Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Process Journal: Analytical Essay

    I would say the easiest part of writing in English 101, for me, so far has been the Process Journal. I tend to think as if I'm writing a letter to my brother, or perhaps an e-mail to my sister; lamenting on the woes, trials and tribulations I've been through with each essay, and superbly thankful yet another assignment is behind me. I am a perfectionist by trait and expect it from myself as well as others. I become frustrated with the lackadaisical work of others.

    This essay has been no different than the others in regards to the laughable what is supposed to be a second draft. I suppose that I must re-write and re-think a paper at least a million times to get it "just so." This essay was the same, although I found it even more difficult to begin as the reading was incredibly dry. I am an avid reader, by nature or birth, and enjoy reading for pleasure as well as knowledge. I really had to force myself to read Paul Goodman's essays. I would spend time heavily highlighting words and phrases that I did not understand. I respect the man from what I read about him on Wikipedia and other sites, however I strongly feel he would've reached many more people if he was just a tad less wordy. Of course he may think that would be a form of "selling out."

    My first choice regarding his essays to write on was "Banning Cars from Manhattan." I really liked the essay until we were in class and I obviously had gleaned only what I wanted to from the essay. What fascinated me about the essay was the runaway thoughts of cities or burroughs like Manhattan, downtown Chicago and other densely populated cities without cars. It's a wonderful thing to imagine. I dread driving into Chicago; the horrendous traffic jammed along the highways and extremely aggressive, and in my opinion, dangerous, drivers. I contemplated how many more people would be alive on September 11, 2001, if emergency vehicles didn't have to concern themselves with traffic woes. But alas, I missed Paul Goodman's idea of creating Superblocks and creating individual authority in each. All I could think of after that was, "What a mess that would be!" We have too many people in power as of now; most of them corrupted, either by the money or the power.

    I was quite stumped and discouraged with this essay. I asked my writing support to read the essay and maybe give me some ideas that would get the blood flowing and the fingers typing. No such luck. It was the weekend before first draft was due and I determinedly sat in front of my computer and wrote. My first draft was complete crap. Even the friends that I have had reading my drafts and suggesting changes thought so. My lovely boyfriend found an amazing website regarding actual 1940's history and I was delighted. It pushed me in the right direction.

    Over Spring Break I took a break. It's well deserved and felt almost not right to work on school work on my Spring Break. I worked on the essay briefly Wednesday and it was Sunday before I really gave it the attention it deserves again. I have moved a couple paragraphs around, and around again; corrected grammatical errors found by myself and my crack reviewing team of wonderful friends, family and peers. I am very happy with what will be considered my "2nd Draft." It may take me hours upon hours to write a paper it may take others an hour or two to do, but we all have our processes and this is mine. I am comfortable with that. I really enjoy writing. I have always thought of myself as a quick-witted and funny conversationalist and I want that to come through in my writing.

    

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