Close Reading: "Americans: Undecided About God?"

The controversy over what the holidays represent for certain individuals has been a debate for decades. In the article, Eric Weiner, discusses how he is conflicted when it comes to a subject of God, and describes how is a "None" who has no religion and how he is proud of it. Weiner uses diction, and syntax to further allow his readers to understand his disappointment in the concept of believing in God.

Weiner talks about how he thinks God is "for suckers" and that subject is only discussed in "mocking or derisive tones". He reflects his emotions through his diction. This allows the audience to understand where he stands on this subject matter, and how he may feel that the holidays are shameful because they celebrate religious beliefs. He also believes that "there is very good religion out there" because people feel obligated to feel pain or consequence when they commit a sin and God will always "smite them". These choice of words clearly represent that religion has a negative impact on people rather than a positive one. 

The syntax in this article uses shorter sentences to emphasis points. Such as when Weiner explains that "None are the undecided of the religion world", here the readers can understand that the Nones attitude is just "I don't know, but let's find out". This syntax makes the article more visually appealing and comprehensive. Although this may not necessarily display Weiner's disappointment in believers, the readers can see his perspective on why religion leads him to believe so, since he does not have one himself. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/opinion/sunday/americans-and-god.html?ref=opinion

Response to Course Material 12/10

Wow. It's hard to believe that we are nearly half way done with this class. I almost feel overwhelmed when I think to myself all the knowledge I have acquired in just nearly 3 months. I will admit, I have never read anything like Ceremony ever before, and it is a difficult read in my opinion. Thankfully, in class discussions, peer advice and a little bit of research is getting me through annotating this book. Native American Literature is a different world to explore, and I am glad that I am understanding the realms in which this world exists.
The eras presentation was a good topic to touch on, and prezi isn't all that bad. I was nervous when I first started using it, but it's compatible. Hopefully I will keep on improving on my essays, and will nail the next one ( I HOPE). 

Open Prompt: December 4th

2007. In many works of literature, past events can affect, positively or negatively, the present activities, attitudes, or values of a character. Choose a novel or play in which a character must contend with some aspect of the past, either personal or societal. Then write an essay in which you show how the character's relationship to the past contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.

            Often times in literature, a character’s attitude is strongly influenced by their past and can be expressed likewise in their current attitude. In Arthur Miller’s Death of A Salesman, Willy’s confidence and actions are derived from his past. Arthur Miller uses Willy’s success as a salesman  in the past and his brother Ben’s words of wisdom to further present why Willy has such a high self esteem as a salesman  currently when he is failing in life.

            When Willy was young, he used to sleep with women who were receptionists to big businesses to allow for his business as a salesman to flourish. This was his tactic to making money, and boosting his self esteem as a character. As he ages over time, his appearance does also. Less women were willing to support his business, and his business also started to diminish. Willy’s thoughts and conscience is always focused on the past, so when he promotes his business in the current life, his motivation is his past success.

            Willy’s deceased brother Ben is a successful man who went into the “jungle”  and  became rich. Willy thus takes Ben’s advice and allows for himself to lead his life in such a manner that Ben would. In order to be successful in Willy’s eyes, one must adhere to examples and superiority to lead their own lives. Ben’s past conversation with Willy still run through Willy’s mind as if Ben were still alive. Not realizing that time has passed and it’s too late to go into the “jungle”, Willy still keeps hope.

            Willy’s attitude is not influenced by his failure, but rather his past. This allows for him to keep a positive outlook on life due to his past success as a salesman. 

Close Reading: "Lack of soap means illness, death for millions of children"

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/15/health/cnnheroes-soap-hygiene/index.html?hpt=he_t3

