Emma Smull

Dr. Lucas

ENG 1103-23

30 November 2022

Final Reflection 

As I look back at the past semester of English 1103: Page and Screen, I believe I have come out as a new writer. At first, I thought I would be overwhelmed by the workload of this class when looking at the syllabus. However, as the semester went on, I realized that it was actually rewarding to write quite often. I was certainly challenged, but having the opportunity to write both formally and informally has allowed me to grow and develop as a writer. The final essay and annotated bibliography, the keeping of my journal, and the analysis of The Competition by Ian Falconer led me to where I am today as a first-semester college writer. 

The final essay and annotated bibliography were the longest paper we were assigned this semester. It was quite challenging to find three complete sources that all connected properly to one topic – the consequences of social media. I chose this topic because of its relation to our class and the relevance it has to the twenty-first century. However, once I found those four sources it was smooth sailing from there. I was able to use these different sources in order to help support my thesis. I think the most important and relevant source I used was the prologue from Max Fisher’s The Chaos Machine. Fisher went into detail about the consequence of Facebook which was the perfect topic to go along with my thesis. The most crucial quote that I used stated, “[a]t one point, talking with two employees who oversaw crisis response, I dropped out of reporter mode to alert them something worrying I’d seen… Neither asked any questions. One commented vaguely that she hoped an independent researcher might look into such things one day, and we moved on” (Fisher 8). This detail showed how secretive and cluttered social media can really be. Fisher “shows that Facebook has been scamming the world by keeping how the platform is really “protected” by the higher-ups within the company” (Smull 2). Through Fisher’s writing and the other three sources from Gale In Context, I was able to write a successful piece about how dark social media truly is.

Keeping a journal allowed me to write my ideas down on paper. I thought that writing in every class for a few minutes was not going to help, but it now has many benefits. Writing every Monday and Wednesday has helped my mind focus on the lesson of the class or what we will complete during the period. I can also look at this journal and its entries outside of class when completing assignments, which can help me manage my time in a more mannerly way. It also gives me an opportunity to reflect on previous classes. Completing the Scrabble Debrief each Monday has allowed me to continue with a different group of people and refresh my memory about the game and the words that were played. I may have learned new words, so it is helpful to have the chance to reflect. In my high school English classes, I did not have as many opportunities to write. I finally have the chance to analyze many other pieces of writing in order to better my own work. Writing has allowed me to let my thoughts escape my mind and put them down on paper for record. 

The Competition by Ian Falconer was the cover of The New Yorker on October 9, 2000. When we observed this in class, I was able to learn how to analyze images in a deeper and more complete way. I realized that images have a deeper meaning than what is just put on the page. It is stronger and more detailed than what is visually presented. After viewing this cover, I found a new way to look at the world and what artists or authors really want their viewers or readers to get out of their work. I have come to learn that deeper analysis equals deeper writing. Stephen Rosenwasser states in his book, Writing Analytically, “[a]nalysis more than breaking a subject into its parts… A good analysis seeks to locate the life of its subject, the aims and ideas that energize it” (Rosenwasser and Stephen 5). Those words helped launch my analysis of The Competition. I have gained so much knowledge about analysis that I feel like a stronger writer.

Overall, English 1103: Page and Screen have helped me become a more confident and composed writer. Having the opportunity to write often, work on my analyzing skills, and complete a final essay and annotated bibliography has allowed me to gain a new perspective. This class was like no other class that I have taken throughout my education. I am glad I was placed into this class and Section 23 at the beginning of this semester. I will carry the new skills I learned from this class throughout all of the other classes that I will be taking here at High Point University.

Works Cited

Falconer, Ian. The Competition. Magazine Cover. The New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2000.

Fisher, Max. Prologue: “Consequences.” The Chaos Machine. Little, Brown. 2022.

Rosenwasser, David and Jill Stephen. “Analysis Does More than Break a Subject into Its Parts.” Writing Analytically, 8th Edition. Wadsworth/Cengage, 2019. Pp. 4-5.

Smull, Emma. “The Consequences of Social Media.” 4 Nov. 2022.