Anda di halaman 1dari 6

Zepeda 1

Karla Zepeda
English 114B
Professor Topf
7 May 2014
My name is Karla Zepeda, I am in my second semester in college and so far things are
pretty good. I am currently finishing English 114B with Professor Topf. The class was a very
friendly environment and truly I can say was one of my favorite classes. As I reflect back into
the semester and into my writing, I can honestly say I learned few things that helped me into
being a better writer while also being able to say I did not do so well.
In my English 114A class, I was taught rhetoric and how to go about in using it to
persuade people. In this class I was taught that there is more than meets the eye with rhetoric. I
was taught that it was not the art of bullshitting but more of an appeal that can get you far in life.
Rhetoric is used every day, we are surrounded by it, and it is in our nature to use it without
notice. And, even though my essays werent as great, it was still something I believe I knew how
to use. I was able to identify the three different appeals when doing activities and in using
personal experiences to convince the audience and to convey it throughout the semester.
In my English 114A class we wrote two different essays. One in which we were to relate
todays society to the book The Postmortal, and the other of critically analyzing two similar yet
different types of space. For the first assignment with The Postmortal, I felt confident. Although
the assignment felt rather easy it was not in my favor. I am aware in my faults as a writer. I tend
to be conversational (as you can see), suggestive, questionable, and such rather than direct. I also
lack very much in the analytical aspect. I do try my hardest when it comes to analyzing, yet I fail.
Zepeda 2

In the essay I was told by my peers as well as my professor all these things. I was told that these
things were holding me back which I already knew. I understand I need to be more direct and
sound confident when writing but I do not. I also understand that being conversational is not
something to be used when writing a critical analysis essay. Many others would agree, but there
are others who may have a different opinions. On the website reddit, a blog website, a user by
the name of scribbledout agrees that speaking in a conversational tone may not be the best idea.
To the question When does conversational writing turn into bad writing? he replies, For some
reason, I've always considered it to be weaker than prose with a formal bent because it doesn't
give a writer the chance to truly stretch their wings without jarring the reader. It doesn't sound
nearly as intelligent, either. I do agree and see what he means by this. My peers and professor
would all agree that when trying to convince someone being too conversational isnt what is best.
I sound as scribbledout stated not intelligent. In an article called Dont write like you talk by
Robert Warren, he explains that it is okay to speak in a conversational tone if and only you know
how to. He does, start out by saying to get people take you seriously, you do need to push away
from speaking in that tone. He states, If you want your writing to command respect, ignore the
conventional advice and don't write like you talk. Instead, master conversational tone (Warren
2). I agree with what he says, as does my professor said when proofreading this essay that I must
steer away from that type of tone and be more analytical. Warren then goes on, and does explain
that it is okay to use that tone under certain circumstances. "Conversational tone" is the
deliberate use of personal language that appeals to the casual reader. An important writing
technique, it mimics how we believe natural speech should ideally sound - dramatic, confident,
empathic, intelligent (Warren 3). He goes on in also saying that many others see it as a
carefully crafted illusion. Ive always been a conversational writer because I do feel as if it is
Zepeda 3

something most people do not necessarily know how to use. I feel like I do a great job when it
comes to that because I do feel as if I attract the audience. I like to make the audience feel as if I
am not just writer with a boring tone, I like to draw them and make them feel welcomed. So, all
though many would disagree that it is a bad thing, I personally think that it is one of my strong
points as writer. Now only if Professors would accept this type of tone instead of seeing it as a
mediocre type of thing.
In the essay for critically analyzing two different types of space, I believe I honestly did
not do so well mainly because I did not understand the assignment. Although, I did ask for help,
I still didnt out it in words. I also learned in how to be descriptive. I learned in how to encrypt
sensory details, personification, and such into my writing to give it life. I believe my professor
would agree that that was one of my high points in the class. In high school, within all my honor
English classes we were given a picture and asked to describe and create a story with just the
picture. I always had millions of different ideas of what to write about because there was always
millions of different thing flowing through my head of how to describe it. I am a descriptive
writer. Whether or not if my professor or peers or whoever may find it so to say wrong I do
not. I stand by my descriptive writing because I feel like it is a hard skill to acquire. As I said
before, I give life into my writing. I read and wrote many poetrys as a child and Ive learned to
make art within my writing because of that. So when it comes to criticism on my descriptive
writing, I do not care in what people say. Although, I do realize I failed in the essay because I
feel as if I was not able to combine it with the essay. I feel like in this essay it was much
unorganized and I could not transition from analyzing to descriptive which is something my
professor pointed out. So I tried in doing that and maybe did not do such a good job.
Zepeda 4

Within the two essays together, I lacked analyzing and in being too vague. I still need
help in trying to analyze correctly in order to show or prove my points. As you will see within
the essays, my ideas are there but just not well put or explained. It has always been something
that is so hard for me to do as a writer because as stated before I am too conversational which
makes me indirect in what I am trying to prove. In an interview with Professor Shumacher, my
University professor of last year, we discussed the importance of analyzing essays. When
interviewing her, she said, Analysis is the key to your writing. It is important that you learn in
how to analyze correctly because without the correct type of analysis, your essay will not
perceiver. I have always struggled with analyzing correctly. When I was in her class she helped
me and guided me. In an article called Why students will have to learn how to write descriptive
essays by Tina Blue, she discusses on the importance of analysis. She states, Writing which
aims to arrive at an understanding of a subject--or to make such an understanding possible for the
reader by leading him through the steps of rational analysis of that subject (Blue 3). It is
important in explaining what you are trying to prove and I realize that but I do lack in it and I
wish I could do a better job.
To be blunt, I feel as if I did not try my absolute hardest in this class. It is something I
regret but what is done is done and whatever grade I receive in this class, I do hope it was well
deserved. I do hope in when reading my essays consider the fact that my writing using a different
type of technique. Also, please consider the high points within my writing. I know my essay is
not the best, but I do hope that you do see the changes I made in trying to make it a better essay.
I thank you all for reading this and I do hope you find a bit of enjoyment when reading my
essays.
-Karla Zepeda
Zepeda 5

Zepeda 6

Works Cited
A. Blue, Tina. "Why Students Should Have to Learn How to Write Discursive Essays." Why Students
Should Have to Learn How to Write Discursive Essays. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 May 2014.
B. Schumacher, Diane. Interview. 2014
C. Warren, Robbert. "Don't Write Like You Talk - Freelance Technical Industrial Copywriter
Resources." Robbert S Warren. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 May 2014.
D. "writing." When does a conversational style cross into bad ? :. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 May 2014.

Anda mungkin juga menyukai