REFLECTION 4

1. I am most proud of my evidence in this essay. I have been trying to step away from direct

quotes so that my writing doesn’t appear too much in a formula structure. I used to only

include exact quotes then analyze them, now paraphrasing is my primary method.

2. If I had more time I would add more analysis to to my claims and would try to make my

position on the topic more clear. I think that I explained more of what I meant in writing

this essay it would be longer and I think it would go more in depth.

3. The most challenging part in writing this essay was establishing claims that made sense. I

think Coates has very strong claims that I don’t disagree with, yet I disagree with the idea

of losing all hope in the world. Coates’ tone was very negative and I don’t think that our

perspective on the future should be hopeless.

4. I learned in the sentence structure exercises that I don’t write many fragment sentences or

phrases, but I do use a lot of run-ons. I had to edit my work to make sure my sentence

structures made sense and that I was putting across the ideas I was trying to convey. It

was challenging to sit down and to really think about what my stance was on the topic

and in the end I stayed neutral, but I think the essay would have been stronger if I had a

more clear opinion.

5. Reading the book was very time consuming and I often lost interest because it was so

depressing. The content of the memoir was nothing new to me and I understand why

Coates feels the way he does. The mood of the book I think was intended for people to

understand the realities of the world, and I do- not as a black man- but as a poor female

latina. His perspective was new to me but I hoped that he would have a positive outlook

in the future and not so dark.

REFLECTION 4

6. I had never really understood the fear that black people fear in their day to day lives.

Coates’ perspective is something that I think is very important for everyone to

understand, that life doesn’t treat everyone the same way in this country. Now I have a

deeper understanding of the struggles and fear that black people face and have to

continue to live with.

7. “Have you ever considered going back to school?” I know that schooling for Coates was

not something he believed in and he felt pushed out at the time, but now as a mature

individual would I wonder if he would go back. Timing is everything, and school is not

what it used to be ten or fifteen years ago. I would also ask “Would you ever want to

become an educator?” Coates is an influential journalist and writer so I think it would be

fitting for him to spread his knowledge and to help aspiring writers or history majors

keep in touch with the modern audience.

8. Todays Umoja event made me realize that latino culture is largely influenced by african

culture and that it is concealed. I know that african culture lives in Central America

because I’ve been there and seen it firsthand, but I didn’t realize there is a large majority

of black people in Mexico. I want to look more the history of the middle passage and how

people arrived in Latin America.