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Max Butler

Dr. Watts

Comp 2

May 6, 2018

Self-Reflection for Electronic Portfolio

I feel that I can confidently say that I have improved dramatically as a writer after this

semester of Comp 2. The best way to improve upon any skill is practicing and getting critical

feedback, both of which I had plenty of this semester. I am also confident in saying that I have

met the requirements of Composition Two, and there are many examples I will pull from to

prove this point. The essay Ree’s Characterization showed I improved on topic selection,

organization, clarity, and mechanical accuracy. My essay Old Blue shows that I have gained

experience in analyzing literary works. The essay Poems Examining the Human Soul showed I

have gained skill in putting scholarly sources into my essays. And finally, the essay Cathedral

Developing Character, I showed that I can read critically and analytically when dealing with

notable literature.

The first goal in Comp 2 is building upon skills that we were taught in Comp 1. I feel that

I have vastly improved on my skills this semester. The first sub goal is the effective usage of

topic selection. Winter’s Bone was a great novel, and there were many things that could have

been analyzed in an essay. I felt the characterization of Ree was an excellent topic to explore. It

narrows the focus to just one main character and their journey so that true analysis can be
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performed. Next is the task of organization, which I feel I demonstrated very well. The

introduction presented the thesis, “Strong characterization can make a character come alive in

the reader’s mind.” Each main body paragraph explored Ree’s journey and how it changed her

personality and traits. Finally, the conclusion helped summarize the essay without bringing any

new points into play. The next two sub goals go hand in hand, clarity and mechanical accuracy.

If you read my essay, you will find very few grammatical errors and each paragraph is clear and

states the main point like, “Ree has a lot of dispositions, or shortcomings, that are addressed

throughout this novel.” These are all ways that I meet the requirements of goal one.

The second goal of composition two is forming a logical formal argument while

analyzing literary works. In the essay Old Blue, I choose a very logical argument in a formal

manner that stated, “This song brings the whole play together and signifies some major plot

points in the play.” My argument boiled down to the point that many readers don’t think the

song Old Blue is important to the story of Fences. I argued that the song had a very deep

meaning to the play, and that it helped bring the whole play together. I also argued its

significance at the end of the play that went, “It signified Cory forgiving his father and becoming

the man that Troy always wanted him to be.” This shows that I have a good understanding on

how to form a logical formal argument while analyzing literary works.

The third goal of composition two is acquiring the skill to do scholarly research and

weave it into an essay in a meaningful way. I demonstrated this skill when I wrote the essay

Cathedral Developing Character. We were requested by our teacher to provide scholarly

research in this paper, and then while revising it she wanted us to do an even better job. One

example of me weaving in scholarly research reads, “Carver has said both the narrator and the
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blind man represent him at different stages of his life (Lavin).” I then went on to explain that

the scholar that wrote the article had an interview with the author of Cathedral and that the

author put himself in both characters. I then embellished upon this premise to explore how he

could be two characters that are so vastly different. This is a prime example that shows I have

the skill to weave in scholarly research into my essay in a meaningful way.

The final goal of composition two is developing deep analytical and critical reading skills

while reading some notable literature. No literature is more notable then poetry, because it lets

authors express their souls. This is what I talked about in the essay Poems Examine the Human

Soul. I developed my analytic and critical reading skills in all of my essays this semester, but this

essay provides excellent examples of these skills. The lines, “The imagery of the knife makes the

pathway seem even more dangerous than just being “hurtful.” The knifes make the reader

realize that this may be a life or death situation for the wayfarer. This leads to the poem taking

a much darker, serious tone.” These lines show my mastery of critical thinking and analytical

skill. I examined the poem and arrived at a thoughtful conclusion that I put into my essay. If I

had just summarized the poem, I would have never reached my final thoughts on the play. I

believe I have mastered the final skill of composition two.

This semester has been very productive, and I have learned a lot about literature and

read some amazing pieces. I have learned many new skills and built on the ones I have already

learned through Composition One. After looking back on my work this semester, its clear that I

have improved dramatically. I now feel that I have mastered the four goals of Composition Two.

These goals are: building upon writing skills, developing logical formal arguments, weaving in

scholarly research, and developing analytical and critical reading skills. I know that I will use
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these skills when I further my education and in every stage of my life yet to come. I also

appreciate the experience of reading literature that I would not necessarily have sought out on

my own accord.