The author of this article describes how the lack of soap can kill millions across the world. The author uses diction and imagery to further the readers understanding on how soap leads to proper hygiene and prevents death for the underprivileged.
When analyzing the cause of death in countries that are on the brink of war and that are "politically vulnerable", the author comes to a consensus that these stress factors contribute to the cause of illness and poor sanitation. These choice of words such as "politically vulnerable" shows that the author is targeting the less fortunate to portray how more privileged countries, such as America, take objects such as soap for granted. This shows that the author wants to make it clear that we undermine the power of soap, as it could be "worth more than a day's wage to afford" in other countries. Thus, the author tries to convey her message with such  power with words and phrases to make the readers appreciate the advantages of soap.
The author uses imagery when describing the earthquake that hit Haiti and how millions were forced to live in communal tents and "use water that was contaminated" to further exploit her message that soap can save millions of lives. By describing the spread of cholera through out Haiti and how millions had to share bathrooms with contaminated water, the author over powers us with her strong sense of words and images that she paints in our minds of these consequences of the earthquake that hit Haiti. The readers can feel sympathy for those that are less fortunate, and can only be thankful for the fact that they are able to wash their hands. The author also describes how Dia, a member of the hotel staff that cleans rooms, "retrieves gently used bars of soap in each room" and keeps them for herself. Through this image, the author conquers our emotions by making us feel grateful that we can afford soap while simultaneously making us feel guilty that we take it for granted when people such as Dia takes used soap to keep herself sanitary. While we waste away our money on more materialistic possessions, Dia considers soap to be a luxury. Thus, the author conquers our emotions through this powerful image. 

Response to Course Material 11/20

After revising my work from this past month, I have come to realize how much I have improved on my organization skills when it comes to my essays. Not only have I learned how to keep my paragraphs in an essay relevant to the topic, but I have made sure that my essays flow in a sequential manner. In this aspect, I have redeemed myself from all of my lack of coherency in my previous essays. 

On another note, the in class essay we had to do on "A Barred Owl" and "The History Teacher" opened my eyes to finding DIDLS when it came to comparisons and contrasts of both poems. I accurately found the meaning of both poems, but failed on giving valid explanations for both of them. I will make sure to improve on doing so throughout the year. Another flaw I noticed in my writing is the way I insert quotes in my essays, I will be sure that they sound like they belong there rather than throw them in there as evidence. Finding errors in my writing allows me to fix them and flourish as a writer. Thus, it will only get better as the year progresses. 

Annotating "Death of A Salesman" helped me understand common Western rules in stories such as the conflict between father and son in Western society or how the West represents a new beginning. I am glad that our in class discussions helped me further my understanding on these subjects, as they appeared to be vague to me before. 

Open Prompt: November 13th

1993. "The true test of comedy is that it shall awaken thoughtful laughter." Choose a novel, play, or long poem in which a scene or character awakens "thoughtful laughter" in the reader. Write an essay in which you show why this laughter is "thoughtful" and how it contributes to the meaning of the work.

A true piece of comedy is said to evoke "thoughtful laughter" which causes one to think intellectually about a joke or subject. In "The American Dream", Edward Albee promotes thoughtful laughter by presenting scenarios where intellectual thought must be applied. Albee uses various techniques such as tone and diction to show how the manipulation of power and contrast of idealistic values promotes laughter. 

 Mommy is proven to be masculine; she is given more power than Daddy. This represents the idea that women have more power than men shows a "backward society" , which contrasts the idealistic value that men have more power than women. Albee uses this technique to promote laughter through a series of events such as Mommy forcing daddy to laugh at her jokes or forcing Daddy to answer the door upon her command. When Daddy is hesitating to answering the door, Mommy states "You're indecisive, you're a woman" ( Albee 18), this shows that Mommy is well aware of the lack of coherent thought that women possess but also that Daddy's inability to be more masculine is a flaw in his character, as if being a women makes him less authoritative. It is evident that Mommy is strong and firm in her actions, and Daddy is weak and has no control. Through this contrast of idea, the audience can clearly see how the manipulation of power promotes laughter.

Mommy and Daddy commonly address each other in a child-like tone. When Mommy goes shopping and ends up buying the same hat twice just to feel that she bought a "beige colored hat" rather than a "wheat colored hat", Daddy applauds at her immature behavior when she throws a fit in the store. The idea that Daddy would promote childlike behavior presents how Mommy needs attention at all times. This promotes thoughtful laughter because the audience is forced to think about how once one has grown up, society does not address each other in a childish manner and constantly nag for attention. In this sense, Mommy is once again given more power, and Daddy is forced to encourage her immature behavior; he is less authoritative in this respect and has no control. 

Albee uses diction and tone to show how Mommy is given more power than Daddy. Through a series of events that contrast to idealistic values, he promote "thoughtful laughter" that displays the manipulation of power in a backwards society. 

