Journals

I usually find that the short little journal entries for other English classes are busy work, and the assignment was usually very narrow or specific. These journals, however, were usually very open ended, meaning that I was free to write in whatever way I saw fit. (I say this because last semester’s English class was the most narrow, formulated English class I’ve ever taken, so this semester was a nice break. The journals, more than any other assignment, helped me hone my ability to write casually, which I think is very important, arguably more important than formal writing, depending on the occasion. I also just enjoy casual writing, so these assignments also weren’t particularly painful to accomplish. When I wrote journals, I would usually just read the subject text, then begin writing. Once I finished the preliminary entry (which was often far too short), I would go back, have a second look at the text, then add in additional details for each journal. The writing activities, interestingly enough, had a similar process, except I couldn’t ever stop writing because of the rules of the writing exercises.

JOURNALSCreative Writing Survey1.     What do you normally like to read?
a.     Science fiction is one of my favorite genres of reading. I also enjoy fantasy, historical fiction, and pretty much anything else (except for dystopian, I’m getting really tired of dystopian literature.)
2.     What do you normally like to write? Which genre do you prefer?
a.     I like to write informally, any genre will do, I just don’t like writing official letters or papers or essays with annoying rules.
3.     How often do you write?  (I’m not referring to schoolwork or assignments—this refers to writing that you do on your own, for enjoyment, such as journal entries, poetry, short stories, songs, plays, letter, etc.
a.     If I had more time to write on my own, I certainly would, but I have too many extracurriculars, so it’s very hard for me to spend leisure time doing anything aside from sleeping.
4.     Why did you decide to take Creative Writing? What do you hope to get out of this class?
a.     I enjoy creative writing a good bit, certainly more than any other kind of writing. I hope to be able to write informally very well by the end of the year, and enjoy it in the process.
5.     What are some of your strengths when it comes to writing?
a.     Once I get started writing something, I can finish it pretty quickly and still have a decent piece of writing.
6.     What are some challenges you face when it comes to your writing?
a.     I have a lot of trouble getting started on any writing assignments. Once I start, I can write for a good while. Also, I’ve taken way too many AP courses, so my former abilities in creative writing have, in a way, been ruined by the formulaic AP style.
7.     Have you ever shared your writing with anyone? If yes, explain what this experience was like for you. If no, explain why you have never shared your writing with anyone. (Again, I’m not referring to schoolwork or assignments—this refers to writing that you do on your own, for enjoyment, such as journal entries, poetry, short stories, songs, plays, etc.)
a.     Nope. Once again, I would totally write or do something else creative in my free time, but I don’t have much of that particular resource.
8.     What 3 types of creative writing are most interesting to you? (You can talk about genre and/or format – i.e. science fiction and/or poetry or historical fiction.)
a.     Science fiction, historical fiction, and non-scholarly writing.
9.     What sort of feedback is most helpful to you as a writer?
a.     Not too sure on this one, the only feedback I ever get is usually on AP writing, and they just tell me to follow the formula, and that really bores me.
0. Do you have any favorite writers?  Why do you like them?
a.     Stephen King is easily one of my favorites. I read Under the Dome and 11/22/63, and both books have graced my top 10 list. I haven’t had much time to read for almost 3 years, so I haven’t gotten around to reading his other books.
b.     Andy Weir. He wrote The Martian, which was an awesome book, probably my favorite scifi book ever. I like his writing because it stayed remarkably true to science, but also had a dark sense of humor and was easy for a non-rocket scientist to understand.
c.      George R. Martin. He really shouldn’t be on here because he hasn’t written the next installation of Game of Thrones in 4 years (FOUR WHOLE YEARS). However, his series is my favorite fantasy story ever, maybe topped by Lord of the Rings.
1. Is there one work or writer that everyone in this class should read?  Explain your reasoning.
a.     Everyone has their own preferences, but everyone should read at least one Harry Potter book, preferably one after the third book.
1.  Is there anything else you’d like to tell me about?
a.     Nope.

