English Class Wrap Up
[This is my final reflection of last years English class that I wrote at the very end of the year. I talked about how i grew as a writer and my over all experiance in the class. I also discus a comon theme that is included in each text that we read last year.]
Wraping it Up
The theme of alienation was present is a few texts we have read this year. I do not believe or remember talking about that theme specifically in class, but it was there. The word alienation, from the Encarta Dictionary, means: The process of causing somebody to become unfriendly, unsympathetic, or hostile, or somebody’s estrangement from or unfriendly attitude toward somebody else. I think this was very present in The Catcher in the Rye. Alienation did occur, but no one really alienated the main character Holden, Holden alienated himself. He would purposely be mean to his peers, exclude himself from other people, and get kicked out of schools. Holden didn’t have to do that to himself, but he chose to. He chose to alienate himself. His choice was his own decision; the short story Metamorphosis included a character a little bit different.
Metamorphosis is about a kid named Gregor who turns into a giant bug. The similarity between Gregor and Holden is that they are both alienated. The difference between them is that Gregor doesn’t alienate himself, his family. Gregor turns into a giant bug, and is practically forgotten by his family. He still loves his family, but they don’t love him back. In the end, it is really the author’s worst nightmare. That just describes how bad alienation is. For the author, being alienated was his worst nightmare; think about how bad it is for the people who are really alienated. Another text that we discussed this year that includes alienation is Frankenstein.
The legend of Frankenstein is famous: a doctor makes a monster out of real body parts. In this legend, the monster is being alienated. Different then Metamorphosis, the monster is not alienated by his creator, he is alienated by society. In the story, society is scared of the monster, so society is the alienator. That is how society acts today. When society is scared of something different, they ignore it or alienate it. Alienation in society has been occurring since society has begun.
My greatest strength as a writer is my drive. I have stayed up late to finish papers and I want to make sure I successfully communicate my point. I really like and want to share my opinions. This desire to tell a story is necessary for a good writer.
As great as my desire is to say what I think, I have a lot to do to improve my writing. The first area I must improve is my attention to detail. When writing, the smallest elements (commas, word choice, etc.) have the ability to change meaning and readers’ understanding. I must be careful to re-read and edit my papers to make sure my ideas convey my point correctly. An understanding of grammar and appropriate word choice have been challenges for me this year. Further, I believe discussing my writing with others will help me improve. My usage of the writing center really needs to increase, I hardly ever go there. My sister always wants to know what I’m doing in English class, specifically with writing. If I discuss my assignments and papers, I will be able to develop a clearer idea of what I want to say.
As far as what I have written this year, I am most proud of my op-ed paper. I believe I made good points and wrote a good opinionated paper. I used good evidence to explain my point, and believe my point and opinion was clearly stated. I included key things like zingers, which make a good op-ed paper. I believe that my paper could have changed peoples mind about the Duke case, and I like that. This was also my most favorite assignment. In any assignment where I get to state my own opinion freely, I enjoy.
A lot of things occurred in this year’s English class, and a lot I will remember. First of all, I will always remember Vahon, he was/is a great kid and I enjoyed having him in class. I will never forget Alex Domenick’s unintelligent (saying that in a nice way) comments, and Kapnek…being Kapnek. I won’t forget about how Gibbs and Charlie were only in class together about 10 times, one of them were always absent. No one can forget about Kyle and Alex Olsman during class discussions, they’re crazy. Mariel’s brownies were amazing. As far as the class as a whole, I will never forget vocab groups and class discussions. Also, who could forget about doing grammar for the 8th year in a row? As far as writing, (what I think I’m supposed to be talking about) I won’t forget verb tenses, word choice, and textual evidence. I won’t forget any of that because the way to use it correctly is practically tattooed in my head. I will always remember all of this, mainly because it is all too interesting to forget. Oh one more thing, I don’t think I have ever been in a class with two Dan’s, two Mike’s, three Alex’s, and one of each pair of twins in 10th grade.
Overall, I have learned a lot this year. Mainly, I have learned how to be a better English student: a better reader and a better writer. I have learned a lot about grammar, and a lot more vocabulary. Like I said before, I learned how to better use word choice, textual evidence, and use the right verb tenses. I have learned a lot about myself as well. I have learned that I am very privileged, have a strong opinion, and I’m a quiet kid. A quiet kid, but a good kid