Persistent Perseverance

Williams states in the beginning that she is “one of the 15 percent of the U.S. Army that is female.” What is one reason why she enlisted in the army?

Williams enlisted in the army because she felt that she had something to prove. Not only to herself but also to those who never believed in her. Among those individuals was Douglass. He was an ex-boyfriend of hers who was as domineering as they come. He relentlessly yelled at Williams for his own benefit and in some twisted way, her’s as well. Condescendingly, he reminded her that she could never make it in the army. He thought that if she couldn’t handle him yelling at her, then they was absolutely no way that she could endure the hardships that comes with army. In this relationship, Williams felt imprisoned and helpless. She loathed the way he treated her and always knew she deserved better. However, her low self-confidence hindered her from escaping from this unhealthy relationship. Joining the army was a way for her to liberate herself from chains of her ex-boyfriend. In her mind, enlisting was the best way to show her ex-boyfriend that she was strong enough to overcome adversity.

1. Reflect on your own writing and decide which myth (under “myths about writing,” 4-5, apply to you? Use 3-4 sentences.
In terms of my own writing I feel like myth #3 applies to me the most. In the past especially in 8th grade and in high school I would write essays and put so much effort into my first draft. In mind, I thought that my first draft had to be perfect because if it was, then my final essay would be perfect also. As my writing matured I realized the true purpose of a first draft. It isn’t supposed to be perfect. I had to learn that it’s okay to make mistakes. Your first draft will help you make an even better final paper.

2. What does college-level research require, as opposed to high school-level research? What skills do you need to acquire to do good research? Use 3-4 sentences.
College research requires a lot more effort than high school research. In high school, research can be fairly simple. All one has to do is look up their topic and get information from any website. Whereas in college one must use a variety of databases, actually go to the library, and utilize scholarly articles for information. In college, your research information can’t just come from anywhere. It has to originate from a plausible source. Also college requires students to use citations more often.

3. Define “argument”– what does it mean to argue in a college-level essay? What comparison does the author use? Use 3-4 sentences.
The author defines an argument as a well-organized presentation of a viewpoint meant not to prove that it is the “right one” but rather to give a better understanding of the subject. She compares a college argument to a lawyer making a case in a courtroom trial.

4. What are the three kinds of academic writing assignments you might receive in college? Briefly define each kind. Use 4-5 sentences.
The three kinds of academic writing assignments I might receive in college are the closed writing assignment, The Semi-Open Writing Assignment, The Open Writing Assignment. The closed writing assignment is an assignment in which you analyze two counter claims and determine the valid one. The semi-open assignment is an assignment in which a topic is presented and one must critically analyze it. The open writing assignment is an assignment in which the student must choose a topic to write about and their claim.

5. What are the three characteristics of effective writing, according to the research on professor expectations conducted by George Mason University? Use 3-4 sentences
There are three characteristics of effective writing. The first is that the writing should have clear evidence and that the writer has to be persistent, open-minded, and disciplined in study. The second is dominance of reason over emotions or sensual perception. And lastly, an imagined reader should be coolly rational, reading for information, and intending to formulate a reasoned response.

6. Give two examples of when the author feels first person is more appropriate in a particular context. Use 3-4 sentences.
The author feels it’s appropriate to use first person when you are giving your own perspective on a topic. When you’re providing your opinion on something you have to use the first person to signify that they are your own opinions. Another suitable time you can use the first person is when you want to make clear which person is speaking.

7. When is it clearly a bad idea to use “I”? Use 3-4 sentences.
It is clearly a bad idea to use “I” when you are doing a research paper. If you use “I” too many times, it might make your paper hard to follow. Also it is bad idea to use “I” when you are doing a biography about someone.

Sontag believes that war only has one perception. War often has a one-sided point of view. In the chapter one she describes that war can be conveyed through photographs. Those can either serve one of two purposes. It can educate and enlighten people about the horrors of war. It can illustrate to individuals the destruction caused by war and how death and misery are the only results from war. Photographs can also capture the glory of war. These photos can glorify war and show the lighter side of it. Thus when an individual looks at one these photographs, he is only able to formulate one idea. Sontag also makes connection to the perception of war with the photograph of a child torn apart in the attack on the Sbarro Pizzeria in Jerusalem. She notes that to a Jewish person the photo is of Jewish child who is victim of a ruthless attack by a Palestinian suicide bomber. A Palestinian who looks at the photo may perceive it as a Palestinian child killed by Israeli ordinance. When she makes this example she is trying to say that background of individuals and how they think will greatly affect how they perceive a polarizing photo such as this one.

