Table of Contents

Table of Contents reflection letter Critical Thinking Identity Marker Revision Intro Revised Intro to Writers Choice Writers Choice Intro to Voice Audience/Voice Test Post

Reflection on English 101D Class

I've always felt that writing was a part of me from the time I was a fifth grader a constant journal became a part of who I was. I was going to be a writer so I hid whatever notebook that had become my precious journal in between school books and under jackets. Growing older though I was told to face reality, that being a writer is as far out as wanting to be a pop singer or an astraunaut, its unattainable. So slowly and reluctantly I let those dreams die. I avoided writing classes after that and putting effort into my school papers, what was the point everyone else had decided how successful I was going to be and it didn't amount to much. This class in a sad way brought back all those dreams of entertaining others through the written word. I can't say that I am willing to chase those dreams, but its always fun to imagine.

You will notice that the pieces I chose to include in my portfolio consist mostly of work from the Identity Chapter of english class. Every piece of work that I chose for my portfolio are pieces that I connected to that I felt deserve recognition and that I'm proud to be author of. The identity pieces became important to me because I learned exactly what this class was supposed to teach me; diversity. Reading the essays written by so many different people that have experienced things I can't even imagine taught me to be more understanding. I will always remember the challenges of this class and how important diversity is.

Critical Thinking Introduction

I choose this discussion post as an example of critical thinking because it was one of the most difficult one to write. Think about it to you what makes an identity marker? Just be glad you don’t have to read the essays that came with it. Most of them were moving but at the same time its hard to understand all the difficulties these people face. I had to put myself in their shoes.

I believe that my definition of identity marker shows my ability to analyze, An identity marker is the way someone perceives another. Its a judgement. My ability to think through my assignments has greatly increased due to this English class

Identity Marker-Critical Thinking

An identity marker is the way someone perceives another. Its a judgement. Everyone judges the others around them even though it is impolite and unfair. Queen Latifah (1999) says that we are judged by our gender and our race. Latifah insists that each woman needs to know that she is a queen, and that they need to demand to be treated as one. "This is particularly important for African American women to know inside and out, upside down, and right side up...Many of us have been so hurt and so dogged out by society - and by men and by life - that we can't even wrap our brains around the notion that we deserve better, that we are queens."
According to Emily White (2002) we are judged on the people that we associate with, who we are seen with we are identified with. She also says that people are also identified by their looks. "...virtually all the popular kids are physically well proportioned;one girl I interview will describe them as "the kind of kids who get their way because they have perfect hair, perfect teeth, et cetera." Its true people judge by appearances usually out of jealousy or thinking, "i'm glad I don't look like that".



Latifah, Queen. "Who You Callin' Bitch?". Remix.
Ed. Leasa Burton. Boston:Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 33-37. Print
White, Emily. "High School's Secret Life". Remix
Ed. Leasa Burton. Boston:Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 15-19. Print

Revision/Reseeing

I had trouble focusing on this assignment with my limited knowledge and no involvement with the public school system, which I believe these essays focused on. So I didn’t really put my heart into the assignment. The first paragraph is decent it’s the final paragraph that I focused on for revisions. I didn't change a lot grammatically but I did rewrite the paragraph to what I felt supported the first paragraph and connected them better.

High School

In the essays High School's Secret Life (by Emily White) and Masks (Lucy Grealy) the authors share their views on high school. White's view of high school is as an adult observer watching the students, whereas Grealy speaks about her own high school experiences. Both give the illusion that the lunchroom is a big exciting part of high school, they have similar stories of boys sitting in the lunchroom trying to impress their peers by making fun of others imperfections. According to both the writers' having imperfections leads to cruelty and isolation from others. The writers also seemed to think if you are treated cruelly in high school, those scars will carry on into adulthood.

I feel blessed after reading these essays.My high school problems that seemed so significant at the time now seem so small and childish. My parents insisted that I attend private school. Lucky for me I only had school on one day a week. I had a group of friends that I felt comfortable with and the weird thing is the popular kids were super-scary nice. They were best friends with everyone. The lunch time wasn’t full of competition and belittling such as the authors experienced but of laughter and fun. The only regrets that follow me from those four years is Though my classmates were always kind to me I let our differences build a barrier in my mind that was never torn down.


In the essays High School's Secret Life (by Emily White) and Masks (Lucy Grealy) the authors share their views on high school. White's view of high school is as an adult observer watching the students, whereas Grealy speaks about her own high school experiences. Both give the illusion that the lunchroom is a big exciting part of high school, they have similar stories of boys sitting in the lunchroom trying to impress their peers by making fun of others imperfections. According to the writers' having imperfections leads to cruelty and isolation from others.

