoyed the journey of learning how to write better and understand more subtle ideas in texts.
Elad Tisch
In “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant, the necklace is more than just a piece of jewelry, it becomes a powerful symbol of Mathilde’s desires and the consequences of those desires. Maupassant’s approach to describing the necklace reflects what Raymond Carver talks about: how ordinary objects, written about with care and precision, can take on deeper emotional and symbolic meaning. At first, the necklace is described as “a Venetian cross, gold and gems, of admirable workmanship.” The language is simple and clear, yet it conveys the beauty and allure of the necklace in a way that feels captivating to Mathilde. To her, it is not just jewelry, it is the key to the life she has always dreamed of, a life of wealth, beauty, and admiration. For one night, wearing it makes her feel as though she belongs in that world. When the necklace is lost, its meaning shifts entirely. It becomes a symbol of the heavy cost of Mathilde’s aspirations. The years of hard work and sacrifice to repay the debt reflect the cruel irony of her pursuit of status. What seemed to offer her everything ends up taking it all away. Maupassant, like Carver, shows how everyday objects can hold immense power through precise and careful writing. The necklace is not just an accessory, it represents Mathilde’s dreams, her choices, and the devastating consequences that follow, all brought to life through vivid and simple language.
The terror in Joyce Carol Oates’s “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” feels very different from the fear you get while watching a horror movie. I will compare it to my experience while watching Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.” Oates’s story is about subtle, creeping dread. Arnold Friend is not an over the top monster, it is unsettling because he’s almost normal. There are disturbing detail like his too tight boots or the way he seems to know too much about Connie. It’s the kind of fear that comes from the unknown. Who is he? What does he really want? The author never answers these questions, so your imagination does all the work, which makes it feel very personal and almost too real. In The Shining, the terror is more right in your face. Kubrick fills the screen with unforgettable, horrifying images; the blood pouring out of the elevator, Jack’s crazed face through the splintered door, the ghostly twins. It feels like the film grabs you by the throat and forces you to experience its fear directly. But even with all its big, scary moments, The Shining also digs into psychological terror, like Jack’s slow descent into madness and the suffocating isolation of the Overlook Hotel. It is intense and relentless; you are at Kubrick’s mercy as he builds the tension. I feel that the biggest difference is control. With Oates’s story, you set the pace. You can pause, reread, and let the dread simmer. With The Shining, or any other terror movie, you are there as part of the ride, and the director is not letting you off the hook or any breaks. Both terrify you, but in different ways.
Fairy tales are essential for children’s development; they provide moral lessons, encourage creativity, and support emotional growth through the use of imaginative storytelling. The tales re not only timeless and entertaining, but also teach children valuable life lessons in a way they can understand and relate to. An article from list A that stood out to me is Leilani VisikoKnox-Johnson’s “The Positive Impacts of Fairy Tales for Children.” In her article, she explains how fairy tales help children distinguish between right and wrong while nurturing resilience in the face of challenges. This idea highlights how these stories, or tales, guide children in building strong moral foundations and better problem solving skills in an appealing and memorable way. From list B, Maria Tatar’s article “Why Fairy Tales Matter,” captured my attention and interest. The author emphasizes how fairy tales provide a safe space for children to confront fears and explore solutions. This perspective emphasizes how these stories can foster emotional growth by helping children process their anxieties and navigate their inner worlds. Fairy tales are valuable tools for both learning and personal development.
There were some ideas I came across in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” that I would have missed if I hadn’t read O’Connor’s article. Reading the article added more depth and allowed me to understand better the story “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.” One of the themes she highlights in the article is the idea of redemption. The grandmother’s last act of reaching out to The Misfit, can be seen as a moment of grace, almost like her last and final attempt to find some kind of redemption, even in a dark situation. The author also talks about how she uses dark humor and violence to reveal the truth about her characters. For example, the grandmother’s blend of kindness and manipulation, or The Misfit’s casual talk about life and death, although we might feel uncomfortable, it shows us who these people really are. The Misfit Is not just a villain, he is more of a mirror for the grandmother. He is forcing her to face her beliefs about faith and right and wrong. These ideas are examples of ideas I might have missed without reading the author’s article first.
Over the past two weeks, my ability to read, understand and interpret poetry has improved. I feel more confident in understanding the deeper meanings poets convey through metaphor, symbolism, and imagery. This experience has taught me to read carefully and multiple times, while looking for subtle cues that reveal more complex emotions or ideas. When reading Oedipus the King, these skills are valuable. In Emily Dickinson’s, “The Wife”, the metaphor of the sea developing “pearl and weed” shows how emotions can be hidden. This insight could help me understand similar symbolism in Oedipus the King, blindness as that can be representing ignorance or the search for truth. It also makes me more sensitive and aware to the emotional depth of characters, and encouraging me to read beyond the words in order to find the underlying tensions. Understanding the structure and form of poetry has prepared me for analyzing the structure of the story which can help me understand better the connection between subtle and complex ideas to the flow and more visible ideas.
When I was writing essay 1, I learned a lot about crafting a better writing structure. I learned how right a strong thesis and how to have good transitions between paragraphs and how to integrate quotes better in my text. While reviewing the sample essay, I first focused on understanding the thesis made and that it should be more of an argument than announcement. It helped me write a better thesis. I also noticed that the sample essay transitions between the different paragraphs and ideas wasn’t as smooth to read so it made me give more attention on how I can connect my thoughts better. In order to do so I realized I need to have a better understanding of the text. I came back to read the story once again and had it with me throughout my writing. I also understood the importance of having a clear conclusion which is not only summarizing what I covered. It helped me to provide my reflection better on paper. Overall, this experience has improved how I approach writing assignments, focusing on clarity, coherence, and structure.
In an essay about “The Lesson”, by Toni Cade Bambara, regarding a different issue rather than the socio-economic issues and more about other interesting/important details or elements in the story I would write about how it emphasizes class distinction and identity through language. Sylvia’s rebellious, streetwise behavior and her contempt for authority are reflected in her casual, bold speech. Calling Miss Moore a “nappy-head bitch with a goddamn college degree” is an example of how she resists formal education and society norms through the use of slang. Because of her working-class background, Sylvia’s vocabulary reflects her pride in her neighborhood as well as her rejection of anything that goes against her worldview. On the other hand, Miss Moore stands out as an outsider due to her formal, educated vocabulary, which symbolizes her middle-class background. Despite having the same racial background, the different speaking styles emphasize their different social classes. Miss Moore’s lessons on injustice are alienating and transformative because of her proper English, which places her in a world of privileges and opportunities that the children, like Sylvia, cannot access. A title I would give to the story is “The Cost of Reality”.
The prewriting assignment in week 1 is to prepare us to the format of writing in this class. We are getting familiar with the process of writing properly according to the correct format rules, how to organize our thoughts better and therefore having a better expression of the thesis. This prewriting assignment has several steps. The first, is to read “The Most Handsome Drowned Man” written by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. We also read “Overview of ‘The Most Handsome Drowned Man’” by Dean Rader. After the readings there were a few activities that included: reading about primary and secondary sources, presentation on thesis statements, presentation on how to insert quotes. We also had guides about proper use of MLA format. There were a video about why format matters, format illustration, and MLA citation guides. We were also asked to review student sample directions and student sample essay. In my opinion, the purpose of the prewriting assignment is to prepare us better for the upcoming course expectation regarding to the writing format. It gives us the basics from them we can learn and start the process of writing.
