Final Reflection
This class, I will always remember as the one that made me change what I “read for” and what I read. Before beginning this class, the only books I decided to read were fantasy and science fiction books. I was never interested in reading classics. Even though, I was always hoping to become a writer, I thought studying histoic novels and creative writing books, would be enough; now I know differently. My main struggle through this class has been vocabulary. This class introduced concepts that were foreign like Register and Intertexual codes. Even now, I still haven’t mastered how to wrap my head around them. My other problem is the choice of words I repeat when I write distracts my readers from understanding what I’m saying. To improve these traits will take time and practice. I have decided to start using a dictionary on a daily basis to improve my vocabulary in the future. For a writing arts major, I still have plenty of skills that must improve. I will demonstrate them by using examples from the first three core values.
Core value one: Writing Arts students will demonstrate understanding of a variety of genre conventions and exhibit rhetorical adaptability in applying those conventions. How Writers Read taught me the expectation we read for. When we read, its critical to the whole process to notice and question our "rhetorical stance"--the customary way or ways that we project our controlling values--which we bring into the reading situation. As x-ray visons let us see through things not natural to the human eye, we are looking for our rhetorical stance, which determines what we customarily "read for." This means that are you reading the book in the “Mimetic” meaning are you experiencing the aesthetic emotion when you read. In Catch 22, Yossarian’s friend dies and he is unable to save him. This feeling is very emotional to what McKee says is an emotional charge. It becomes more powerful; and more profound. Using what I learned, I hope to become a better reader and writer. Where in the past I read something a certain way, now I read them differently.
Core value two Writing Arts students will understand theories of writing and reading and be able to apply them to their own writing. How Writers Read taught me many theories about reading and writing and how to apply them. For instance, how to challenge myself as a writer. At certain points in Crime and Punishment I become distracted because some of the wording went over my head. What I must become is a virtual reader, someone who can read the text. This will make the text more enjoyable. Also, learning how to value graph was a useful tool that will help me relate to the text in the future. Now, when I read I will search and try to connect the dots together and come to see how the controlling values and counter values come to a conclusion in the end.
Core value three Writing Arts students will demonstrate the ability to critically read complex and sophisticated texts in a variety of subjects. During How Writers Read, I learned to some degree how to read complicated text. At the beginning of the semester, we were reading “Structure and Meaning” by Robert McKee. This reading showcased the meaning of how the premise, controlling value, counter value, Aesthetic emotion, and dialect worked together to form a story. At first, I couldn’t really understand these concepts until mid-semester. As I read through Great Gatsby which was completely boring, I tried to apply the methods when talking about this soap opera, but found it impossible. I think mostly because I was inexperienced.
The midway point was actually not a read, but Mike’s post. It was an inspiring piece of work that wanted me to work hard to understand what I would learn moving forward. Around this time I began Catch 22. This was a novel I would sink my teeth into. Whereas The Great Gatsby was dull, this was both funny and interesting. I particularly liked how war could be made fun of with dark humor. Using the method of the repetitive form I came to the understanding that this novel repeats multiple things in different ways. Moving on from Catch 22 I started the complex novel, Crime and Punishment. Almost immediately I was stuck by the intensity of the novel, showing both thematic and mimetic structures within.
It is through this novel that I was starting to think outside of the box. Using what I learned, I applied the methods of form, narration, and character. I knew this was something else, and even though it was long it kept me attached. I read by too quickly sometimes not getting the message which was reflected in my blogs. I felt the book was one that kept me attached and going forward.
