Writing Reflection

Excerpt from colonialism synthesis essay:
'To begin with, using words with either extremely positive or extremely negative connotations are used in juxtaposition in order to highlight the hierarchy of man below God. Line 9 of Anne Bradstreet's "Upon the Burning of Our House' tells of her call to God to "Strengthen [her] in [her] distress" (Bradstreet 9), a clear juxtaposition of the positive strengthen and the negative distress.

In the beginning of the year, my biggest inhibition was my tendency to try to sound smarter than I really was. While the ideas were still there, by using such simple diction and sentence structure their importance was diminished. For example: instead of using specific and illustrative terms to explain connotations, I settled for the typical, broad positive and negative. If I had capitalized on this opportunity to utilize higher diction I could have both created a more effective and consistent tone as well as better describe my argument. Another characteristic of this overcompensation is an extremely long and wordy thesis. In order to cover as much as I wished to cover, my theses became broader and broader. Instead of expanding on my theses, they were essentially summaries of everything I would argue. Once again, it was not a matter of ideas, but how I wanted to sound smarter than I really was. However, these issues did not present too difficult of a challenge; by simply believing in my ability as a writer and not forcing my tone to develop, my writing ability quickly matched the level of my ideas.

Excerpt from materialism synthesis essay:
"Finally, materialism can be enjoyable without having to be a burden on ledgers. When a new supermarket opened up nearby to Phyllis Rose, "People raced from the warehouse aisle... exclaiming at all the new things" (Source C". The increased variety and availability brought joy and amusement to the shoppers by giving them new experiences. Sure, they did not necessarily buy everything, but the sight alone was enough. There is a difference between buying and shopping. Shopping allows for the benefits of materialism without having to worry about the cost."

It is hard to show progress in writing through a short excerpt, this specific excerpt shows the progress made in the problem areas of the first. My level of syntax and tone may not be as high, but my control of my argument has skyrocketed. This trade off is fair because the key to any argument is being able to be understood, which requires simple control. At the same time, this does not mean that my writing has become overly simplified. My writing benefits from my ideas, as good ideas tend to write themselves. This transition also has helped me in preparation for the AP test because when I try to do more with less with my writing, I am less likely to blur my ideas during a 40 minute essay. I receive greater control and clarity, such that I can create a cohesive argument and worry less about bringing everything back together. That was another one of my greatest struggles: circling back to my main ideas. By not forcing my writing to be overly complicated, I left myself less loose ends to tie, resulting in the conclusion of more ideas. Overall, my writing simply made more sense.

Final Takeaway

This year has been my most evolutionary as a writer; all that my teachers have been teaching me finally seemed to click into place. My biggest revolution was the idea that less can be more, which has allowed me to be myself, develop a tone, and regain control of my ideas. My largest struggle has been building up my stamina. This issue can only be dealt with through intense practice, which is why the amount of writing we did before the AP test helped me so much. I was able to push the boundaries of how quickly I can write effectively and was always kept on my toes. In the future, I wish to keep expanding the conditions under which I write. I enjoy challenging myself to adapt my writing to fit the argument I am trying to make, almost like a game of choosing the right style. By simply taking control of my ideas and not trying too hard to sound perfect, the communication of my ideas has flowed incredibly easily. However, my evolution as a writer is not done yet and I look forward to my continuation of progress in 12 AP.

Why Tom Sawyer Should (maybe not) Audition for the Next Pirates of the Caribbean

In May 2017, the fifth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean will grace the screens of movie theaters around the world. The rough and tough adventure world of Cap'n Jack Sparrow will not fail to entertain and excite. Adventure? Excitement? If you ask me, there isn't a better film for Tom Sawyer to make his acting debut. Then he doesn't have to waste people's time by locking them up against their will and withhold critical knowledge for them simply because it is "it's the RIGHT way—and it's the regular way. And there ain't no OTHER way, that ever [he] heard of" (Clemens 35.56). News flash Tom, just because you like it doesn't make it regular or humane. A movie could give him the sense of adventure, but in reality take away any real life consequences from his actions. I bet he would really enjoy using green screens and would be fascinated that the computer can do the imagining for him. The only problem is that he may ruin this great movie franchise just like he ruined the end of Huckleberry Finn; too often Tom is thinking about himself and if he ruins a perfectly great series just for his own adventure I will not be very happy. If people were to stop thinking only about themselves all of the time, then maybe we would live in a better society. We can't forget that manipulating other for our own gain has negative consequences. At the same time we cannot allow ourselves to be controlled and stand up for ourselves, just as I will stand up for a boycott against Pirates of the Caribbean if they allow Tom Sawyer to enter in the plot without purpose and ruin the ending, forever diminishing the work as a whole.

