Your Inner Analysis

Reflection

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            English has never been a “difficult” class for me. However, I always find ways to improve.  In this class I have improved greatly in the poetry analysis section.  In previous courses I haven’t paid much attention to analysis because I didn’t think it was important.  Now that I understand what it means to analyze a poem or a piece of writing, I have gotten much better. 

            There were some readings in this class I didn’t find helpful.  The Sam Hamill and Carolyn Forche readings were a couple of examples.  I did enjoy reading a few of the Poetry of Witness poems.  It definitely made me think and ask more questions than normal.  Reading all of the blog posts about what analysis meant to the blogger, helped me as well. 

            Not only has my ability for analysis increased but I believe my writing has benefited as well.  It takes practice and trial and error to improve writing.  Some have a natural talent to make papers flow.  In the past my papers have been straight forward, to the point and boring.  In the last year I have learned a lot about my writing style.  I have had many different English teachers and their style of writing, and even personal views, have affected my grades.  I had an English professor in the fall who didn’t agree with any of my personal views or morals so he gave me very low grades; it didn’t matter whether my writing was up to par.  Even though that doesn’t seem like a good experience, it pushed me to try harder and make my writing better.  Through this class my writing has done nothing but improve and continue to grow stronger with each edit from the professor.  Feedback has been the greatest teacher of all. 

I found a fun, helpful list of 10 simple things you can do to improve your writing.

Annotated Bibliography

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Huze, Sean and Seabrooks, Mark.  The Sand Storm.  2004.
The play written by Sean Huze and Mark Seabrooks takes place in 2003 in Iraq.  The soldiers each have different stories to share throughout the play.  The themes of love, friendship, and hatred are all touched.


Literature Online biography.  O'Brien, Tim.  2002.
The biography of author/soldier Tim O'Brien.  Fact of his Military days, and life before being an author.


O'Brien, Tim.  The Things They Carried.  1990.
The collection of war stories from Tim O'Brien himself.  Also with themes of love and hatred, but also self conflict and personal demons. 


Wetmore, Kevin J. Jr. The Sandstorm: Stories from the Front.  2006.
His take on The Sand Storm.  Link here.

Close Reading of a Passage

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                  “I raised myself out of the vehicle and surveyed the scene.  All over, packages and letters from home were strewn about on the ground next to our vehicles.  I jumped down and began collecting what letters were still there.  I never did find the picture of my little boy’s first hair cut.  It figures you know.”

-          Sean Huze, The Sand Storm

            This passage caught my eye because the visualization was so clear and relatable.  I know many people in the military and their families.  Reading this I thought about them.

            Before the passage stated above the soldiers were having a problem getting mail.  It was the one thing they looked forward to everyday.  With the mail not coming through it was all they thought about.  Once it got there it was the highlight of their day. 

            The soldier behind this scene finally gets letters and packages from his parents and wife.  He received audio tapes of his wife telling him what was going on and a picture of his son’s first haircut.  All of the soldiers were enjoying the glimpse of the outside world when they were attacked.  When he says “it figures you know” it’s like he has been there so long that nothing is sacred anymore.  Nothing can be enjoyed the same way.  There is no joy that goes unpunished.  After the attack he tried to salvage the remains of the only part of his family he has over there and can’t find the one picture he most likely enjoyed the most.  That is just the topping on it all.