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Alexis Sanchez

Professor Batty

English 102

11 December 2017
English 102 Reflection
Over the period of this course I wrote four different types of essays. Additionally, I was

introduced to different types of critical theories and apply them to each essay. Each essay

increased gradually in difficulty and challenged me to stretch my essay writing skills more than

I ever had before. From this course I learned plenty about reading, writing, and critical thinking.

English 102 molded me into a better reader and introduced me how to analyze different

modes of literature. The readings in this class were y far the heaviest Ive had in an english

course so far. In this course I read the traditional texts, which included poetry, drama, and novel

as well as the non-traditional graphic novel. I had never read a graphic novel before in an English

course, so I had to learn to interpret the interplay of word and images in this type of medium. I

learned about non-sequiturs, gutters, aspect to aspect and many more visual techniques that are

use in graphic novel essays. Even though I have read the other more traditional texts in class

before, this class challenged me to read texts through certain critical lenses. As a result, I became

a much more engaged reader because I was able to connect these texts to real-world discussions

about the human condition. For instance, when I read M Butterfly I learned also had to read about

Queer theory and Postcolonialism. By exposing myself to these theories I was able to gain a

much more profound understanding to the importance of the play. This deeper understanding I
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had for the literature I was reading also helped me take better notes when reading as well. I feel

confident that now I can adapt to reading any mode of literature.

I learned the most about writing in this class than I ever have in any English class so far.

Since this class involved connecting theories to literature I was forced to master organization in

my paragraphs. Balancing the different lenses in each essay was one of the hardest challenges I

had this semester; especially when we had to apply more than one lense to an essay. I found this

especially difficult in the last essay because we had to incorporate Ecocriticism and Animal

studies lense, which both cover many different sorts of theories. I learned that breaking these

concepts down is the easiest when the thesis statement is specific.When ones thesis is specific,

explaining the entire theory is not necessary because only specific parts of the theory relate to the

overall argument. I found that I was able to do this the most effectively in my monster novel

essay because I only explained the specific concepts of the Psychoanalytic theory that were

relevant to my essay. Furthermore, I learned a great deal about clarity in this class. I realized that

I should implify my arguments instead of using complicated explanations. For example, my

Poetry Analysis essay was so much better when I took out one of the quotes in the first body

paragraph. Instead of introducing many different types of complicated sub arguments to my

essay, fleshing my main arguments is much more effective and creates a better flow.

Correspondingly, Collette's advice on paraphrasing my analysis after my quotes to let the reader

understand my interrelation also helped improve the clarity of my essays. As for the editing

process, I feel much more confident in my own ability to check my grammar. Because I have

worked as tutor while taking this course, I have been forced to understand the different between
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complex, compound, simple, and complex-compound sentences. All this knowledge has

improved my ability to make coherent arguments overall.

Lastly, the high empathises on critical thinking in this course has molded me into a more

effective critical thinker. Throughout this course, I have been challenged to make connections

between theories and texts. At times, this seemed impossible such as when we had to apply a

Psychoanalytic lens to a monster novel. However, this stretched me to think outside the

conventional ways of understanding literature for what it is. I was able to interpret texts by

understanding how it all relates to human nature. This knowledge broadened my understanding

on how to constructed arguments. I was able to develop nuanced ways of using quotes to support

my claims. For example, In my Poetry Analysis essay I used excerpts from Sylvia Plaths novel

to support my ideas of the poem Lady Lazarus. I would have never thought to look in such

places to support my claims. I now understand that I must delve beyond my conventional modes

of research to prove my arguments. I have learned to develop more nuanced ways to interpret

literature because Ive been forced to view literature from many different types of perspectives.

Overall English 102 has helped take my writing, reading, and critical thinking skills to a

new level. From the difficulties I have faced throughout this semester, I have a better

understanding on how to produce better quality essays. I feel more empowered as a writer to

support arguments seem difficult to comprehend. I have learned how to balance theory and

analysis. I feel that I am more equipped to develop clearer and more concise arguments with

smoother transitions. As an English major I am excited to take the knowledge I have attained in

this course, and take them into my next classes.