English11MidtermExam

WritingPortfolio
Part1:
WritingReflection
Chooseonewritingthatyouthoughtwasyourmosteffectiveandonethatwasyourleast
effective.Writea
12paragraph
reflectiononeach.Inyourreflection,youmust
specificallyexplainwhyeachpiecewaseffectiveorineffective.Forexample,what
specificwritingelementsmakeyourmosteffectivepiecethebest?Whatspecifically
wouldyouchangeorworkoninyourotherwritingpieces?

Writingsthisyear:
FormalBookAnalysis
Maus
and
TheGreatGatsby
SummativeEssays
NarrativeWritingsSuperHeroNarrativeandtheNanowrimo

1. Mosteffectivepieceofwritingandwhy.

Mymosteffectivepieceofwritingsofarthisyearwasprobablymy
Maus
SummativeEssay.Iwasabletousepersuasivevoicetogetmypointacross,Ifelt,about
howflawedourhistoryteachingsare.Thisessayactuallyhadanintroductionthatsetup
therestofthepaperandaconclusionthatbroughtitalltogether.

2. Leasteffectivepieceofwritingandwhy.

Myleasteffectivepiecebyfaristherecent
Gatsby
SummativeEssay.Mytrouble
beganwhenIcouldnotpickatopic,andwhenIfinallylandedonone,Ipickedthewrong
one.Thiscausedmetowritemyworstpapersincesophomoreyear.Mytopicdidnot
actuallytiewelltomymainpoints.Mywritingwouldhavegottenmypointacrossmuch
better,Ibelieve,ifIhadonlypickedadifferenttopicorspentmoretimeactuallyfinding
theevidenceIneededtomakethispaperwork.Ididnotwriteforaspecificaudience
either,whichgavealackofdirectionforthepaper.

Part2:
WritingProcess
Takinga300400wordssectionofyourNanowrimoassignmentfromNovemberplease
reviseitfromitsroughdraftform.

1. Copyandpastethe
roughdraft
below.DoNOTrevisethispieceinthisarea.

Helookedsidelongatthewoman.Shehadnotmoved.Shelookedlikesomeone
ontheedgeofacliffpoisedfortakeoff,hereyessointense.Herarmswereheld
outstretchedtowardhim,palmsopenandfacingeachother.Jacksonlookedupatthesky
throughthetrees.
Howcanheskybesobluewhenthedayissogrey?
Oneclouddriftedlazilyintohissight.

IwishIwasacloud.

No!
Thesamepiercingscreamfrombeforebrokehisconcentration.
Whatisthat?Youknow,dontyou?JacksonaskedtheClanwoman,hope
permeatinghiseyes.
Uncertaintyandsomethingelseflickeredintohereyes.Forthefirsttimeshe
lookeduncomfortable,distressed.
I,uh.Well,actuallyIdontknow.NotforsureHervoicetrailedoff.She
wouldntlookhimintheeyesnow.
Itwasfear.Fearmixedwithuncertaintylacedherblackeyes,hergazestill
directedsidewaysattheground.
HorrorfilledJacksonsowndarkeyes,erasingthehopethathadbeenthereonly
momentsbefore.
Ohgod.ItsMorgan,isntit?Panicflaredthroughouthisbody.Hisbreathing
quickened.Itfeltasthoughalltheoxygenwasbeingsuckedawayfromhim,rightoutof
hislungs.
IItmaynotbehimJackson.TheEldersdidntsayshebrokeoff,herhands
flewtocoverhermouth,panicmakinghereyesgowide.
Icantbetellingyouthosethings!shespluttered.Ihavetofinishtellingyou
abouttheChange!WearerunningoutoftimeJacksonyouneedtolistentomenow.
Buthewasshakinghisheadfromsidetosideviolently,refusingtolookather.
No.No,heneedsme.Heneedshelp.Ihavetogo.Yourecrazy.Youreall
crazy,Jacksonstammered.HehadstartedbackingawayfromtheClanwomanandnow
hespunaround,sprintingdownthepath,goingevenfartherintothewoods.