Ted Talk response
The idea that we all have some kind of creative spirit inside of us is pretty interesting to ponder, and the idea that it is a separate entity entirely is even more so. All I have to say is this; Elizabeth Gilbert is a hippie. The ideas that she presented were intriguing, but I have to say that I disagree with them. I’m pretty sure of myself when I say that the only thing that has ever driven me to write anything of any quality is, well, me. Maybe I just haven’t had the opportunity to become a “glimpse of God” because I’m 17 years old, but I think that the reason that many of the creative people of the 19^thand 20^th centuries died young or fell into alcoholism is because, as Mrs. Gilbert said, they realized that they had to compete with their greatest works, and that their magnum opus may well be behind them. The main difference between modern artists and Socrates is that Greek/Roman culture promoted a holistic individual. I’m sure the idea of a creativity fairy had something to do with it, but in reality, the creative thinkers of the day were jacks of all trades, and masters of none. This is probably the reason that the most notable men of that time were thinkers and philosophers, not men of action. One need only look at the Renaissance as proof. Some of the greatest works of art and science came from this era, when the human spirit was considered the sole driving force of creativity and intellect. 

"The Lottery" Response

The first time I read the story, I hardly noticed the minor dissent of Tessie, primarily because most of the other characters treated the whole affair as something rather normal and nonthreatening. Upon reading the story again, I noticed that Tessie took every opportunity to decrease her odds of being chosen, most notably when she said, regarding her own children, “There’s Don and Eva. Make them take their chance!” The significance of this quote didn’t really strike me until I reread the poem, and I think that the author’s intent was to make the reader realize that the mother had tried to throw her own children under the metaphorical bus. This quote also serves as a type of foreshadowing, along with many of Mrs. Hutchinson’s other quotes, because, once again, she is the only character that expresses worry. Mr. Hutchinson is briefly regretful when his family is chosen, but otherwise shows no remorse. The only part of the entire story in which the tension builds is when the villagers start to gather stones, and even then the author makes the event sound almost like a joyous occasion, with men, women, and children, even the children of the victim of the lottery, gather up stones, some too large to carry in one hand, and kill this woman. However, there is a certain sense of urgency throughout the story, particularly after Mrs. Hutchinson was selected. All of the characters seem to be in a hurry to get it over with. “Delacroix selected a stone so large she had to pick it up with both hands and turned to Mrs. Dunbar. ‘Come on,’ she said. ‘Hurry up.’” This tone, which is present throughout the story, is the only real inkling that the author gives as to the nature of the lottery.
 

Short Story Analyses

To Build A Fire

The most notable aspect of this story is the shift of perspective from the man to the dog that occurs throughout, particularly when the man finally succumbs to the cold. The man’s perspective has a good range of emotions, which slowly progress into a frenzied panic and eventual loss of functional thought near the end. The dog’s persona, on the other hand, is very removed from the emotions that the man shows. Even the text that is from the dog’s point of view seems very simple, and almost primal. This is beneficial to the story, as it provides a unique perspective when the man dies and the dog doesn’t react at all, but carries on back to the destination. The man’s character seems overconfident at the onset, but he quickly becomes worried as he gets colder. However, he never panics much, he kin of just skips straight from being mildly concerned to being dead or near death.

The Sniper

This story’s most interesting aspect is the portrayal of the enemy sniper, in comparison to that of the main character. For the entire short story, we get the narrative of the sniper’s life and his sort of character, to the backdrop of the ranged battle between the main character and the opposing sniper. Only later do we find out, that the enemy, who is seen as a sort of faceless foe, is in fact the main character’s brother, who chose a different side of a civil war. This outcome is not foreshadowed at all. The setting of the story, a battle during the Irish Civil War (which is real), allows for a dark, city landscape, and the youthful sniper seems somewhat bloodthirsty in this environment.

Harrison Bergeron

Harrison Bergeron’s setting is what makes the story interesting. It is set in the living room of Harrison Bergeron’s parents, who live in a society where equality has been taken to the next level. The beautiful have to wear ugly masks, the strong have to weigh themselves down with weights, and so forth. The next interesting aspect of the story is the character of Harrison Bergeron. He is a criminal who removes his constraints and mask, but even by normal standards, he seems to have superpowers, including incredible strength (enough to break a chain) and flight. The author clearly made him this exceptional to emphasize the negative effects of the restraints on everyone.