ENGL101S Reflection

When I came into English class, I already believed that all we do is write essay. I hated writing and I did not even try to hone my skills. However, besides writing essays, we also learned writing tips and skills to improve our writing. We also read articles, watched films, and wrote our comments on our blogs.
From this class, I definitely believe that I have become better as a writer (though that may be contradictory to the truth). I used tools such as rhetorical devices and metacommentary to tie in all of my thoughts and references. Overall, I think that this class was very beneficial yet fun at the same time!
At first, I was hesitant on whether continuing this course because we had so many readings to do, in a span of two days. We have other rigorous classes, so I expected English to be a bit easier from the rest of my classes. But you listened to our feedback and drastically shortened our readings.
Another change I would recommend is maybe adding more peer editing into the class time, before the due date of a paper. Those times when we peer edited, helped me a lot because it highlighted flaws and ambiguity in my paper.

The Yellow Wallpaper

To be honest, I found this story unusual. From the story, I detected that the writer had an illness (possibly a mental illness) that forced her husband to lock her up in a room for the summer.
I feel that in her situation, she felt trapped and contained. She wanted to roam around outside and enjoy the warm weather; her husband John thought that would be detrimental to her health (which I do not see how that is possible). I feel that she was so bored, that she began examining the wallpaper and writing about it; it is all sheer boredom. It made me question about the "rest" protocol that John put her one. Apparently, she was to only rest and not tend to daily duties, even separated from her child. I found this odd because in my opinion, isolation would create boredom and in extreme cases, madness. It reflects on the medical procedures back then, and how most of them would produce unsatisfactory results.
Also, when she talked about a woman in the pattern of the wallpaper, I found that odd. It made me question if her leisure was affecting her mental health. At the end when she tore down the wallpaper to "let the woman out", I really thought she lost her sanity.

Waltz with Bashir

One scene that really stood out to me was when Shmuel Frenkel was depicting his memory of the war. In his memory, not a lot of narration was used, but rather, a lot of images were produced. The scene showed the soldiers walking through a thick 'forest', with a large machine tank trailing behind. For the viewers, they can depict a little boy in the background carrying a bazooka-like gun. The soldiers had no idea what was going on, not even sensing the present dangers. In the scene, time seemed to slow down as the boy turned the gun toward the group of people, and fired. The bullet seemed to move by so slowly, passing the soldiers before hitting the tank. The scene ends with the soldiers quickly ducking down, locating the source of the attack, and furiously shooting at the boy. The last picture was the little boy on the ground dead.

This scene stood out to me a lot because of the impact of the war on the country as a whole. I was shocked that a little boy could even think about violence at such a young age. With war, I see only matured males getting involved; to think about even a little boy getting involved, is such a bizarre thought for me. Another thing too was the sudden response of the soldiers to fire at the boy. As soon as the missile hit the tank, the soldiers rapidly attacked the boy; in my opinion, I felt that the boy was shot more than necessary. I mean, this was a little boy! In my perspective, I felt that the boy lived such a short and corrupted childhood; he didn't deserve the fate he received. I understand that it was a soldier's innate reaction to fight back, rather than running away. However, I still see the whole scene as somewhat scary.

Final Paper Research

Smith, Phil. "Drawing new maps: A radical cartography of developmental disabilities." Review of Educational Research 69.2 (1999): 117-144. PsycINFO. EBSCO. Web. 2 Apr. 2011.

This is source, in a way, is a different approach than what other reports do. The author is trying to map out the cognitive mind of those who have developmental disabilities. Also, the author addresses the reason why those with these disorders still encounter oppression.

Alice Charach, et al. "Stigmatizing experiences of parents of children with a new diagnosis of ADHD." Psychiatric Services 61.8 (2010): 811-816. PsycINFO. EBSCO. Web. 2 Apr. 2011.

This source was a conducted research which researchers asked families of autistic children, about their experiences dealing with autism. I find this source very useful; because my paper is based on social perspective and past stigma, it would be very helpful to cite credible sources which point out the stigma attached to autism.

Crabtree, Sara Ashencaen. "Family responses to the social inclusion of children with developmental disabilities in the United Arab Emirates." Disability & Society 22.1 (2007): 49-62. PsycINFO. EBSCO. Web. 2 Apr. 2011.