2. Copyandpastetheroughdraftinthissectionandbegintoreviseyourwork.
Highlightanychangesin
yellow
andadditionsin
green.

Helookedsidelongatthewoman.Shehadnotmoved.Shelookedlikesomeone
ontheedgeofacliffpoisedfortakeoff.
And
hereyes
theywere
sointense.
Sheheld
herarms
outstretchedtowardhim,
asifthatcouldmakehimunderstand.Her
palms
were
openandfacingeachother
,imploringwithhimtoseeherflawedreasoning.
Jackson
lookedupattheskythroughthetrees.
Howcanheskybesobluewhenthedayissogrey?
One
softwhite
clouddriftedlazilyintohissight.
IwishIwasacloud.
Howeasyitwouldbetojustbe.

No!
Thesamepiercingscreamfrombeforebrokehisconcentration.
Whatisthat?Youknow,dontyou?JacksonaskedtheClanwoman,hope
permeatinghiseyes.

Uncertaintyandsomethingelseflickeredintohereyes.Forthefirsttimeshe
lookeduncomfortable,distressed.
I,uh.Well,actuallyIdontknow.NotforsureHervoicetrailedoff.She
wouldntlookhimintheeyesnow.
Withastart,Jacksonrealizedwhatitwasshadowingherface.Itwasfear.Fear
mixedwithuncertaintylacedherblackeyes,hergazestilldirectedsidewaysatthe
ground.
HorrorfilledJacksonsowndarkeyes,erasingthehopethathadbeenthereonly
momentsbefore.
Ohgod.ItsMorgan,isntit?
Aflaringpaniccoursedthrough
hisbody,
deadeninghislimbsandmakinghisbreathcomeinquickgasps.
Itfeltasthoughallthe
oxygenwasbeingsuckedawayfromhim,rightoutofhislungs.
IItmaynotbehim,Jackson.TheEldersdidntsayshebrokeoff,her
handsflewtocoverhermouth,panicmakinghereyesgowide.
Icantbetellingyouthosethings!shespluttered.Ihavetofinishtellingyou
abouttheChange!WearerunningoutoftimeJacksonyouneedtolistentomenow.
Buthewasshakinghisheadfromsidetosideviolently,refusingtolookather.
No.No,heneedsme.Heneedshelp.Ihavetogo.Yourecrazy.Youreall
crazy,Jacksonstammered.HehadstartedbackingawayfromtheClanwomanandnow
hespunaround,sprintingdownthepath,goingevenfartherintothewoods.

3. Pleasewritea
12paragraph

reflectiononwhythechangesyouhavemade
improvesthewriting.Keepinmindyouraudiencewhenthinkingabouthowthis
improvesthewriting.

Whileseveralofmychangesarejusttherearrangementofafewwords,the
biggeronesaretoimprovetheimageryforthereader.Ipersonallyenjoywordierauthors,
likeStephenKing,andItrytomimicthatkindofwritingstyle.Improvingtheimagery
whereverIcanissomethingIstrivetododuringrevision.Thebettertheshowis,the
morelikelyitisthatayoungadultaudiencewouldstayhooked.

Part3:
WritingSkills
For
six
oftheitemsbelow,youwillneedtocopypastetheexamplefromanyofyour
essaysandexplainhowtheexamplebelowmeetthestandard.

Makesuretoidentifythe
writingthatitcomesfrom.