The Australian Huckleberry Finn

Just because Nemo is a clown fish doesn't mean that his story is all laughs and giggles; his entire journey is spent looking for freedom, whether it be from his oppressive father who won't let him leave the anemone (pap much?) or from the fish tank in order to avoid being given to a ruthless, new, brace-faced owner (I'm looking at you Miss Watson). Fish were not meant to be kept in tanks, just as slaves were not meant to be treated as property and have their own freedoms taken away from them. In the movie, the juxtaposition of Marlin's journey through the ocean, the pinnacle of sea creature freedom, alongside Nemo's captivity in the tank shows just how truly wrong it is to suppress an individual. The fish in the tank go crazy, they are uneducated, entertained by bubbles, and lack the wholesome life that the other fish are able to live out in the ocean. They do not hold their own destiny outside of the little box they are trapped in. Their origin stories are all but forgotten, and most of them have never been to the ocean at all; it is something spoken of in their folklore. Just as Phillis Wheatley wrote in her letter to Rev. Samson Occum, freedom "is impatient of oppression. Both in Huckleberry Finn and Finding Nemo, when faced with the oppression of being treated as property and traded away to a new owner where their life will be miserable, the best option is to escape. But being free means more than just escaping the tank: at the end of the movie the fish in the tank escape in plastic bags to the harbor, but are unable to escape their baggage. The result is a bunch of fish floating around in their own bubbles. Just because Jim is able to escape Miss Watson does not mean he is free to walk about until he has help from the abolitionists in the north. True freedom will never be able to be achieved without help from the suppressor to the suppressed. There needs to be a break in the cycle.

Where Dreams Come True

The happiest place on Earth: Disney World. A park where the screen comes to life, your favorite characters walk beside you, you can be a princess or hero, or hate yourself for going on the "It's a Small World After All" gondola ride one too many times. It is unlike any other place known to man, it is a different world entirely. The motto "where dreams comes true" encompasses how a few businessmen were able to turn a two-dimensional entertainment video into an immerse experience that takes you right into the world of your imagination. However, this idea of bringing entertainment to life is far from novel. The park is based on the movies, which ultimately trace back to the screenplays. Pieces such as Arthur Miller's The Crucible are the basis that have allowed this gift of humanity to occur that is Disney World. The movie version of The Crucible that followed is a prime example of how before a movie can come to life at Disney, the text has to come to life on screen. Words on paper have the potential, but they require a mouthpiece to fulfill it. Actors and directors breathe life into the words, adding tone and expression and color. John Proctor's suspenseful confession that he "lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat" (Miller III) is enhanced by Daniel Day-Lewis, face covered in grime and sweat, with an agonizing tone of voice, and the reactions of the witnesses, in a way that words simply cannot. The movie screen is a place where words come true, setting the scene for where dreams come true.

Revenge

Revenge has to be one of the most satisfying actions known to man. Nothing feels better than knowing that what has been done wrong against us has been compensated for. This closure holds a finicky place in our social constructs: if you don't do enough you are simply taking a cheap shot and being petty, if you do too much you are a sore loser or trying too hard. That also begs the question, is it possible to find the perfect amount of revenge, or is any act of revenge frowned upon? The opportunity for revenge provided by the Salem Witch Trials was far from that which is underdone and petty. The murder of "very likely" (you never know) innocent women on the basis of scandalous evidence was revenge taken to the extreme. When "one [can] cry witch against one's neighbor and feel perfectly justified in the bargain" (Miller), then either not enough value is being placed on the life of these women or people need to get over their inconsequential grudges and move on with their lives, not take others. Someone needs to tell that to Yzma from the Emperor's New Groove. Yzma's idea of fair revenge takes the all too familiar form: murder. Albeit she has the excuse of being a scripted character, her actions are simply not warranted by her deserved firing for not doing her job as Kuzco's assistant. But how are we supposed to find the perfect amount of revenge when there are so many different world views on what is acceptable? Although you may not guess it from The Crucible, Puritan's saw the correct path of revenge as turning the other cheek and not doing anything, while other cultures such as the Mesopotamians saw it for fit to take an eye for an eye. If there is not one definite point of acceptable revenge, then it is impossible to achieve it. Therefore, no revenge will ever be accepted by everyone, and those willing to avenge their losses are held to no standard. This lack of a standard is what allows the Salem Witch Trials and Yzma's plan to occur without much second thought to the perpetrator's actions.

Our Own Origin Stories

Man's relationship with the divine is one that transcends generations; we learn our faith and morals from those who raised us. The connection between religion and our own origin stories of ourselves is prominently spread in today's culture. Sherman Alexie's response to being a Native American forced to conform to white society is a mantra of "Yes I am. I am Indian. Indian, I am". He refuses to give up his past, his customs, and his own personal identity just because it is expected of him. He takes a stand for who he is and what he believes in. Personally, I find such feats hard to accomplish. Simba in The Lion King  would find my philosophy to be true: it is much easier to just rebuke our origin stories and shape ourselves to society than stand up for who we are. He loses his father to the wildebeest herd early in his life and is forced to grow up without a paternal figure to shape his identity. He is essentially self-exiled to pseudo-paradise with Timon and Pumba; however, back with the pride, evil and chaos are allowed to ensue. The return of Simba, emboldened with his destiny to be King, is the only hope for survival. Rafiki with the aid of Mufasa, Simba's father, reminds him to remember who he is. His sense of personal identity kicks in and he returns to restore the circle of life and ensure the well-being of the pride. It is the sense of ownership and dedication displayed by Simba to the Kings who have gone before him that causes him to stand up for what he believes in. Our own origin stories cannot be forgotten. While they are often less debated than those spoken of in folklore or religion, they serve just as important of a purpose. They give us a sense of identity and entitlement that allows us to be the people we are today.