BRENT STAPLES READING
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The in-class writing assignments always stumped me. When I write, I like to sit and think on a topic before I begin. With the in-class essays we are stuck at a time limit. I thought for the time limit, I did a good job of incorporating my opinion into the essay and accompanying my thoughts with appropriate quotes. If I could change anything about my essay, it would be the organization and my stance on the issues presented. I think that I jumped around a lot in the essay because I wanted to make sure I got in all of my ideas while supporting them with sufficient evidence. I also was unsure about how I felt about Staples' article because he and I are very different individuals. It was hard for me to side with him, but something about the nature of his article made it hard for me to side against him. I think in my essay I hopped back and forth between sides a lot. Had I chosen one side of the issue, I think I could have made a stronger essay. At the same time, I have to defend my strategy by saying that I like to analyze both sides of the issue, just as I did in my Inquiry 3, which proved beneficial. It is easier to get readers to agree with your article when there is something in it that appeals to a wide variety of individuals.
I definitely I think I appealed to the audience that Staples was trying to appeal to in using the quotes about him being a "softy" and the "thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk" of the car doors locking as he passed by. I also think I appealed to the audience of young women and even not-so-young women. For any woman, really, being alone at night is frightening enough, especially when you feel a very strong presence of a large male near you. "When a man is following you at night, a man big enough that you know would easily overpower you, the only thing you think about is avoiding interaction with that individual." I still firmly believe that this quote in itself is relatable to all women and maybe even some males. As I was writing this piece, I was frustrated because I felt that Staples didn't understand what it would be like to be in my shoes. Then it hit me. I didn't realize what it would be like to be in his position. That is when I made the strongest point in my paper:
"When he explained that he heard the 'thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk' of car doors locking, I then realized that I have never experienced what that must have felt like. I've never had someone cross the street to avoid walking past me unless I was walking my dogs. I have never known what it felt like to feel that everyone thinks you are someone you are not: a burglar, a rapist, or a killer."
I don't think I did badly on my paper, I just think that if I had a little more time to plan it out then it could have been more persuasive and stronger as a whole. I'm not disappointed with the outcome in any sense because I think it is a definite improvement from any paper I had written earlier in the semester or even in high school.
I definitely I think I appealed to the audience that Staples was trying to appeal to in using the quotes about him being a "softy" and the "thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk" of the car doors locking as he passed by. I also think I appealed to the audience of young women and even not-so-young women. For any woman, really, being alone at night is frightening enough, especially when you feel a very strong presence of a large male near you. "When a man is following you at night, a man big enough that you know would easily overpower you, the only thing you think about is avoiding interaction with that individual." I still firmly believe that this quote in itself is relatable to all women and maybe even some males. As I was writing this piece, I was frustrated because I felt that Staples didn't understand what it would be like to be in my shoes. Then it hit me. I didn't realize what it would be like to be in his position. That is when I made the strongest point in my paper:
"When he explained that he heard the 'thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk' of car doors locking, I then realized that I have never experienced what that must have felt like. I've never had someone cross the street to avoid walking past me unless I was walking my dogs. I have never known what it felt like to feel that everyone thinks you are someone you are not: a burglar, a rapist, or a killer."
I don't think I did badly on my paper, I just think that if I had a little more time to plan it out then it could have been more persuasive and stronger as a whole. I'm not disappointed with the outcome in any sense because I think it is a definite improvement from any paper I had written earlier in the semester or even in high school.