The skill I've learned

The most important skill I feel I've learned in the first quarter of English was probably the words that describe and help analyze literature. During the summer I was torn from my life of complaining about how little there was to do away to the land where I complained about how insane the workload was. I then went on a trek across the internet to discover meanings in these newfound wordlings, as I liked to call them. After I had finished the long and tiring work and school had started, we then spent an excruciatingly long time period dissecting TKAM. I will be honest when I say that it was not the most enjoyable experience I ever had, and that the unit seemed to drag on far longer than expected. However, the real importance of these events did not come at the end of my journey when I had thrown the plot coupon into the volcano, or when the volcano went off and I had to be saved by the mysticical avians, Deus Ex Machinas, but the valuable lesson learned afterwards. The words and the unit combined allow one to gain a new view of both individual books and literature in general. You can take a deeper look into the makings of a book to gleen a new message, and that can be something you can keep with you for the rest of your life.

Okay, yes I will admit it. Its very tempting for me to think the most important part was the part where the bad guy who kept trying to have me killed revealed that he was my dad and that if I only joined him together we could rule the empire as father and son. The only real reason that was overshadowed is because in retrospect I think I cried way more than I would have hoped I would.

Until we meet again,

-Aaron

Lobsters

One idea that interested me was the direct statement that the lobsters represented all people. I personally had a more narrow view of it the first time I read the poem. For me the poem had meant that there were certain groups of people, philosophers, out of place in an odd environment where they were doomed to a horrible fate. Instead the point that lobsters represent all people was brought up, and that suprised me with its bluntness.
Before the poem could be described at an attempt to scorn all those who judged others, or people who took joy at others suffering. However, when this point was brought up, it shows how blunt the poem is in targeting everyone. This changes the meaning of the poem to represent that everything you do is wrong, as opposed to one action. From an overall perspective this could be more scornful, yet it could also show how desperate the author is to have their point known and get people to change. Its an interesting way to look at the poem, though it probably should have been obvious to me.

Either way, the thought of lobster has caused me to drool again. Curse you beautiful crustacean tastes!

-Aaron

5 part paragraph

The most obvious skills that are required for five part paragraphs are the ones detailed in the requirments. You need to have good concrete details, good commentary, and good transitions. The most challenging and the one often commented on was commentary. Most either had problems coming up with their own original thoughts and simply tacked on something not meaningful, or they wrote too much. This could be rather painful at times, but others it turned out really well. Comeing up with this material was probably the thing that needs to be worked on most.

In the future I believe that these types of paragraphs will be much easier in that respect. The reason I believe this is because we've had so much time looking at what each other have done well and not well. I was able to look at someone elses work and think, "Thats a great way to explain that." It also allowed us to see what you wanted to avoid. This was pretty jarring for me, as I was among the last to read my paper. I read my own paper and wished I could have edited it for the things I had learned from my classmates. Ah well, there is always next time.

I'm aware of how late this is. I am such a fool...
-Aaron