Assigned: Analytical Response to Veil of Fears

Before I write my response, I would just like to apologize for the late submission, I was having trouble posting! Ok, now on to bigger and better things!

Genre: Persuasive and informational essay

Purpose: to inform the reader about the purpose of the veil in Muslim culture and convince them that it is not associated with terrorism.

Central Message: The veil worn by muslim women is not a terrible aspect of their culture. Americans have created false ideas about the reasons for the veil.

World View and Assumptions: Cultural practices are sometimes interwoven in religious beliefs and should be separated

Use of Tools and Evidence: The author acknowledged both sides of the argument and took time to explain the Muslim culture.

Assigned: Done With the Personal Narrative

I am not sure if it is appropriate to shout for joy when finishing a paper, but I did! I felt so relieved when I crossed “Turn in personal narrative” off my calendar. That paper was the first of its kind that I have written in a very long time. As is evident from previous posts, I was unsteady in the beginning and quite nervous to embark on this writing adventure, but the long minutes I spent looking at the word document on my computer paid off. I found the peer reviews to be extremely helpful. Both Philip and Emily gave me good advice that would improve my paper. They also helped me catch the little grammatical errors that I frequently and absentmindedly skip over. I was happy to hear that they enjoyed my paper. Thank goodness! I struggled figuring out how to include a central message subliminally, but not too obscure that my audience wouldn’t be able to figure it out. In my final draft, I think I ended up being a little bit too explicit with my message. Finding the balance in the “message” department, was definitely a challenge. Another obstacle I faced, was creating an effective title. I have found that titles have a huge impact on the reader. When I pick up a book at the bookstore, the title is what influences me to keep the book or put it down. I hope that as I grow as I writer I will be able to work my central message in seamlessly and create a title that will immediately engage my audience.

Assigned: Update on my Personal Narrative

A few days ago I was almost certain that I was going to write my personal narrative about the first day of my sixth grade year. I wanted to write about something that I remember vividly, as I thought that would make my narrative full of rich detail. I remember everything from what I was wearing to what the hallways smelled like. I remember how I didn’t want my mom to leave me. However, now that I have the blank word document staring at me, I do not know how to put the experience I see in my memories on paper. I also do not know how much background info to give. I definitely don’t want to bore my readers! To get out of my writers block, I tried typing everything I remember from the event, which is quite a lot, so detail is not a problem. The chief reason I am having a difficult time beginning this essay is that I am not entirely sure how I will be able to end the experience with a lesson that changed me. It sometimes seems as if I am still in the process of learning the lesson! At the moment, I am considering changing my topic to something more substantial, but not something a reader would have trouble relating to. I have two different experiences that I have been wanting to write about, so I think this assignment is a good opportunity for me to do so. I am going to write out ideas for my different topics to see which one take me the farthest and whichever one does, will be the one I write about. I sometimes wish words and images would go straight from my brain to the paper, but writing isn’t that easy.

Assigned: I read the excerpt Night by Elie Wiesel

The first time I read Night by Elie Wiesel, I do not think I understood the horrors illustrated in this novel. While it may only be 100 pages more or less, the images and impressions always impact the reader. I decided to read the excerpt from Night because I wanted to compare how I felt after reading a snip-it more than 5 years later than my first encounter with the shocking and emotionally draining literature. As I read the excerpt this time through, I found myself re-reading certain paragraphs to make sure I actually read what I thought I had. I cannot imagine a single emotion the people in the Holocaust felt. I am very grateful that I have a hard time imagining what these people must have felt. I have seen many movies that depict devastating events in history, and each time I come away with a better perspective. I have found that there are many terrible things that happen to good people, which reinforces the fact that trials are apart of our lives. Reading about and watching movies about events throughout history has made me appreciate the life I have. I know the world, and the United States isn’t perfect, but I am very grateful for the life I have here. I am very happy that I can be in college right now and not in some form of bondage or war. Elie Wiesel has captured me time and time again through his honest words.

Walking in Another’s Shoes, Or Trying to, Anyway...

The personal essay entitled “Families (that have been torn, re-cut with dull scissors, and then messily glued back together) Are Forever” had a profound effect on me. While I have not experienced the effects of divorce in my own life, I have observed several families and their children that are watching their family unravel right before their eyes. I have often tried to imagine how these broken wives, husbands and children must feel, but my feelings can only go as far as sympathy. However, when I read this essay, I was opened up to the seemingly contradictory ideas of frustration and progression. At the end of this essay, the author writes that even though she and her stepmother forgave each other for their misdoings, they still have occasional problems, but that was all apart of the process of learning to love her. The very last line seemed to resonate with me, “It is these few years on Earth that we are given to forge relationships that will last for all time.” While I cannot directly relate to this author’s experience, I do understand that creating and building relationships is not easy. Reading of experiences such as this one, not only make me more grateful for the family I have, but also of the pliability of the human spirit. As humans, we are able to recognize faults, correct the mistakes and implement change. On the surface, this essay was about a new family that was having trouble making a functional life happen, but deeper it is really about learning from trials each of us are given in life.

Me in 100 (and a little more) words

I have two parents, two siblings and one little, puffy puppy. I am from a suburb in north Atlanta, Georgia. I have not had a “real winter” in a very long time, so I am feeling anxious as the Utah winter approaches. I throughly enjoy cleanliness, clear, crisp mornings, season changes, holidays, mountains and Myrtle Beach, Carolina. I cherish the time I have with family. After I graduate from BYU as a dance major, I hope to get my Masters of Fine Arts and teach dance at a university level. When I have free time, I find myself reorganizing things, creating ballet combinations and choreography in my head, and dreaming of seeing my family again.