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Dear Ms. Darrow,
This class has been an experience to say the least. It is a nice change away from the nursing stuff but it has its own difficulties. Being away from the writing part of things for nearly 4 years has been tough. It has been a challenge to remember the basics of writing and what is to be expected. The writing assignments have been especially challenging and I find myself struggling with making things flow when once upon time this wasn’t an issue. On the up side of things the basics are coming back slowly but surely. The biggest success I have had so far has been learning the ins and outs of the writing world. I may not be in tip top shape but I am learning all the things that once slipped away. I have been successful in racking my brain to find the ability to get back into the swing of things.
The readings in this class have really opened my eyes to what war is really like. I have never known anyone close to me to hear their experiences and war stories. O’Brien’s writings really interested me and left me wanting to read all of the chapters and not just the ones assigned. The stories from O’Brien and Huze really opened my eyes to what really goes on in the war. There is so much behind the scenes that everyday people don’t know. The stories showed each side of the characters and gave the reader an idea of what they were like besides just being in the war settings. These soldiers had feelings, wants, and accomplishments before entering the war. These readings really gave me a new outlook for these soldiers that have and that are fighting for our country.
Literary analysis is completely different from any writings I have done in the past. Literary analysis is so difficult for me compared to the usual paper of summarizing. To study the interpretation of literature is so much more difficult than to just summarize what I have just read. I struggle with keeping my mind on a certain piece for evidence. I tend to think of all the things that could relate and get lost in all of that instead of focusing on a single thing. Literary analysis definitely keeps me challenged; I consistently have to watch for the pitfalls of summary.
My goal for the second part of the semester is to improve on my overall performance. Now that I know what is expected and I am able to feel a little more comfortable with diving into things. I hope to fulfill each assignment with more confidence and excel to the best of my abilities. With this in mind, I hope to finish this semester out strong and leave this class with better writing skills then when I started.
Respectfully,
Selena Zamora