Does this form effectively tell a Holocaust story? How does it differ from a conventional Holocaust story?
I was bit surprised when I opened the file and I found out that the story was written in the form of a comic book. I thought that this was a refreshing way of conveying a story about such a terrible event. As I was reading it, I felt like I was reading about the life of a man (or mouse) and his experience in the World War II. However, the holocaust is kind of like the background of his story and not what it is essentially about. I don’t feel like this story effectively tells a holocaust story. At least not the ones I’m accustomed to reading about. Most of the holocaust stories I’ve read in the past are really sad and horrific. Much of the story goes in depth about the adversities the Jews encountered. How most of their families were killed on the street right in front of them. How most Jews never saw their family members again. The holocaust stories I’ve read describe the gas chambers and ovens that were used to exterminate Jews. It illustrates how, more often than not, Jews were executed by the Germans in shooting lines. This story, on the other hand is kind of like a much lighter version of a holocaust story. For most of Vladek’s story he explains to his son about how he met his mother and their experiences when they got married. The Germans and Hitler was always in the back seat for much of his story until the third chapter. Most of the story in the third chapter was about his experience as a POW. As POW he had to work long hours and was given scant food and shelter. No doubt he faced hardships as he was constantly shouted at and forced to do work he had no desire in doing. However, I thought he would’ve been killed on the spot since he opposed the German army and because he was Jewish. His situation got a little better when he was able to work at a different camp. The work was even tougher, but his living conditions improved. The only part of the story I felt really felt displayed the horrors of the war was when Vladek described how the Germans killed 600 Jews and how he was a part of the next shooting party. When I saw how the Jews were kneeled down awaiting to be shot, I thought that this was something that I always read about in holocaust stories. It gave me that same uneasy feeling. I enjoyed the story but I don’t feel like the holocaust was what the story was mainly about.

Virginia Woolf believed that “women must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.” What she means by that is that only affluent women or women of high importance were able to accomplish things within her society. Typically women were looked down upon and seen as inferior to men. Therefore, any ordinary woman without any class would never be able to succeed in society. When she says fiction, what she means is that even if women were to write a fictional book, it wouldn’t even be recognized as a significant piece of literature because it came from the mind of a female. Within Woolf’s society women were denied the most basic rights and were even denied access to many places that were exclusive to men. For instance, as she pondered about the essay question, she wondered on the grounds of a university. The beadle quickly told her to remove herself from the grass as it wasn’t meant to be walked upon by women. She was also denied access to the library as she needed to have a letter of introduction or be accompanied by a current student. This goes to show the severe class gap that exists in her society. Although women during her time time period were able to carry their own money, she considers the women of the past to be at fault for the lack of all- women colleges. Many women of past were poor because often times they had to relinquish any money they earned to their husbands. Thus, they were never able to donate money in order to start up universities for women.

Gertrude Stein was a woman who understood the extent of her abilities. She knew exactly what she wanted and how she wanted it done. She was aware of her inability to repair cars, thus she often asked other soldiers to do it for her. However, the soldiers weren’t the only ones who’ve done favors for her. Sergeants, police officers and even ordinary civilians have also agreed to help her. They often complied with her requests due to the state of her vehicle. It was an old ford that could barely drive for a long time without breaking down at some point. Many of the other women, particularly Ms.Lathrop, were bewildered as to why the soldiers aided Gertrude, but none of them. Gertrude response for their complaints was that many of the other cars appeared to be in working order already. None of the other soldiers felt obligated to help them fix their cars. Gertrude understood that what she lacked in car repair, she made up for with her personality. She was a friendly, helpful and democratic individual who often helped transport soldiers to various places. She also stated that the she possesses a sense of equality, which in her view is the most important quality. What she means is that she doesn’t discriminate and she treats every one with the same level of respect and politeness. As a result, anyone will do anything for her.

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