Reflection

I wrote two different essays that we were assigned to do in my English class. One essay that i wrote named, "Human Nature To Choose A Scapegoat," dealed with the nature of humans to choose someone to take the blame for every ones mistakes; these people are also called scapegoats. In this essay I tried to compare Hester Prynne and how she was singled out and made to wear the "A" with Michael Vick and how he was suspended from the NFL for a year. In writing this essay i learned how to directly compare two different people from two different societies and show how they were similar. In my second essay titled, "Crucible Essay," I wrote about how John Proctor was similar to a potato. I showed how that both the potato and John stand for life and fertility. I learned a great deal about metaphors while writing this essay. Just like in the scapegoat essay, I learned that you could compare two very different things by showing examples. By writing these essays I also learned how much more interesting your piece sounds when you add more expression and brushstrokes.

I made several revisions in these two pieces. In my scarlet letter essay I added a sentence to help clear up something. When I wrote this essay it sounded like I didn't think Michael Vick had committed a crime. I added that he did commit a crime but that he was the only one taking the blame for it. In my scarlet essay I took Mrs. Turner's advice and added a few sentences and I also erased a few. I added that John Proctor stands for life and fertility. I took out the comparison between the potato and him and editing it and making it sound better.

By reading over Hank's essay I found out that it is very important to add a lot of big words. By expanding your vocabulary you can picture it easier in your head. By using big words it makes your piece sound like it was written by someone who is very educated. Hank's Scarlet Letter Essay

Another very important thing that I learned is that when you describe each one of your senses it lets your reader feel like they are in the place you are talking about. In Cierra's Nature Essay I could really feel like I was a part of her writing and I was there in the woods. Cierra's Nature Essay

The last thing that I found important was relating to text. Lewis related to Thoreau and Emerson which made the essay sound a lot better because I already had an idea of what he was talking about when he started. He did a very good job of relating to the two authors and showing how that nature today is nothing compared to what they describe it as. Lewis' Transcendentalist Essay