Open Prompt: October 29th

1975 Also. Unlike the novelist, the writer of a play does not use his own voice and only rarely uses a narrator's voice to guide the audience's responses to character and action. Select a play you have read and write an essay in which you explain the techniques the playwright uses to guide his audience's responses to the central characters and the action. You might consider the effect on the audience of things like setting, the use of comparable and contrasting characters, and the characters' responses to each other. Support your argument with specific references to the play. Do not give a plot summary.

The playwright Hamlet focuses on the central conflict between the protagonist Hamlet and his desire to kill his uncle, King Cladius, for betraying his father to claim the thrown. To show the audience the struggles that Hamlet faces, this play uses techniques such as blank verse, soliloquies, and foils to guide the audiences responses to characters and actions of the play. 

The playwright uses blank verse to add emphasis on the emotions of the characters. This technique gives the audience a sense of what the character is feeling as he speaks and how strongly he or she may feel about what is going in the play. For example, lines 33-68 in Act 4 scene 4 form a blank verse as a part of a monologue spoken by Hamlet that adds emphasis on how he is feeling. He compares the bravery of the soldiers to that of his conscience of killing King Cladius. Hamlet is trying to help himself understand that bravery is found behind the principal of one's action, and not in the manner in which it is performed. Thus, the audience is able to interpret that Hamlet is not killing out of honor, but rather out of the love that he has for his father. 

The soliloquies Hamlet gives during briefs moments of the play gives insight to the audience about what Hamlet's motives are, and how the audience can relate to the complexity of emotions he feels. For example, when Hamlet states "Oh what a rogue Peasant Slave Am I" ( Act 2 Scene 2) ,he discusses how nervous he is to kill King Cladius yet how badly his desire is growing to kill him. Thus, the audience understands Hamlet's selfishness and anger. 

The character Fortinbras foils Hamlet to allow the audience to understand why Hamlet acts the way he does. Fortinbras has many similarities to Hamlet such as he is also a son of a deceased king whose uncle has taken over the thrown and he also seeks avenge death of his father. However, Hamlet seeks revenge on his uncle, King Cladius, purely out of hatred as Fortinbras seeks avenge out of honor and dignity for his country of Norway. These two contrasting motives to kill are shown in action when king Cladius is praying and Hamlet does not kill him because he believes the act of personal vengeance will send King Cladius to heaven as Fortinbras is not considering these morals when he kills his uncle. Thus, showing the audience that Hamlet has morals and a strong faith in his religion. 

This playwright uses these techniques to show the complexity that the Hamlet feels before killing his uncle, King Cladius, and how the audience is to respond to these actions of the play. 

Close Reading: "Study: Nearly 1 in 8 Shy Teens May Have Social Phobia"

Social Phobia, also known as social anxiety disorder,occurs when the anxiety that people feel becomes so persistent that it interferes with their daily lives.  It is linked to other health problems such as depression, anxiety and drug abuse and studies show that it is more prevalent in teens who are 17-18 years old rather than teens who are 13-14 years old. A new study done on teens with this disorder has shown that it complicates the way they interact with others and their environment, but that treatments such as behavioral
therapy can cure it.

Depression, anxiety and drug abuses have shown a link to social phobia, but have not proven whether or not it is either a cause or an effect of the disorder, but it has shown that it impacts the way teens interact with the environment. Those who have this disorder have more difficulty in school, family and peer relationships. This type of behavior results in the lack of ability to interact with other people properly, and the outcomes could be vital to how the other person may not be able to work in a social environment. In this day and age, social interaction is critical for finding a job, even if it is a job that requires you to work in a cubicle or work from home, one still has to be interviewed for that job. This could affect the success or failure of one's life, and may lead to depression, drug abuse and other mental health disorders.

Behavioral therapy is a tactic that reinforces a positive outlook on social activities. The goal is to get one acquainted with his or her environment, and make him or her feel comfortable in getting out there. It is also a way to make one realize how their behavior affects their feelings. This can easily make those with social phobia have a normal life again.

Social phobia is a disorder most prevalent in teens, and can negatively impact the way they interact with their environment. However, behavioral therapy and antidepressants can cure this disorder and give teens a positive outlook on those that surround them.

3rd Response to Course Material

As the year progresses, my ability to apply and annotate literature only becomes better. In this past week, I have learned how to find DIDLS in my readings and how to analyze it. This is a mandatory skill needed for the AP test, and I am sure that the amount of work I am doing in preparation for the test will only benefit me.