This class has improved myself as a writer. I felt if I hadn’t taken this class my writing would not have improved. Not because I didn’t want it too, but because of what I know. I believe with this knowledge I have gained from this class I can start thinking like a writer and analyzing my own work. My one regret is not having taken this class at the beginning of my college career. I feel that if I had, I would have experience taking classes like Writers Mind and making my work better. I do appreciate this class this point in my life and I hope I will improve in the future through practice. Thanks for creating this class Dr. Kopp. It has really benefited me as a writer and reader. Hope to see you in 2015 and have a MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NE
This class, I will always remember as the one that made me change what I “read for” and what I read. Before beginning this class, the only books I decided to read were fantasy and science fiction books. I was never interested in reading classics. Even though, I was always hoping to become a writer, I thought studying histoic novels and creative writing books, would be enough; now I know differently. My main struggle through this class has been vocabulary. This class introduced concepts that were foreign like Register and Intertexual codes. Even now, I still haven’t mastered how to wrap my head around them. My other problem is the choice of words I repeat when I write distracts my readers from understanding what I’m saying. To improve these traits will take time and practice. I have decided to start using a dictionary on a daily basis to improve my vocabulary in the future. For a writing arts major, I still have plenty of skills that must improve. I will demonstrate them by using examples from the first three core values.
Core value one: Writing Arts students will demonstrate understanding of a variety of genre conventions and exhibit rhetorical adaptability in applying those conventions. How Writers Read taught me the expectation we read for. When we read, its critical to the whole process to notice and question our "rhetorical stance"--the customary way or ways that we project our controlling values--which we bring into the reading situation. As x-ray visons let us see through things not natural to the human eye, we are looking for our rhetorical stance, which determines what we customarily "read for." This means that are you reading the book in the “Mimetic” meaning are you experiencing the aesthetic emotion when you read. In Catch 22, Yossarian’s friend dies and he is unable to save him. This feeling is very emotional to what McKee says is an emotional charge. It becomes more powerful; and more profound. Using what I learned, I hope to become a better reader and writer. Where in the past I read something a certain way, now I read them differently.
Core value two Writing Arts students will understand theories of writing and reading and be able to apply them to their own writing. How Writers Read taught me many theories about reading and writing and how to apply them. For instance, how to challenge myself as a writer. At certain points in Crime and Punishment I become distracted because some of the wording went over my head. What I must become is a virtual reader, someone who can read the text. This will make the text more enjoyable. Also, learning how to value graph was a useful tool that will help me relate to the text in the future. Now, when I read I will search and try to connect the dots together and come to see how the controlling values and counter values come to a conclusion in the end.
Core value three Writing Arts students will demonstrate the ability to critically read complex and sophisticated texts in a variety of subjects. During How Writers Read, I learned to some degree how to read complicated text. At the beginning of the semester, we were reading “Structure and Meaning” by Robert McKee. This reading showcased the meaning of how the premise, controlling value, counter value, Aesthetic emotion, and dialect worked together to form a story. At first, I couldn’t really understand these concepts until mid-semester. As I read through Great Gatsby which was completely boring, I tried to apply the methods when talking about this soap opera, but found it impossible. I think mostly because I was inexperienced.
The midway point was actually not a read, but Mike’s post. It was an inspiring piece of work that wanted me to work hard to understand what I would learn moving forward. Around this time I began Catch 22. This was a novel I would sink my teeth into. Whereas The Great Gatsby was dull, this was both funny and interesting. I particularly liked how war could be made fun of with dark humor. Using the method of the repetitive form I came to the understanding that this novel repeats multiple things in different ways. Moving on from Catch 22 I started the complex novel, Crime and Punishment. Almost immediately I was stuck by the intensity of the novel, showing both thematic and mimetic structures within.
It is through this novel that I was starting to think outside of the box. Using what I learned, I applied the methods of form, narration, and character. I knew this was something else, and even though it was long it kept me attached. I read by too quickly sometimes not getting the message which was reflected in my blogs. I felt the book was one that kept me attached and going forward.
This class has improved myself as a writer. I felt if I hadn’t taken this class my writing would not have improved. Not because I didn’t want it too, but because of what I know. I believe with this knowledge I have gained from this class I can start thinking like a writer and analyzing my own work. My one regret is not having taken this class at the beginning of my college career. I feel that if I had, I would have experience taking classes like Writers Mind and making my work better. I do appreciate this class this point in my life and I hope I will improve in the future through practice. Thanks for creating this class Dr. Kopp. It has really benefited me as a writer and reader. Hope to see you in 2015 and have a MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NE