End of Year Reflection 


1. Which essay did you feel was the most difficult to write?  Why?

The most difficult essay to write for me was definitely the argumentative essay, because I seem to lose the ability to recall information when I'm under a time pressure, which isn't great. I'm pretty sure that during my last argumentative essay, I forgot who Voltaire was, so that's me. That's where I am, as a person.

2.  Which essay did you find the easiest?  What made it easy?

 The easiest essay for me was the synthesis essay, because all of the information is given to me and I'm very good at finding patterns. It also helps that it's the essay which is used in multiple classes, so I have extra practice.


3.  What novel/book did you enjoy the most?  Why?

My favorite book was The Great Gatsby, by a rather significant margin. I love how effectively the glitz and glamour of the novel obscures the brutality and ugliness of the tale, so that the reader doesn't immediately feel the horror they should when confronted with these awful characters and events. I'm also the sort of reader who swoons over unreliable narrators- to the point where I've read Lolita so many times that I might actually be on a watch list somewhere- which obviously made The Great Gatsby enjoyable.

4.  What novel/book did you enjoy the least?

I absolutely hated The Things They Carried, to the point where just thinking about the book inspires a near-physical reaction. You know how Vietnam veterans have flashbacks? That's me, right now, but with that book. I think there was maybe a page where I didn't want to immediately punch O'Brien in the face, because I couldn't tolerate his writing style and general punchability. 


5.  Anything you would like for me to know?

Despite what my unbelievable laziness and general shadiness as a student might suggest, I genuinely enjoyed this class. It's definitely a top five contender for the best class I've taken. I was very rarely bored, which is unprecedented for an English class for me. I feel that I've learned more from this class than from most that I've taken.