I will admit that analyzing Albee's The American Dream seemed like a tough task to me, since I had very little experience with annotating literature, but through practice in class and in small groups, I have figured out how to break each dialogue down and find DIDLS. This play had a lot of hidden meanings that were symbolic of ideas, but if it were not for our group discussions on how diction, imagery, language, detail and syntax relate to these ideas, I would never have made the correlation later on in my own readings. The diversity of annotations that were brought up in conversations also helped me understand on how I am supposed to annotate my own readings. Although we are now supposed to annotate individually, I feel as if I am ready to assess my own annotations in the same aspect that we did in class.

I am glad that I now have learned how to accurately annotate literature using DIDLS, this should help me next week when we start annotating Death of a Salesman. I am sure that I have learned another mandatory skill for the AP exam, and it will only get better as the year progresses. 

Open Prompt: October 16th

1984. Select a line or so of poetry, or a moment or scene in a novel, epic poem, or play that you find especially memorable. Write an essay in which you identify the line or the passage, explain its relationship to the work in which it is found, and analyze the reasons for its effectiveness.

Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken"  is symbolic for the struggles that people face in life when it comes to making decisions.  The last 2 lines of the poem "I took the one less traveled by, and the has made all the difference." relates to the work because it shows the outcomes of the decision making process and this is effective because it claims that the "road less traveled" is actually the better decision to be made. 

The last 2 lines of the poem shows the outcomes of the decision the author makes on which road to travel and is glad that he took the one less traveled by. In the first stanza, the author is "sorry" that he was unable to travel both roads, and "stared" down both paths, deciding which one would have a better outcome. These concepts are idealistically metaphorical for when one has to look at both decisions that are presented to him or her and acknowledge which one would be more beneficial to him or her later on in life. 

These last two lines are effective because it claims that the "road less traveled by" is the decision that is less favorable but, "...that has made all the difference." meaning that it is more beneficial. The traveler saw, "two roads diverged in a yellow wood" but had taken time to contemplate why he would choose one road over the other. This describes when one is portrays the pros versus the cons in a decision. Thus, it is effective because it shows how the author conclusively was led to the road less traveled, and how it impacted him. 

The "Road Not Taken" is symbolic for the the tough decisions that people have to make in life, and analyzes the decision making process and how the outcome is effective because it is least favorable. 

Close Reading: "Why Pancreatic Cancer is So Deadly"

Pancreatic Cancer is predicted to kill around thirty eight thousand people this year, and is the fourth leading cause of death from cancer. This type of cancer can be inherited, caused by smoking, or happen by chance, and it is only controllable if the pancreas is removed before the cancer has spread throughout the body. The reason why it is so lethal is due to the fact that usually when it occurs, there are no symptoms when it is most treatable. 

Nearly 95% of the people who have this cancer will die from it.  The risk of developing this cancer is one in seventy-one, and as people age, the chances of developing it increases. The average age in which it is diagnosed is seventy-two. It is more prevalent in males than females, due to the fact that males use tobacco more commonly than women. 

Pancreatic cancer is caused by DNA mutations than can occur by chance, smoking or inheritance. By the time that Pancreatic cancer is discovered in the body, jaundice or advanced stages of abdominal pain may occur. Jaundice is a condition is which the eyes, skin and mucous membrane have a yellow discoloration due to the deposition of bile salts in these tissues. 

The standard way of treating pancreatic cancer was chemotherapy but now, two new drugs that constrict the rate of blood flow of the tumor throughout the body are said to help fight off this disease. Research that is being done consists of developing a way of finding biomarkers so that simple urine test or blood test can be done. 

As of now, there is no routine way of knowing whether or not a patient has a tumor in their pancreas, thus making pancreatic cancer a very deadly disease. 

2nd Response to Course Material

The immense amount of practice that we have done with analyzing literature and writing an essay, including the introduction, thesis statement and topic sentence, has been a good repetitious tactic for me. I have acquired the skill to organize my thoughts, and refrain from stating the obvious in an introduction paragraph.

Throughout our practices of writing an introduction essay, there has been one ideal concept we have been analyzing; techniques. In nearly every essay prompt, it asks you to analyze the "techniques" the author uses to create a certain appeal to the essay. I have learned the types of techniques that are out there for one to analyze. This has been especially helpful, and I feel like I am ready to tackle the introduction paragraph of the Ap english essay portion of the exam.

