Name

Nikhill Joshi
Class/per. AP English 12/ Period 2
Date
8/26/16

Why Study Lit

Complete your assignment (MLA format), self assess, and submit to Classroom. For feedback,
submit by feedback date OR add a comment/note requesting feedback.

After finishing this article, I gained a new perspective on the types and characteristics of
good literature. I had always thought of literature as a sophisticated craft in which the writer
adopts a formulaic method for developing and advancing the plot and characters, but I now
realize that there are many different types of theses that convey different feelings in a work of
literature. While I completely agree with the majority of theses that the author described
(especially the subjectivity thesis), I was confused on the description for the cultural code
thesis. The author explains how our entire experience as the human race is coded, and we
only perceive meaning because it conforms to codes. While I understand the intent behind this
statement in trying to describe clichs, I believe that the things within our environment possess
meaning due to being outside of societal norms rather than conforming to them. Although meanings
help the reader observe certain perceptions about a character or scenario due to societal standards,
the authors word choice suggested that things that do not conform are considered meaningless; a
statement that is certainly false.

Name
Nikhill Joshi
Class/per. AP English 12/ Period 2
Date
8/26/16

Seven Sins of our Education System

Although the argument in this article was certainly interesting, I did not agree with the
authors argument. Throughout the authors argument, he/she would constantly compare
schools to prisons in that children are being punished and forced to enter an environment in
which they did not give consent. Although a school can technically be defined as a prison, I do
not understand when learning became considered as a punishment. Learning is a fundamental
aspect in securing the future for the next educated generation, so the authors statement that
education should be optional would severely cripple the quality of learning among individuals
who lack the motivation to learn on their own.
Additionally, most of the authors arguments deal with the lack of cooperation and the
deep-rooted anxiety that results as a consequence. Although this argument is simply untrue in
higher grade levels, I will admit that his so-called separation of ages was present in earlier
stages of the educational system. However, this separation is merely due to convenience since
different age groups are learning different curriculums that are either too advanced or too basic
for others outside of that range. The author implies that this lack of cooperation creates coldhearted kids who would disregard their sense of humanity in order to earn good grades, yet this
lack of cooperation is minor and only present in early stages of life for convenience.

Name
Nikhill Joshi
Class/per. AP English 12/ Period 2
Date
8/26/16
Self assess. Fill out the chart prior to submitting your work for feedback:
Comments: Student
Concerns
(Evidence criteria/standards (Improve or
met)
Remediate)
1-2

Criteria
(Proficient)
CCSS standard &
Description of mastery

Advanced
Exceeded
Standard
3-4

Comments: Teacher

Standard/Criteria 1
I believe that I went over the
expectations for
analyzing/citing different
portions of the articles. I can
effectively use citations to
support my claims.

RL1: Read closely what

the text says explicitly &
to make logical
inferences from it; cite
specific textual evidence
when writing or speaking
to support conclusions
drawn from the text.

Standard/Criteria 2
Although I feel that I can
assess the quality and
validity of claims, I am not
completely perfect in
determining the hidden
meaning behind the words.
I need to work on
understanding the
intentional meaning of texts.

RL8:Delineate and
evaluate the argument
and specific claims in a
text, including the validity
of the reasoning as well
as the relevance and
sufficiency of the
evidence.

Standard/Criteria 3
Although I can write
arguments to support
certain claims, I need to
work on using relevant
quotes/sources for the
specific claims

W1: Write arguments to

support claims in an
analysis of substantive
topics or texts using valid
reasoning and relevant
and sufficient evidence.

Standard/Criteria 4

A student who earns a 4 goes beyond what was taught. A student who earns a 3 demonstrates a strong knowledge
of what is explicitly taught. A student who earns a 2 shows a grasp of the simpler concepts and may have errors or
omissions when it comes to the more complex concepts taught. A student who earns a 1 only demonstrates a partial
understanding of simpler concepts taught (Marzano 2006).