A Rhetor in the Making

Before the Summer of 2011, I was never challenged to write at the college level. English, being one of my weaker subjects, was never as important to me compared to math and science in high school. My lack of interest in the subject led to me never taking courses beyond the "college prep" level. Having no advanced placement experience with writing or speaking coming out of high school, I was rushed into the short six-week Summer semester in which I took Penn State's Cas 100A class (speech). Although the thought of speech class wasn't exactly appealing to me, after completing the course I can say that it was a great experience. Not only did I gain some public speaking experience, I also discovered an essential aspect required for a good piece of writing. I've took pride in some of my school-assigned writings in the past, but only a select few. However, after choosing a topic i truly cared about for my speech class this Summer, I found the writing process so much smoother and efficient. This is what I took from my Summer experience; to pick writing topics that I am passionate about. Not only must I be interested in the subject, but I have to be interested at a level that I feel the need to inform my audience of the topic as well. This Fall semester my goal is that my writing will reflect my passion I have for the topics I choose.

When I do write effectively, I can analyze what I feel I have done correctly. For example, I would consider my ability to address an audience correctly a strength of mine. When done properly, I find that I use the correct word choice and write in the appropriate genre. On the other hand, I recognize that I do have several weaknesses as a writer, as all inexperienced writers probably do. I have found myself to have a weak and limited vocabulary in several of my high school essays. This is something I certainly hope to improve on in English 15 this semester. Additionally, I have had weak content in several essays. Whether it be rambling on about one point too much, or not going into depth on crucial points, I have discovered this to be a flaw of mine as a writer. These two weaknesses are something I strive to improve on this year. After taking the speech course and seeing improvement, I am confident that i can do the same with my English course.

I believe one of the key elements to a good essay is that it must keep the reader's attention. In my Junior year of high school, I was required to read Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck. Unlike some of the dull stories required for me to read over the years, this one kept my attention the entire time. I thought the book was awesome how it featured a great friendship between two entirely different characters. I strive to write about something unique and interesting just as Steinbeck did. A review of Of Mice and Men can be found here. Another reason to be inspired to write well can be found in the case of war. War is a topic in which it can be extremely hard to pick a side over the debate. For example, when the U.S. decided to send troops to the middle east for the protection of the American people, the decision wasn't questioned. However, after ten years and less than anticipated progress, there comes the question of when do we bring our soldiers back home. Situations like this truly don't have a clear answer. This is why being able to effectively express your opinion is crucial, and the best way to do it is through writing. This article, which was featured in The New York Times, discusses the conflict going on in Iraq, and touches on the devastation that the war is contributing to the already disturbed middle east. It is an example of why having good writing skills is crucial to convey your opinion.

I recognize that writing skills are a huge asset for any college student, and that's why I hope to improve on mine with the English 15 course. Rhetorical situations are every day things that should be thought about. As spoken by Anaïs Nin, "The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say."