In grade school if you asked me what my favorite parts of school were I would answer easily recess, lunch and P.E. If you asked that question after I entered high school I wouldn't have an answer for you. Entering high school was a new exciting experience, all my friends were jealous because I only had to attend one day a week. What my friends didn't realize was that my high school was full of well of kids whose parents were deeply involved in their childrens lives'. These things started the isolation that only increased through my four years of high school. Though my classmates were always kind to me I let our differences build a barrier in my mind that was never torn down. I never had the misfortune of experiencing the cruelty of teenage boys (other than my brother) nor of anyone ostracizing me for my looks.

Introduction To Writers' Choice

Choosing my favorite work was not easy. It was hard to decide between pieces that I had worked hard on or pieces that had just flowed onto the paper. I decided on the former which is why i chose identity discussion number two. The assignment was to read "How to Tame a Wild Tongue", written by Gloria Anzaldua.

This essay was hard to read for me, it took three more than my regular two tries to feel that I understood what the author was saying clearly enough to write about it. In conclusion I chose this piece as my favorite not because it was easy, but because of the difficulties spent interpreting the text, which it is based off of.

Writers Choice (Identity Discussion #2)

"We needed a language with which we could communicate with ourselves, a secret language." Isn't it strange how this country used to be called the melting pot, we must have tried so hard to make others conform to our way of life that they felt the need to create their own language. Thats what Gloria Anzaldua says when explaining how Chicano Spanish was born. Chicanos live in the east and middle America. Chicanos can speak up to eight languages. In todays America immigrants feel less compelled to become just like everyone else. Individuality is a gift and should be cherished.

Anzaluda says that she felt her language was outlawed in this country. She was so unsure of the way she spoke her language that she avoided others that had grown up speaking it freely. "Chicanas feel uncomfortable talking in Spanish to Latinas, afraid of their censure." I had a distorted view of the world and its cultures, everything was black and white. The Spanish stuck together, the Dutch, the Asians, everyone was in their own little tribe or clique. It is only now that I can see that there is always more to a group than what they let the world see on the outside.

So, if you want to really hurt me, talk badly about my language. Ethnic identity is twin skin to linguistic identity- I am my language" If only everyone who can speak more than one language felt pride in that fact like Anzaluda does, rather than censured. Does America try to dispel other cultures and languages? Some Americans are ashamed, ashamed because these immigrants that did not have life as easy as they did are so multi-talented and because they refused to be put down. Most people from other cultures have a better work ethic because they feel like they have to prove themselves and us Americans are to lazy to try and live up to those standards so we put down their language and culture

An Introduction To My Audience/Voice Piece

I choose my family traditions blog post as an exemplary example of audience and voice. I felt like a story teller as I wrote this essay. It was my goal that anyone reading it could imagine a close knit family sitting around a wood stove with the family bible nestled in the mothers lap. For example "When the matriarch is finished she drags a chair over along with the worn family Bible, we sit quietly in the familiar warmth as she reads a chapter or two." Or picturing the happy scene at the supper table, "If we turn our backs dad is sneaking a bite or two off of our plates. The table is full of conversation and laughter."

All in all it was my goal to not just remember special times with my family but to bring to the readers mind similar joyful experiences they had growing up. This post was rewritten three times before I felt comfortable enough to place where the entire world could view. I expanded my writing skills by having others read it and give feedback. I learned how to draw a readers' attention throughout the entire essay

Family Tradition

My family is not like any other family. (trust me I’ve spent a lot of time with them). There are no holiday traditions. I realized that traditions don’t especially have to come from holidays. Traditions in our family stems from routine. When I lived at home, this routine was dull and boring. Now I can’t wait to visit home to feel the comfort of our simple traditions.

There is one mealtime routine (turned tradition) that I will someday enjoy with a family of my own. This tradition has been going as long as I can possibly remember, I like to think that it started when my parents first married.

Every meal the family sits down together and starts with a silent prayer before anyone dares take a bite. When mom thinks the prayer has been long enough all the children (about twelve and under) say Lord bless this food for Jesus sake Amen. Then its eating time Thursday nights (my noodle hating older sisters least favorite night) is my fathers favorite its spaghetti night. He swears to this day that no one makes spaghetti like my mom.

If we turn our backs dad is sneaking a bite or two off of our plates. The table is full of conversation and laughter. The conversation usually centered around the families dairy farm. Bringing up inappropriate subjects such as cow manure and cows giving birth was not uncommon.

On winter nights, as individual plates get emptied we make our way to the wood stove (not entirely environmentally friendly but cheap and comforting) When the matriarch is finished she drags a chair over along with the worn family Bible, we sit quietly in the familiar warmth as she reads a chapter or two. As she closes the Bible everyone closes their eyes and bows their head for final thanks and moms voice says softly Lord we thank thee, again the children finish, Lord we thank thee for this food for Jesus sake Amen.