Imagine and Discover the Impossible

Harry Pottermy first fantasy series! On my 11th birthday, my aunt and uncle introduced

me to the magical world of charms, spells, and curses. And of course, who could not forgetHe-

Who-Must-Not-Be-Named! Alohomora! I would utter at the top of my lungs, attempting to

unlock my cousins bedroom door with his Wii controller. Riddikulus! I would screech,

aggressively pounding crickets with a tree branch during the summer afternoons (hoping they

would transform into silly beings). Lumos! I would silently repeat at bedtime, urging my

wizardry to continue in the Muggle world! Every dialogue between the antagonist and the

protagonist, every reaction to an unforeseen moment, and every connection between a characters

words and actions sparked curiosity: the desire to learn, think, read, write, question, and

communicate more. This literary experience introduced me to a world that I did not believe existed!

Although I am still a believer (and participant) of Harry Potters world of magic, I

continued my adventure as a reader and writer to the next, and most significant, chapter of my

literacy history: high school. In this particular stage, my critical-thinking skills were challenged

due to the complexity of in-class readings and renowned authors use of rhetorical modes;

moreover, my English vocabulary was also strengthened in order to better communicate my ideas

to the people around me. Spells did not come into use; thus, I had to carefully analyze each text

with only these tools: an open-mind, a dictionary, a quill, and a notepad.

I was exposed to a wide range of novels as an AP English student in high school from

Crime and Punishment, Gullivers Travels, Beowulf, The Great Gatsby, Outliers, etc. I stepped

into the shoes of these characters (Gatsby, Raskolnikov, Gulliver, Beowulf, etc.) in order to gain

insight into how and why they tackled the unexpected circumstances in their lives: death, love,

companionship, and antagonism. As a reader, I was intrigued by their unique methods for
approaching these life situations. Why?To study their problem-solving and critical-thinking

skills, to comprehend the purpose of their actions, and to supplement my view of knowledge and

experience. Moreover, I desired to learn more about my character and the authors that held

similar visions as me. I realized that I was hungry to read and write more, not only as a student

task, but as a personal hobby. After instruction hours were completed, I would sprint to Ms. Prydes

AP English library, examining each and every novel that screamed, Nikita, pick me! F. Scott

Fitzgerald, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, William Shakespeare..., I would whisper with the eagerness to

touch the binding of literary masterpieces. When a novel was initially opened, it was a puzzle

discrete chapters that did not intertwine to form a holistic understanding in my mind; however,

after collecting my thoughts, I would produce an MLA-formatted paper that highlighted my own

position on an authors argument and emphasized the readings overall purpose.

I would dip my eagle feather quill in the black ink, anticipating words to pour off the

parchment. Hours and hours would disappear before my eyesno outline, no thesis statement,

and no revision plan. Although I was mesmerized by the universal messages that a single reading

delivered to an audience, to be able to eloquently transfer my interpretations of various texts onto

a piece of parchment required practice, effort, and time; furthermore, it was a skill that required

reflection. By acknowledging this statement into my learning process, I began to free-write in a

journal embellished with calligraphy about my daily experiences with in-class readings and its

teachings: On Tuesday, I learned how to honor the best of the past, not the worst; On Friday, I

learned that some Muggles do not believe in the existence of magical creatures! Through

journaling, I discovered more knowledge about myself as a writer! My primary objective was

always to produce compositions that reflected my understanding of and personal response to a

text. This self-realization changed my perception of journaling; it was a technique for connecting

my life experiences with those of a novels main character.

After I built a reflection process, grammar and specificity of details played a crucial role

in how I engaged with the structure and presentation of my composition. I strove for perfection.

Does my essay convey a message or a larger concept? Do all sentences have correct punctuation

marks? Do I need to add an extra phrase between these sentences? More questions and remarks!

As I would thoroughly analyze and annotate my readings, I would approach my writing in the

same manner, understanding the link between my ideas and identifying any inconsistencies in

reasoning. In order to reinforce my writing, follow-up discussions were also inspired by my

former History of Magic [U.S. History] teacher and current mentor, Mr. Simmons. During these

discussions, I elaborated on the theme of a novel and developed my own philosophy of human

conditions: Injustice, success, perseverance, etc.words with such broad meanings that we can

only understand them through our imagination, not our touch. I was determined to supplement an

authors universal idea with my point of view and personal experiences when drafting a paper that

had been influenced from his or her literary work. Moreover, gaining insight into another readers

writing and thinking process, such as Mr. Simmons, introduced me to a different outlook on a

reading.

I embarked on a journey to examine my philosophy of human conditions through Harrys

and Raskolnikovs footprints. Am I the horcrux? My mind, are you my only enemy? To answer

lifes questions was an assessment of their ability to combat their foes, whether it was Harry vs.

Lord Voldemort or Raskolnikov vs. His Guilty Conscience. Although Harrys stronger sense of

self-discipline earned him the title as the most prominent wizard of his time, Raskolnikovs

failure to seek spiritual regeneration induced him to psychologically deteriorate.

When these characters reached the lowest depth in their lives, they sculpted the purpose of their

existence from this experience. I, the reader, witnessed them develop into a wizard and a criminal,

each possessing different intentions, strengths, and weaknesses. In addition, their search for

meaning was unconventional. Harry and Raskolnikov did not conform to what was generally seen

or heard; they defied the norm in order to build a platform that represented their values and

identities, persuading me to approach my writing in the same respect.

Beyond the storyline, I discovered an intriguing message behind every word and scene. I

would transition from character to character: one day, a student in the House of Ravenclaw; the

following day, a detective in a murder trial; next week, a hero of the Geats. Consequently, my

experiences in each world would be transcribed in different genres. I stepped into foreign territory,

unaware of who or what idea I would encounter; my sense of discovery eliminated my fear towards

the unknown. I then intellectually flourished as a reader and writer. Moreover, my writing and

reading processes enabled me to produce compositions that authentically mirrored my thoughts,

while simultaneously employing rules of writing mechanics (i.e. grammar and punctuation). I, as

a student, have changed and grown with my literacy development through revisions, not immediate

perfections. I will continue to evolve as a reader, searching for or building new methods on how

to interpret concepts beyond the scope of academia; I will continue to evolve as a writer,

integrating these concepts with new conversations.