Although analyzing syntax was not as easy to me as analyzing diction, I have learned to break apart sentence structures and get a feel for the tone of the sentence. Syntax can help determine how the author talks and how the sentence is arranged to appeal to the audience. If it were not for the practice that we have done in class, I would not have realized the effects of sentences due to the arrangement of words.

Another thing I have realized about my introduction paragraph is that I have a tendency to state the obvious. For example, in one of my introduction paragraphs I stated that the Theatre of the Absurd uses diction, irony and hyperboles to appeal to the audience. All plays use tactics to appeal to the audience, and the the purpose of the Theatre of the Absurd is to make the audience laugh, thus my earlier statement is an obvious generalization that becomes pointless to state. Thanks to Ms. Holmes making me realize this, I have become more aware of what to state in my prompt.

Overall, I have grown as a writer in Ap English , and I hope that my essays continue to advance as the year progresses!

Open Prompt: October 2nd

1970. Choose a character from a novel or play of recognized literary merit and write an essay in which you (a) briefly describe the standards of the fictional society in which the character exists and (b) show how the character is affected by and responds to those standards. In your essay do not merely summarize the plot.

In the Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway is a character who lives in a high class society in the suburbs of New York City. He is exposed to the luxuries of the American Dream, attending parties and envying the materialistic lifestyle that his neighbor, Jay Gatsby, leads. Although Nick wishes that he could be more like his neighbor, he realizes that the money Jay possess and the society that Jay lives in does not define his morals or character as an individual. Nick is an observer of the society he lives in and learns how hypocritical and arrogant once they have money; he then changes his delusional way of thinking and decides that the way you act defines they who you are, not the materialistic possessions that you own. 

Jay Gatsby is a soft spoken man in West Egg who is one of the richest man that Nick knows, and has an appeal of modesty and wealth in Nick's eyes. Nick perceives  Jay as "a son of God—a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that—and he must be about His Father’s business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty." However, as time progresses and Nick starts observing how people interact with Jay, he notices that Jay does not have as many friends and loved ones as he assumed. Nick also dislikes how Jay was having an affair with a married woman, one who was in love with the rich lifestyle that Jay had but would not dare runaway from her husband and admit that she was in love with someone else. This notion of dishonesty made Nick realize how unfaithful people are, and the amount of money one owns does not determine how you act or think. 

Once Jay passes away and no one attends his funeral, Nick then discovers that no one actually knew Jay nor did they like him, they were only interested in the parties that he threw and what he had to offer. This implicates that society was selfish and only wanted what was best for themselves. This shallow behavior that once appealed to Nick made him realize how disgusting and hypocritical people were. Nick does away with the idea that rich are "classy", and that it is better to be poor and modest. 

The society in which Nick lives in makes him realize how money can destroy virtues and human character, and how shallow and hypocritical society can become with materialistic possessions. Thus, Nick responds in the sense that he does not conform to society, and lives happily as an individual who has morals. 

Close Reading: "Don't let others Stress you out"

Amanda Enayati’s article about analyzing stress effectively conveys the potential dangerous outcomes through the use of diction, imagery, details and language. A strong use of diction and sophisticated language with words and phrases such as “emotional contagion” and “synthetic cry” gives readers imagery as they read. For example, when the author explains how infants are capable of vocal and infant mimicry you can picture a baby imitating those who they are surrounded by.These details leads us to the basic question ”what causes stress?” This question is delved into topics such as what we watch tv to who we hang around with and how that affects us. Details such as staying away from negativity gives us a broader view on how to remove stress from our lives.  

Diction is used to explain what how to avoid stress and how we control staying away from those “very toxic” people that we meet. The author also describes strategies we could “inoculate to our toxic environment”. This gives us multiple perceptions of how we are “masters of our inner worlds”, and how plummeting our blame on others for how we feel is a wrong approach to take when we avoid stress. Just these few phrases through diction tells us how to perceive the author’s ideas and controls how we read the article. This also binds in with our own emotions, making the tops more interesting and relate-able as we read.This diction gave me an image of myself in a busy environment controlling those around me, and staying away from that which can penetrate my emotions. Imagery is also conveyed through diction such as “find a relaxation method the same way you find an exercise routine”, a visual representation on how to calm yourself. I especially get a clearer understanding of finding a relaxation method when i read the line “practice it daily”, then I get an honest gist of what I can control. 