Effectivelyandcorrectlyusesimagery(ShowNOTTELL)
(Explainwhyyou
chosetoputimageryhereandwhyitiseffective)
Shotsrangoutfrombothsides,screamsrippingthroughtheair.Heatrolledoff
inwaves,flamesleapingintothesky.ItookthisexampleofimageryfrommySuper
HeroNarrative,
OCaptain!MyCaptain!
Thesesentencesareusedtodescribethe
detonationofabombandthechaosthatresultsfromitandthewarfarethatgoesalong
withit.
2. Effectivelyandcorrectlyusesaproper(specific)noun(
Explainwhyyouchoseto
putaspecificnounhereandwhyitiseffective)
In
MausII
,SpiegelmandepictsascenewheretheJewishprisonersarebeing
takentotheshowers(realshowers,notthegaschambers)andyouarebroughtintotheir
terror.Thisexamplefrommy
Maus
SummativeEssayusesapropernounforthe
prisoners(Jewishprisoners).Iincludedittoenhancetheeffectofthewordprisoners
onthereader.Iwantedtoremindthereadersthattheseatrocitieswerebeingcommitted
againstspecificgroupsofpeople.
3. Effectivelyandcorrectlyusesavividverb(
Explainwhyyouchosetoputavivid
verbhereandwhyitiseffective)
Fightingignoranceisliketryingtoattackfogitcan
pirouette
aroundyou,but
youcantgraspatit.Thisexampleisfrom,again,mySuperHeroNarrative.Originally
thesentencereadasrollinsteadofpirouette.Theuseofthevividverb
pirouette
was
effectiveindevelopingtheimageryforthereader.
4. Effectivelyandcorrectlyusesafigurativelanguage(
Explainwhyyouchosetouse
figurativelanguagehereandwhyitiseffective)
Shelookedlikesomeoneontheedgeofacliff.Thislineistakenfrommy
NaNoWriMoassignment.Iusedfigurativelanguageheretodevelopthecharacterbeing
described.IwantedtoconveyherintensityinthatmomentandIbelieveithadthe
desiredeffectonreaders.
5. Effectivelyandcorrectlyuseofsymbolism
(Explainwhatthesymbolismis,why
youchosetouseithere,andwhyitiseffective)
6. Revisebyaddingasentence(s)orword(s)thatsupportthepurpose.
(Explainwhy
yourrevisionimprovedyouressay).
7. Showanexampleofacomplexorcompoundsentenceinyourwriting.
(Explain
howthisisbetterthanusingmultiplesimplesentences)
8. Revisebydeletingunneededorofftopicsentence(s)orword(s)
(Explainwhy
yourrevisionimprovedyouressay)
9. Createsanintroductionthatsetsthestagefortherestofthepiece.
(Explainthe
strategyyouusedandhowitcontributestoyouressay)
Memoirssuchas
Maus
arebetteratrepresentingthepersonalsideofhistory.
Theyshowthatthesethingshappenedtorealpeopleandnotjustthenumberspresented
inourtextbooks.ThereareawhoppingfourpagesabouttheHolocaustin
ModernWorld
History
,ahighschoolhistorytextbook.Fourpages.Threeparagraphsaboutthekillings
andthecamps.TwoparagraphsabouttheFinalSolution,oneparagraphaboutthe
survivors.FromthesesixparagraphsyoucangatherthattheJewswerestarvedandputto
workinthecamps,thattheywenttothegaschambers,theirbodieswereburned,and
onlyfourmillionsurvived.Thatisit.Wearenottoldtheisolatedhorrorsfromwithinthe
1.

campsorhowpeoplefoughttosurvive,howtheypaidpeopletogetthemout.Weare
taughtthenumbersandnothingmore.Memoirsremindusthatallofthishappenedtoreal
peopleandnotjuststatistics.Somanythingsinhistorycannotbeconveyedthroughthe
basicfacts.Fortheintroductionofmy
Maus
SummativeEssay,Iusedethosand
pathostogethertocreateasenseofmoraloutrageinthereader.Thisintroductionsetsthe
tonefortherestoftheessay,settingthereaderupforwhattheyaregoingtoread.

10. Createsaconcludingparagraphthateffectivelybringsthepiecetoaclose.
(Explainthestrategyyouusedandhowitcontributestoyouressay)
Memoirsareasuperiorlearningform.Honestly,itwouldbeadisgraceto
VladekSpiegelmantocallhisstoryahistoricaltext.
Maus
isamemoirbyallmeans,and
shouldbetreatedassuch.Textbookauthorsaremoreconcernedwithcensoringthanwith
informingusofthemorbid.HighschoolAmericanhistorytextbooksseeourpolicies
aspartofamoralityplayinwhichtheUnitedStatestypicallyactsonbehalfofhuman
rights,democracy,andtheAmericanway(Loewen221).TheHolocaustisaghastly
blemishonsocietalendeavours.Andwearenottoldnearlyenoughaboutit.Forthe
conclusionofmy
Maus
SummativeEssayIusedpathostoappealtothereaders
emotionsagain,tyingbackintotheintroductionandfinishingoffthepaper.

