1. Which assignment do you feel was most successful and why? I think all of my essays were success. When I took ENG 101 Professor didn’t care to teach us anything about essay structure or how to write the essay. The Outlines that were provided for each Essay were like instructions how to write. I really liked how simple and straightforward everything was. 2. On what work do you feel you could have done better and how? I think I could have done better job at Quizzes. I did download all the provided information, but If I had separate document where I wrote down notes from those downloads I would have done better on Quizzes. 3. If there was one thing you learned this semester, what was it? Read the instructions carefully, maybe even few times. I got ahead of myself few times with that. Thankfully instructions provided were clear for 99.99% of the time.
Liutciia Galeeva Laboy
I found idea expressed by Raymond Carve about “commonplace but precise language” very double sided. In my understanding Carve wants writers to use simple language. On one hand it makes sense – ESL students and people around the world would easier understand the story. But it would be too simple and boring to read for people who speak English fluently. On the other hand, literature supposed to be beautiful and deep. I personally do not think writer can show depth by using commonplace but precise language. Literature is an art. I found Salvation by Langston Hughes kind of as commonplace, I think it might be because the story is told by a 13-year-old boy. “I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen. But not really saved. It happened like this” (Hughes). So here we can see the language is very commonplace. It is easy to read, but it has irony in the story. This is like cherry on the top. Simple language could be good as long as it has some spice to it lol
My thesis statement is “Fairy tales, while often considered harmless, can negatively impact children by perpetuating outdated stereotypes about gender roles and values, fostering unrealistic expectations, and failing to reflect the complexities of the modern world.” My main argument in this essay that fairy tales are way too outdated, they reflect the values of times that we left behind on purpose. From the list A, I used a quote that reflects a harm that fairy tales can cause to little girls by telling them to be submissive and do not try to be independent. “It’s important to understand the messages our children receive about traditional gender roles, especially during a time when women are encouraged to be independent and rely on their brains rather than beauty” (Grauerholz). From list B I used a quote that reflects on what might be a problem why fairy tales main female character is not independent or does not know how to do anything. “Indeed, feminist psychological studies have documented thoroughly the importance of a mother’s positive role in her daughter’s gender identity” (Fisher).
I think that texts should keep their authentic language in place of historical context and characterization. Although, that kind of text should be marked, what I mean is it should have age limit. I think it would be inappropriate, for example for nine years old to read offensive language, however I strongly believe that adult should still explain to a kid that curtain offensive words were used back in time and explain what it means and why writers would choose to say those words. I do think it totally fine for college students like us to be able to read everything, we are grown people and do understand that writers use specific words in their texts to make us feel the time, feel it what it was like back then. Those words would help use dive deeper into the meaning of the text and also would be the reminding of what words we should not use in day-to-day life.
At first, I thought poem was just like stories. But when I started reading it, I quickly realized that poem is packed with meanings. And with those meanings came with a lot of words I do not know meaning of. Then I’ve learned that the only reason to pause is when there is comma, period etc. and usually that is not at the end of the line. With poetry I need to read the poem multiple times to understand it. Oedipus the King is structure approximately the same, so I’m ready to read it with confidence. I would say 8 out of 10 is my ability to read it. The Play resonates with Shakespear “Sonnet 18” poem to me, it feels like they written in the same manner (except the fact the author of the Play doesn’t say how great he is). There is so much classic drama, pride, and irony of fate in the Play and in the Sonnet,
When I took ENG 101 Professor did not really teach about grammar or how to write essays. I got to learn a lot in my ENG 201 just in two weeks. For example, every page after the first one has to have header, I did not really know what thesis statement’s purpose is till I get to go through slides that offered here. I did not know much about the structure of essay before this class. I did not really know what run on sentence or statement fragment were and got to learn it here. By using outline, I know how to structure the essay, how to start it (introduction that includes thesis statement which is the main idea of my essay), how properly insert quotations into the flow of my essay. After working on my essay #1 for few days and being successful at it – I know for sure Chat GPT will not help me with it and I’m once again will rely on myself.
When I started reading “The Lesson” it felt a little bit uneasy. I think it was due to the fact that language is used by the author is troubling. It’s rude and disrespectful. Therefore, immediately gave away the fact that these were kids of low-income families. I think of Miss Moore as a lighthouse. Even though Sylvia hated her gut, it seems that deep down she knew that Miss Moore could see something good in each one of them kids and show them what they really capable of. My favorite part is that none of the kids didn’t talk bad about all the people who could afford those toys in the store. Sylvia realizes what Miss Moore try to show them and for the moment in time she tried to fight back, but she (Sylvia) gives in to the fact that she actually understands “The Lesson” that is being taught. I would call my essay “Troubling Awakening,” because it shows the realization children experience is both eye-opening and unsettling. It suggests a deeper, more complex shift in understanding.
In the week 1 for activity #10, tells me to write prewriting, so prewriting is a multi-layered process in which I will evaluate student sample literary essay. There are steps for that; first, I will read the short story “The Most Handsome Drowned Man” which is primary source written by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, then I will read the short overview (secondary source) by Dean Rader, which is basically him analyzing “The Most Handsome Drowned Man.” After that I will come up with thesis which is a main idea for my essay. I will insert quotes to argue my thesis and use proper MLA citation. In my understanding the purpose of prewriting is to figure out how I fell about the story, what the main idea I want to discuss and follow all the instructions. Knowing exactly in what direction I want to move with my essay will help me avoid getting carried away and help me to stay on topic.
