1. Which assignment do you feel was most successful and why? I feel successful on Exam 4 because I truly enjoyed reading the fairy tale. It brought back so many cherished memories from my childhood, reminding me of how these stories shaped my imagination and curiosity. 2. On what work do you feel you could have done better and how? On Essay 1 and 2, I feel that I could have done better because I did not spend enough time on thoroughly reading and revising my content. Rushing through the writing process meant that my ideas weren’t fully developed, and I missed opportunities to refine my arguments and improve the overall flow. 3. If there was one thing you learned this semester, what was it? I think it was reading, Reading more and more is crucial. If you want to write a perfect essay, you must read the resources more than once. This ensures you fully understand the material, grasp the nuances, and uncover deeper meanings that can strengthen your arguments.
hang pan
In Guy de Maupassant’s short story ”The Necklace”, simple words are used to describe ordinary things, such as a necklace, an apartment, or a dress. These common items become very important because they are described in a compelling way. For example, when Mathilde Loisel receives the invitation to the ball, she dreams of having many things: “She dreams of big rooms with old silk, pretty furniture with many beautiful things, and small rooms with flowers, made for talking to famous men, the kind of men all women want.” Although these descriptions are simple, they are full of power. Through the precise language used to describe these everyday items, the story enhances the emotional resonance of her dissatisfaction with life. This story shows that even the most ordinary objects, when described with precise and expressive language, can be imbued with profound meaning.
When I was young, I really enjoyed fairy tales. Although I no longer remember many of the stories’ titles, they still brought me a lot of joy. Perhaps my imagination and creativity also stem from the fairy tales I read as a child. I personally believe that fairy tales can not only be a part of a child’s happiness but also serve as an effective psychological therapy tool. As stated in the article by Leilani VisikoKnox-Johnson, “Fairy tales not only aid in child development, but they also offer a rich source of material to draw from in a therapeutic manner.” It seems that the author shares the same belief as I do. This is also supported by Jane Stafford’s article “Tell Fairy Stories to Your Children,” which says, “Fairy stories are important because they relieve a child of worries over mysteries which he cannot understand.” From this, it is clear that the fairy tales I grew up with have contributed to my healthy development.
I believe that if I hadn’t read Flannery O’Connor’s article, I wouldn’t have gained a deeper understanding of A Good Man Is Hard to Find. The article reveals the darker aspects of human nature and the complexity of the grandmother’s character.
I think that after the past two weeks of reading and understanding poetry, I would rate myself a 6 out of 10. I feel that I have made some progress in my ability to grasp metaphors and meanings in poetry, which has also helped me with reading *Oedipus the King*. I have read Robert Frost’s *Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening* several times and believe that both works share themes of responsibility and choice. In Frost’s poem, he writes:“The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.” Here, the poet faces the temptation to remain in beautiful nature but realizes he still has a long way to go. Similarly, in *Oedipus the King*, Oedipus faces a tremendous inner conflict while pursuing the truth. This understanding of responsibility allows me to feel more deeply Oedipus’s pain as he discovers his fate. Overall, although Frost’s poem is short, reading it multiple times has helped me explore the themes, characters, and emotions in *Oedipus the King* more deeply, enabling me to better understand the richness and significance of this classic play.
After finishing my first essay, I realized that writing an English essay is not easy, especially since it has to follow the MLA format exactly. As someone who started learning English later in life and still isn’t very good at it, this made the process even harder for me. I never really liked writing when I was young, and I didn’t have much interest in reading or writing. After completing this essay, I feel like I need to improve both my understanding of the writing requirements and my way of organizing ideas.
This article is very thought-provoking and carries significant educational value in terms of self-awareness, self-reflection, and self-planning. For me, it holds a deep meaning in understanding oneself and planning for the future. If I were to write an article, I would title it “The Future” and focus on Miss Moore’s unique teaching methods. Her distinctive approach in education is designed to inspire young people never to be content with their current situation, which can be expressed in Chinese as “画地为牢” (creating a prison with one’s own limits). Miss Moore’s teaching encourages students to critically reflect on their present lives and their personal situations. By doing this, she motivates them to question their limitations and strive for continuous improvement. Her lessons are not just about accepting the status quo but about envisioning a better future. Through her innovative methods, Miss Moore helps students understand the importance of self-assessment and future planning, guiding them towards achieving a more fulfilling and successful life.
What is your understanding of the prewriting assignment in Week 1 Activity. 10? What do you have to do? What is the purpose of the prewriting assignment? I think the purpose of prewriting is to prepare for better assignments and discussions later on. By reading an article several times and fully understanding it, we can create a strong main idea. The links provided give us a lot of information about the story, helping us understand it better. There are also simple guides on how to set up the structure of an article using MLA format and how to correctly add quotes. Finally, there is an example of a student’s essay to show us how everything should look. These things are very important for writing a good essay.