11. Createsatonethroughwordsanddescriptions(connotation/denotation)thatare
appropriateforacertainaudience.
(Explainwhoyourintendedaudienceisand
howyoutargetedthataudiencespecifically).
12. Createsvoicethroughuseofdialogueandcolloquialvocabulary.(
Explainwho
yourintendedaudienceisandhowyoutargetedthataudiencespecifically).
(Howdoesthisaddtoyourwriting)?

Reading
Inthereadingsectionofyourportfolio,pleaseshowandreflectonyourgrowthasa
readerinEnglish11.Pleaseinclude:

Part1
:
RequiredReadings
Pleasereflectontheskillsyoulearnedaboutwritingorreadingfromatleast
two
ofthe
elevenrequiredtextsfromthiscourse.Youwillfindalistofsomeofthoseskillsbelow.
Writea
23paragraph

reflectiononthoseskillsbelow.Pleasemakesuretoincludeat
least
three
ofthoseskillsinyourreflectionMakesuretoidentifythetextitcamefrom
andbespecificonthatauthorsstyle.


ShortStories
FortunateSonbyDaveMarshstartsonpage12
ChameleonSchlemieleonbyPatricSTracy
HillsLikeWhiteElephantsbyErnestHemingway
TheMasqueofRedDeathbyEdgarAllenPoe
ARoseforEmilybyWilliamFaulkner
TheLotterybyShirleyJackson

Poems
RubriksCubebyBenjaminBarker
FinalExamForMyFatherbyJoaquinZihuatanejo
TheRavenbyEdgarAllenPoe

Novels
Maus
byArtSpiegelman
Vol.1

Vol.2
TheGreatGatsby
byF.ScottFitzgerald

Readingskillslist:
Choose
threeforyourreflection.

1. Canidentifytheauthorspurposeinapieceofwritinganduseevidencefromthe
texttosupporttheclaim.PleasedothiswithANYpieceofwritingwehaveused
thisyear.
2. Canidentifytheauthorsintendedaudienceinapieceofwritinganduseevidence
fromthetexttosupporttheclaim.(Ethos,Pathos,andLogosorShowNotTell)
3. Canyouidentifyanauthorsabilitytohookareaderintotheirstory.(Ethos,
Pathos,andLogosorShowNotTell)
4. CanyouidentifyhowanauthorcreatesvividcharactersthroughuseofShowNot
Tell/FigurativeLanguage,Connotation/Denotation,etc.
5. Canyouidentifytheinferentialmotivationsofcharactersinareading.
6. CanyouidentifyhowanauthorcreatevividscenesthroughuseofShowNot
Tell/FigurativeLanguage,SymbolismConnotation/Denotation,etc.
7. Demonstratesuseofconnecting(connectingthebooktosomethingoutsideofthe
book)strategiestounderstandatext.(SocraticSeminar)
8. Demonstratesuseofquestioning(openendedquestionsthatgeneratediscussion)
strategiestounderstandatext.(SocraticSeminar)
9. Demonstratesuseofpredicting(askingquestionsorusingcontextualcluesto
predictthepossibleoutcomeofastory)strategiestounderstandatext.(Socratic
Seminar)

Pleasewriteyourreflectionbelow:
(3)In
TheMasqueoftheRedDeath
,EdgarAllenPoedisplaysafantasticuseof
ShowNotTelltohookthereaderintothestory.The"RedDeath"hadlongdevastated
thecountry.Nopestilencehadeverbeensofatal,orsohideous.BloodwasitsAvatarand