This source is similar to the one previously mentioned; it targets the social perspective through a family's viewpoint. However, I decided to branch out a bit and briefly see how the social stigma affected not just only families living in America, but also families in the United Arab Emirates. I think this will be useful in addressing the fact that this stigma is not only a local issue but a global issue.

David Felce, et al. "Editorial: Intellectual disability in a global context." Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities 5.2 (2008): 79-80. PsycINFO. EBSCO. Web. 2 Apr. 2011.

Again, this source targets the global impact of a mental disorder, such as autism.

Tuchman, Gaye. "ESS Presidential Address, 1995: Invisible differences: On the management of children in postindustrial society." Sociological Forum 11.1 (1996): 3-23. PsycINFO. EBSCO. Web. 2 Apr. 2011.

The author in this source, states the problem areas of managing an autistic child. For example, the author mentioned behavior management techniques. I think this would be beneficial because this could allow the general public to understand how society should conform to the needs of autistic individuals. Again, this relates back to how we as a whole, sometimes do not respond to their individual needs. 

Random Post #2

Hello world!
So as mentioned in previous entries, I am writing my research paper on autism and the social perspective on this disorder. How it pertains to me, is that my brother has mild autism. Earlier today, I was talking to my mom about this paper. I explained how I'm trying to emphasize that there was a social stigma attached to autism, and how we view autism today. My mom was surprised that this is my topic for my paper, but she was proud that I decided to tackle this broad topic. Hopefully, my experiences hook in readers and spark an interest in them! I hope that you look at my paper kindly!
Thank you for reading :]

Research Log

Caruso, Daniela. "Autism in the U.S.: Social Movement and Legal Change." American Journal of Law & Medicine 36.4 (2010): 483-539. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 1 Mar. 2011.
The author highlighted the awareness of autism in the United States, and how the government is taking charge. He introduces a few legal movements that brought about the autism movement and the consequences. 






Serge Larochelle, et al. "Atypical Categorical Perception in Autism: Autonomy of Discrimination?." Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders 37.3 (2007): 481-490. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 1 Mar. 2011.

John Q

In the film John Q, there were many scenes that emphasized rhetorical devices. One scene that stood out to me was the scene when John was laying on the operating table, preparing to shoot himself. At that time, so many things were going on: the nurse received word that there was a perfect heart for Mike, so the wife was trying to get in touch with John.
In that scene, as a viewer I was so anxious. Definitely, this scene used pathos as a device to bring up the tension/suspension in the film. I was feeling anxious and scared, yet curious on what was going to happen next. They definitely used pathos to draw in the viewers and keep them guessing for more.

Random

Hi!
Usually I don't write on here unless it's for english class, but I felt that today could be an exception. Recently, I guess I've been feeling stressed out because of classes. I finished my exams but I have more coming up in about two weeks (I think 3 exams). It seems trivial that I'm so worried about tests but I didn't get a good GPA last semester so I really want to make up for it. It also seems so meaningless when I hear my upper-classmen friends worry about job interviews and future plans after college. When hearing their troubles, it made me feel selfish. Hopefully, though I'll be able to push through this tough semester and finish strong! Good luck to anyone who has exams coming up!

Philadelphia

One scene I remember from Philadelphia was when Miller first saw Bekett at the law firm. Bekett admitted to Miller that he had AIDS; in a way, this frightened Miller. The rest of the scene consisted of Bekett touching objects on the desk and talking about his story, while Miller tunes out and focuses on the actions of Bekett. I found this scene most memorable to me because it really did display the barrier we tend to put up around 'sick' people. We get cautious around them and try to not have any physical contact with them.
If I could identify a certain rhetorical device, I think they use a bit of pathos (in my opinion). Miller definitely felt uncomfortable while Bekett was talking; while I was watching, I also felt uncomfortable because the close ups and the camera angles conveyed those feelings.

Final Topic Choice

Thinking about my previous choices, I decided to write my research paper about autism. To me, this is a topic that has been circulating around me, my whole life. Pertaining to the definition part of the Stasis Theory, I will address what is autism. I will go into specifics on the causes of autism, what characterizes it, and (if) there are cures for it. 
I would also talk about the negative  parts of autism; my focus would be more of a social viewpoint, and less of the scientific one. I want to write about how my family experienced a form of discrimination a few years ago, like no health care policy and school bullies. It would explain the "Is this a good/bad thing?" of the Stasis Theory. 
Over the years, I believe the number of autistic people increased so less people attach a stigma to autism. I think my main focus of this paper is, why did people attach a social stigma to autism in the past? Is there still some discrimination between autistic and non-autistic people? 

