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Reflection
The meaning of literature has a completely new definition to me than it did
three months ago. Before, I saw literature as something that was completely
boring; I would not read any literature unless it was for a class assignment.
This English class has really opened my eyes to literature, and has given me a
new meaning to the word. I previously would have said that literature was very
boring materials most of the time to read, but now I realize the feeling that is
put into literature. I see the author trying to express his or her feelings. It
just all has a completely different meaning to me. I now believe that literature
is the way writers express their feelings. They put their feelings into words
and stories, and other people depict them how they want to see them. Literature
is art with feelings.
Before this class, I would never have given poetry a chance. On the first day
of class, when I found out what this class was really all about, I wanted to
drop it. For some reason though, I decided to stay in, like I knew that I would
learn a lot from the experience. The word poem basically scared me. Every poem I
have ever read before, besides little children's rhymes, has never made sense to
me. I believe now that the reason why they did not make sense to me was because
I never gave them a chance. I see now after having to read so many poems during
the quarter, how much meaning they really have. I still honestly do not think
that I will ever really be into poetry and probably will never write poetry, but
I at least have respect for it now.
Another wonderful experience that I got from the class was reading Julia
Alvarez's In the Time of the Butterflies. I was not looking forward to
reading any of the novels at the beginning of the quarter. I would rather have a
physical picture in front of me, like a television, then have to picture my own
story in my head. Once again though, I was proved completely wrong. I went to
the bookstore and bought the book on a Friday, and could barely even put it
down. I would tell myself that I was going to stop reading after say chapter 4,
but I would continue on until chapter 5. It was such an intense book to me, and
I really comprehended it quite well. Often times, I do not understand the novels
that English teachers select for you to read. I went into reading the book with
a bad attitude thinking I would hate it, but I was completely wrong. I
personally loved the book. When my book group would meet in class to discuss the
book, they seemed to not be as nearly interested in it as me. I was always at
least fifty pages ahead of them, which I felt was fine because I was having a
good time explaining the novel to them.
I personally believe that I have fairly good writing skills, but I feel like
I improved on many of my writing skills this quarter. I learned how to cite
poems and books in my papers, which I had never done before. This is what I
believe to be my biggest improvement that I am happiest with this quarter in my
writing. It does not seem like much of an accomplishment, but I am happy that I
learned it, because it will come in handy in future classes. I also learned a
few more punctuation and grammar errors that I had been making in my papers.
One more thing that I am glad I got out of the class was speaking in front of
others. I will be the first to admit I hated seminar days. The only reason why I
hated them though was because I have such a fear of speaking in front of people
that I do not know. In high school, I was fine speaking in front of groups,
because I knew everyone and I did not care if I messed up, because I knew that
they would not make fun of me. In my Speech class last quarter and this class, I
hated it because I do not know the people. I feel like if I mess up they are
going to go and talk about me and laugh at me. I realize though that the only
way I am going to get over my fear is to keep doing it. I feel more and more
comfortable every time I speak in public. I actually started liking going to the
seminars near the end of the quarter. I felt a little more comfortable with the
people, and I knew some of them were just as nervous as I was. I enjoyed
listening to their opinions on the poems.
This class has honestly changed my opinion about literature. I find myself
wanting to pick up books and read them, when before that would have never
happened. I enjoy reading poetry more, but it still is not a favorite thing for
me. I learned new things for my writing skills, which will carry on to other
classes and help me out greatly. The thing I am most glad about though is that I
did not drop the class on that first day when I thought I was just going to hate
the whole quarter. I liked going to the class, I wish I would have not missed so
many days actually. I have told many of my good friends that go to Spokane
Community College to enroll in this class. Most of them have the same opinion
that I had before the class, but I am trying to get them to change their minds.
I think that if they were really anything like me, they would enjoy the class
also. I am just really glad that I took the class, because it made me open my
mind to more things. I do not like change, but I normally love it after things
have changed. It was a great class that I learned a lot from.
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