English Composition
Essay
I cannot believe it is the end of the seamster, yet I think what I have learned opened my eyes to things I believe very important, which I will discuss in this essay. In general, I will discuss the incomes out of this course by answering the forementioned questions in the assignment.
The first question is about analyzing how views regarding linguistic conventions strengthen or constrain individuals who use languages. Asking this question in specific proves that you planned very well for this class because this is the first point I would discuss in all cases. I have been studying linguistics for more than 6 years and the idea that to express yourself away from linguistic restrictions is brilliant, not exaggerating. This is the first time I focus on the content/ideas of the text rather than dividing my attention between linguistic mistakes and ideas. Not denying the importance of linguistics at all, however, it is very useful to write freely without caring about linguistics, this way, it unleashes your strength and empowers your creativity in writing.
Eventually, we write to communicate or to convey meaning, message, or idea, so since you can write and the reader receive the ideas or the message, then the essential purpose of writing is met. For example, Amy Tan and her mother, her mother used to say broken English, yet she was able to deliver the message, even Amy Tan’s essay itself was not perfect in terms of linguistics yet we enjoy reading it. Bottom line, linguistic standards oppress the language users more than they empower them in certain contexts, type of writing, purpose of writing. The next paragraph will discuss the second question about rhetorical devices and genres.
The second question is about investigating and evaluating a range of genres and rhetorical contexts via writing and reading. This is exactly what did in my research essay, I compared different genres such as short story, essay, poems, and narratives (fictional realism) with reference to the rhetorical devices. What I have learned out of conducting that comparative study is that rhetorical devices overlap between genres in which one rhetorical device can be used in all genres such as simile. However, some of rhetorical devices are best to be used in certain genres over other genres, for example, alliteration is commonly connected to poetry rather than short story, yet it can be found the short story such as Shooting an Elephant.
Develop strategies for reading, drafting, collaborating, revising, and editing. From my perspective, I developed the strategy of drafting; indeed, I studied this skill, and I knew about the importance of drafting, however, this course helped me put it into practice. The way the assignment is designed is to allow drafting which helps a lot in improving the writing and avoiding mistakes. Furthermore, I was able to develop the skills needed to use rhetorical devices in writing because part of my research was to analysis them in different texts, which leads to expanding my comprehension on how I can employ them during writing. Since I started writing my own book, I believe this skill will be a great tool to attract readers and make my writing creative. In addition, this is the first time I add pictures to a text I write. Honestly speaking, inserting pictures describing the moment what I write about is brilliant, as you add species to the meals, exactly as we did in the first assignment (writing about a challenging moment in learning English)
Finally, I realize something important is that what controls the texts whether they are poem, short story, novel, or essay is the writer mental conditions; if a reader is a prisoner, s/he will write about something related to imprisonment. In other words, what controls the content of the text is our conditions not what we want to write about solely. For example, Orwell was in situation of being the colonizer and, therefore, his story was about his condition as colonizer, some goes for Amy Tan who had an issue with language acquisition.
In summary, prioritizing content over linguistic correctness to enhance creativity in writing was valuable insights gained out of this course. Furthermore, exploration of genres and rhetorical devices through a research essay, noting the overlapping use of rhetorical devices across different genres enhanced my ability to perceive the literary texts before and after writing. The development of drafting strategies and the practical application of rhetorical devices, particularly in their own writing endeavors, such as crafting a book will help me a lot in my writing. Additionally, I cannot forget appreciating the innovative inclusion of pictures to complement the writing. By the end, realizing the influence of the writer’s mental state on the content they produce emphasizes how personal circumstances shape the themes and narratives of texts. Overall, my essay celebrates growth in writing skills, understanding of rhetorical devices, and a deeper awareness of the creative process influenced by personal experiences.