Possible Topics for English Paper

1. Autism
Though most people don't really know, I have an autistic brother who is a year older than me. While I was growing up, I grown accustomed to remarks from school. My family and I dealt with prank calls, and my brother dealt with bullying from his fellow classmates. Now, my brother is generally accepted by people he comes into contact with. My question would be, back then why did people hold a stigma against autistic people? Why did people treat them so differently, yet they are no different from me or you? My intended audience would be very general, like anyone interested in autism.
2. Smoking
In my family, most of my male relatives smoke frequently. As a result, they suffer from some health conditions. For example, my grandfather on my dad's side, smoked frequently and passed away when he was 65, low compared to the average longitivtiy. My question to address would be, if this negative behavior can be avoided, then why do we still choose to do this? What is so great about smoking? This topic would be intended for people interested in health and social behaviors. For example, college students majoring in Public/Community Health or Sociology.
3. Poor Choices relating to drinking alcohol excessively
After my senior year, my friends and I went to Ocean City for senior week. While we were down there, we heard multiple stories of classmates or friends getting into car accidents, etc. We even had a fellow classmate die from cocaine overdose that week. My question regarding this topic is, why do we consider alcohol as a catalyst for excitement/fun? Though it is fun at the moment, people usually regret their decisions once the feeling passes. I guess this would be intended for alcoholics or anyone who likes to drink excessively.

"Trickers and Truthtellers"

One thing that I found really surprising was when Sontag talks about Lorde's book, The Cancer Journals. Lorde writes about how the nurse was trying to convince her to wear her prosthesis. Instead of telling Lorde to wear it for her health, the nurse said that without it, "it's bad for the morale of the office"(190). I mean, how outrageous is that?! Shouldn't a nurse, a person considered an angel of the hospital, be concerned about the health of her patients?

I liked how Lorde talks about two different types of characters: truthtellers and trickers. The truthtellers speak truth for power, while the tricksters have the ability to slip out of definitions that seek to limit whatever is defined. It kind of defines the structure we have in society. The truthtellers can represent lobbyists or protestors, those who proclaim their opinions outwardly. The trickers don't really represent certain people but they portray those who quietly go against the rules. I particularly like the line Sontag wrote, "Trickers know that they have a different calling: to heal the world" (196). It makes the trickers look like mysterious superheroes!

Apology vs. Confession

What is a confession? To me, a confession is like spilling a secret, or revealing the unknown. A confession is usually made to a close friend, family member, or a member of the church such as a pastor. 
So is confession and an apology the same thing? Both an apology and a confession have one thing similar: they both address an action from the past. An apology, to me, is a statement to make up for a previous and hurtful action/statement. A confession usually states an action that happened (unknowingly from the public) in the past. 
However, they are still not similar. a confession usually acknowledges the fact that a person has committed a negative action, but it doesn't mean that they will repent or feel sorry for their action. For example, a husband may confess to cheating on his wife but he may not feel guilty of doing it in the first place. An apology shows regret to another person; this statement shows warmth and love to another. For example, my friend may apologize for saying a nasty comment to me accidentally. 
In any type of writing, when the author confesses to readers it shows vulnerability and honesty. Most readers like honesty; they do not want to read meaningless ideas from the author. When the author breaks down, it shows that they are not perfect. In a way, I feel that I can relate to them. 
Also, when the author becomes honest, it makes me interested in the reading; I begin to trust the author's statements and ideas. It also puts a personal effect into the article, rather than a monotonic effect. 

Figure of Speech

Conduplicatio: the repeating of a key word or phrase usually entered in the beginning of sentences or phrases

Works Cited?

Autobiography

Hello, my name is Yoohee Kwon :]

I am from Sykesville, MD and I went to Marriotts Ridge High School. Currently, I am on the Pre-Nursing track here at the University of Maryland. The profession I am trying to pursue is an anesthetic-specialized nurse or a NICU nurse. Besides school, I am also an active member of the Korean Campus Ministry, serving as a co-leader of Publications.

When it comes to writing, I guess you could say that it is one of my weaknesses. It takes many drafts and rewrites for me to write a solid paper. In ENGL101s, I hope that we can write more discussion-based papers rather than research papers. Hopefully by taking this class, I can develop better writing and argumentative skills, and be able to deliver my thoughts into my papers.