Details such as an explanation of how humans are empathetic and we can “catch” whatever those around us feel gives us a clearer understanding of how we are empathetic. This metaphor gives us a visual of what “catch” can mean, and makes it seem like emotions are viral. All of these details allows the language to flow smoothly throughout the article and gives us a clearer understanding of what the article is trying to convey.

Lord of the Flies Essay

  1976. The conflict created when the will of an individual opposes the will of the majority is the recurring theme of many novels, plays, and essays. Select the work of an essayist who is in opposition to his or her society; or from a work of recognized literary merit, select a fictional character who is in opposition to his or her society. In a critical essay, analyze the conflict and discuss the moral and ethical implications for both the individual and the society. Do not summarize the plot or action of the work you choose.

                In Lord of the Flies, Ralph is a character of innocence and purity that has to face the harshes of society and the savagery that his opponent Jack creates on the island.  Jack’s authority as a hunter creates havoc and chaos on the island, forcing the boy to lose their sense of unity and loss of innocence. The boys fail to coexist, and Ralph’s failure to create a civilized society causes the boy’s to lose their loss of innocence and face rivalry and hatred amongst each other.

                When the boys land on the island alone, they create a unity amongst each other and agree to cooperate in order to escape the island and be rescued. When Jack steps up to claim power, the boys blindly follow in his footsteps and do as they are told. Ralph is in a conflict with the way Jack runs the island with his morals and guidelines. Jack acts like a savage; he believes that hunting pigs, doing dances around a fire and talking to dead creatures with save him and the island. Ralph is startled by Jack’s immaturity and refuses to listen to the way Jack’s orders. In this respect, Ralph is rebelling and wants to create a civilized system with the boys.

 Ralph wants order; he wants people to be assigned a specific job and work together equally amongst each other. Jack wants to show that his clan is the best, and that the hunters should have more respect due to the fact that they provide food to the other boys. When the boys go hunting, Jack kills a pig, this act of killing creates a dark side in him and forces him to believe that he is able to do anything, including killing his peers. When things get out of hand and Jack turns against anyone who opposes him, he orders his clan to kill them. In this respect, each character slowly but surely loses their innocence. Due to these experiences, the boys do not react in remorse but rather in a cocky and defiant manner. Ralph and his friend Piggy can only truly see the beast that is manifested within them.

                Ralph’s rebellion towards the rest of the uncivilized society on the island shows how he morally makes right decisions and turns away from immature actions and deeds. His morality and faith come into question when Jack opposes his every move and challenges him to become savage-like. Although Ralph is tempted, he turns away and continues to control the beast that lives within them as he slowly watches his peers become more beastly and irrational in their actions. 

Response to Course Material

1. 
   

   Two weeks into the school year and I have acquired an immense amount of knowledge on how to read and write actively. I have grasped the concept of DIDLS (diction, imagery, language and syntax) and how to use approach these tactics in an essay. I have picked up on description, and learned how to break down poetry in a manner that I have never thought of before. For example, I now know how to convert old english language into a modernized language and make contrasts between other pieces of poetry. This skill allows me to further my understanding of interpreting poetry, thus giving me the ability to grasp the concept of DIDLS. I have also learned how to make a concrete introduction, and how to write a two part thesis statement. 

   Learning the concept of DIDLS and how to apply it took a while, but I think I have learned how to find details and understand tone through diction in a reading. DIDLS also helps when it comes to breaking down opinions and attitudes in reading. I know now the difference between a formal statement and an informal statement all through the use of diction.

   I have also learned how to break down the prompts for the closed reading for the closed reading essay for the Ap exam. I know how to skim the prompt and take out the key concepts in which they want us to respond to. This effectively creates more time to write my essay, and helps me organize my thoughts before doing so. 

   The two part thesis concept has helped me quite a bit when it comes to writing my introduction paragraphs. My essays in general are going to always consist of a 3 sentence introduction from now on, and I will eliminate conclusion essays altogether. If it weren’t for those practice sheets and practice thesis statements, I would yet have to learn what it means to write a thesis. Although all this learning has enhanced my writing abilities, I still need to constantly improve and revise my work before I make it visible to others, and I still have a long ways to go in Ap english before I become a proficient writer and an actively profound reader.
    
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