Freddy Quinones

I think the assignment I did best on this semester was Essay 3, where we had to create a flyer about a poem of our choice. Honestly, I enjoyed this project because it gave me a chance to be creative, which isn’t something I usually get to do in school assignments. I chose Robert Frost’s “Acquainted with the Night” because it’s one of my favorite poems, and I felt I could connect with it. Designing the flyer was fun because I got to think outside the box and find ways to visually represent the poem’s meaning. It wasn’t just about writing, it was about bringing the poem to life in a different way. I’m proud of how it turned out, and I think that’s why I consider it my most successful assignment. If I’m being honest, I think I could have done better on the Discussion Boards. Sometimes I felt like I put in enough, but I didn’t always get the grade I hoped for. Looking back, I realize that I might not have fully answered all parts of the questions or maybe missed some details that were expected. I also think I could have spent more time engaging with my classmates’ posts instead of just focusing on my own responses. I know now that I need to slow down and really read the prompts carefully so I can make sure I’m addressing everything. In the future, I’ll try to give more detailed answers and take the time to connect my ideas to the readings or class discussions. It’s definitely something I want to improve on as I move forward. One big thing I learned this semester was how to use citations correctly. Before this class, I always felt nervous about citing sources because I wasn’t sure if I was […]

Imagine a world brimming with lessons, magic, and destiny, where possibilities stretch as far as a beanstalk can grow. In this world, heroes and villains come alive, whether they’re battling great evils, falling prey to poisoned apples, or witnessing beauty that fades at the stroke of midnight. I do believe Fairy Tales are for children because it teaches them important life lessons while sparking imagination and creativity. “The Positive Impacts of Fairy Tales for Children” by Leilani VisikoKnox-Johnson, University of Hawaii says “Based on the Jungian interpretation, fairy tales teach children how to deal with basic human conflicts, desires, and relationships in a healthy way; acquiring these skills can ultimately impact a child’s health, quality of life, or even influence its values and beliefs in the future.” As a child I always loved it when I read a fairy tale, it sparked my imagination and pulled me into the stories as if I were there, essentially the lessons learned through fairy tales followed me as an adult. In “Tell Fairy Stories to Your Children” by Jane Stafford she says “The fairy stories you heard when you were five or six played a big part in your development, bigger than you probably realized. Psychiatrists have traced the effect of these tales and find that their influence extends into adult life.” 

Over the past 2 weeks, I’ve gotten a bit better at reading poetry. At first, it was a tossup for me, sometimes I got it, and other times it just went over my head. But now, after reading more, I’m starting to get the hang of it, even if I have to read some poems a few times to understand them. When I started reading ” Oedipus the King”, I noticed the strong emotions between the characters, like betrayal, revenge, and suspicion. It was pretty intense, I felt really bad for Creon because Oedipus accused him of plotting against him without any real proof, and he was sentenced to death instead of banishment. That seemed crazy. A poem that reminds me of “Oedipus the King” is “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. Both the poem and the play are about making choices and discovering. In the poem, the speaker talks about choosing a path and how that choice made a big difference in his life. It’s kind of like how Oedipus decided to find out the truth, which led to a revelation.

My first essay experience was challenging, as I made several errors and lacked depth and detail. My approach was too broad and did not align well with the assignment requirements. Balancing multiple classes, each demanding many assignments, has been difficult. I’ve realized that I haven’t devoted enough attention to my writing, which has affected the quality. However, I am confident in my ability to get better. Moving forward, I plan to focus more on ensuring my writing flows smoothly, with correct grammar and punctuation. Additionally, I will improve my citations and ensure they are meaningful to my writing. I will strive for better, As I have always been told “Practice makes Better.”

I think this essay focuses more than the socio-economic issues in “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, you might look at how Slyvia grows and becomes more self-aware. At first, Sylvia is resistant, shown when she says, ” I’m really hating this nappy-head bitch and her goddamn college degree”, which emphasizes her first defiance towards Miss Moore. By the end, Sylvia reflection ” Ain’t nobody gonna beat me at nuthin,” shows she’s starting to think differently and she feels more determined.  Another perspective is Miss Moore could be seen as pushing the kids to see things differently, especially when she said, “Where we are is who we are,” encouraging them to question their surroundings. The toy store could symbolize dreams, when a toy is expensive it represents both dreams and aspirations: the wanting and The work. If I had to give this a title for this essay it would probably be “Growth and Symbols”.

I think this essay focuses more than the socio-economic issues in “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, you might look at how Slyvia grows and becomes more self-aware. At first, Sylvia is resistant, shown when she says, ” I’m really hating this nappy-head bitch and her goddamn college degree”, which emphasizes her first defiance towards Miss Moore. By the end, Sylvia reflection ” Ain’t nobody gonna beat me at nuthin,” shows she’s starting to think differently and she feels more determined.  Another perspective is Miss Moore could be seen as pushing the kids to see things differently, especially when she said, “Where we are is who we are,” encouraging them to question their surroundings. The toy store could symbolize dreams, when a toy is expensive it represents both dreams and aspirations: the wanting and The work. If I had to give this a title for this essay it would probably be “Growth and Symbols”.

The prewriting assignment is a guide to help students learn the necessary skills to begin the journey of writing their first essay correctly.  Delving into the PowerPoint presentation has been very eye-opening, making me aware of how to write an essay with the correct use of a thesis statement. Also, how to properly structure an MLA paper. I need more work when it comes to writing an MLA paper, so I look forward to writing. I know when properly structuring your paper you have to add quotations and correct citations. Learning all of these skills will prepare us for our first essay paper using the assigned readings. All in all, this prep work is giving me the tools I need to write at a higher level, which is the goal. As I move forward in my academic future I will need to learn to write at a higher level to ensure that my papers pass in whatever course I am taking.