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Erwin Cai
Mrs. Thompson
AP Lang, Block 2, Skinny B
18 May 2015
Writing Reflection: A Year of Composition in Retrospect
I began this year as an amateur writer, and in many respects, I finish this year as one. As a
writer, I largely went through the motions of writing, following a simple formula for writing each
paper- a sure path to success for sure, but rather unfulfilling in terms of personal achievement. Is
there joy in taking out a metaphorical cookie cutter and fashioning an essay, which, in many
respects, is a good essay? Or is there more joy to be found in fashioning an ornate paper, made
not just with knowledge but with love? To a great degree this year, I found myself feeling listless
and unmotivated to write well, for what can I stand to gain, when my grades prove for
themselves that the method is working?
This is not to say that the work I have produced this year is anything short of my best
work, for in each of those papers is a piece of my soul, time invested that I will never get backtime well spent. For in those collections of assertions there is a kind of self-discourse which has
revealed things about life in general to me that I may not have known before. In an attempt to
remain impartial, I must note that while I am proud of my work, it is not the best work, for many
of my peers have written better, and I admit that with a readiness to learn from my mistakes.
Furthermore, one must not discount the improvements in writing I have made, no matter
how technical. At the beginning of the year, I assuredly wrote at a tenth, if not a ninth, grade
level. My writing was simple, lacking vitality. My vocabulary was definitely underdeveloped
and my understanding of theses and style and diction and syntax was that of a fifth graders. The

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didactic material of this class has proved incredibly enlightening. Combined with an obstinate
lust for knowledge, I feel that I improved my writing to no small degree. Did I know before this
year what rhetorical analysis was? Did I know before this year how to masterfully connect ideas
and form conclusions? Did I know before this year what rhetorical strategies were? Did I know
before this year the importance of a hook? While the experience may not have been incredibly
enjoyable for me, I cannot help but feel pleased that my writing level has increased and that my
understanding of the English language has expanded, thanks to the efforts of one wonderful
teacher.
Now, as an effective writer, I must corroborate my points with facts. Let us take, for
instance, the first draft of the argumentative essay about the quote from Martin Luther King Jr. It
lacks a strong hook, starting with Although Kings claim which jumps directly into the
analysis without first enticing the audience. The paper also lacks topic sentences. For example,
the first body paragraph begins with During reconstruction, millions of newly freed black were
in dire need of jobs, education, and most importantly to them, rights. This relates in what way to
the prompt about the validity of the claim? This is inherently confusing to the reader.
Now let us consider the most recent draft of a paper I wrote, the final draft of the
synthesis essay on factors that contribute to the effectiveness of monuments. It begins with a
relatively strong hook: The sun reflects gently off the smooth marble contours of the Lincoln
Memorial as it radiates a sense of regality and warmth, before giving a brief summary of the
paper and then the thesis. Each paragraph begins with a soft, smooth transition and a topic
sentence which gives the reader an idea of the information in the paragraph. In addition, each
paragraph ends with a wrap-up, such as that at the end of the first body paragraph: The

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receptions of Mount Rushmore and the Holocaust museum illustrate the importance of
considering a locations history before constructing a memorial.
Clearly, my ability as a writer has progressed. How far? Time has yet to tell. Perhaps I did
not enjoy the journey as much as I could have, but I take comfort in the fact that I have renewed
confidence in my ability as a writer.