itssealtherednessandthehorrorofblood.ThesebeginninglinesbyPoegripthe
readersattentionandtherestofthestorymakessuretokeepit.(5)
TheGreatGatsby
by
F.ScottFitzgeraldischockfullofinferentialmotivations,ifonlyyoucaretolook.Daisy
isakeyexampleforthis.Almosteverythingshedoesisaployforattentionfromthose
aroundher,includingthewayshetalks.IvehearditsaidthatDaisysmurmurwasonly
tomakepeopleleantowardheranirrelevantcriticismthatmadeitnolesscharming
(Fitzgerald9).
(4)
ChameleonSchlemieleon
byPatricSTracyissimplebutpowerful.Tracy
givesusonlyafewlines,butinhiswritinghecreatesforusthecompleteimageofhis
character.AchanceforanewidentityDoubtingmycalculations,theteachergradesit
aloud:100.Ivefailed.Thisshortstorygivesrealmeaningtothetermshortstory.It
showsusakidwhowasalwayslabeledastheSmartOnewhowantsnothingmorethan
tojustfitinandbeacceptedbyhispeers.Unfortunately,wecannotescapewhoweare
andthatiswhattheendingremindsus.Ivefailed.Onhisfirstday,heisimmediately
putinthatSmartKidcategory,theplacehewassodesperatelytryingtoescapefrom.

Part2
:
ReadingAnalysis
Inthefollowingcoldreading,
OnDumpsterDivingbyLarsEigher
,pleasewriteashort
200400wordessayansweringoneofthefollowingquestions:

1. Howcouldthetextbereadandinterpreteddifferentlybytwodifferentreaders?
2. Ifthetexthadbeenwritteninadifferenttimeorplaceorlanguageorfora
differentaudience,howandwhymightitdiffer?
3. Howandwhyisasocialgrouprepresentedinaparticularway?
4. Whichsocialgroupsaremarginalized,excluded,orsilencedwithinthetext?
5. Howdoesthetextconformto,ordeviatefrom,theconventionsofaparticular
genre,andforwhatpurpose?(Forexampleisthisahistorytext?)
6. Howhasthetextborrowedfromothertexts,andwithwhateffects?

Pleasehighlightthequestionyouaregoingtoanswerabove
yellow
andwriteyouressay
below.

TheglaringlyobviouscomparisonwouldbebetweentheRichandthePoor.A
richmanwilltakethisreadingalmostasaninsulttohisownwayoflife.Apoorman
mayseesomeformofhope,whetheritbeembarrassingornot.
OnDumpsterDiving
bringsnewmeaningtothephraseOnemanstrashisanothermanstreasure.
Eigherwasnotalwayshomeless(nordidheremainhomeless)andhewasnot
alwaysjobless....Afterhavingsurvivednearlytenyearsofgovernmentservice,where
everythingisgearedtothelowestcommondenominator,Ifinditrefreshingtohavework
thatrewardsinitiativeandeffort.TakingthisinfromaRichPerspective,someonemight
beappalledthathewouldhavewalkedawayfromapayingjobtoroutethrough
dumpsters.APoorPerspectivemayseethisasDontworry,youllbeallrightyet.

Poorfamiliesandpoorindividualsarestrugglingdailytoputfoodonthetable,or
haveenoughofthebarenecessitiesforlife,likeblanketsinthewinter.Ithinkof
scavengingasamodernformofselfreliance.Richpeople,especiallythosewhogrew
upwithmoney,willhavenoideawhatselfreliancetrulyis.Theyhaveneverhadthe
looming,evendaunting,thoughtofpossiblyhavingtoturntodumpstersforalifestyle.
Thesefolkslookatscavengersliketheyareabsolutestinkingverminwithoutanyhintin
thewayofbeinghuman.
Inhiswriting,Eigherdescribesthestagesofadumpsterdiverwiththefirstbeing
thatthescavengerisfilledwithdisgustandselfloathing.Anincrediblypoormanmay
readthisandbeembarrassedwithhimselfforconsideringadumpsterlifestyle,butarich
manwillreadthisandspluttertohiswifeabouttheabominationsgoingthroughtheir
garbage.
Betweenusaretheratracemillionswhonightlyscavengethecablechannels
lookingfortheyknownotwhat.Iamsorryforthem.Howabsurdsomemayfind
Eighersclosinglines.Ahomelessscavengerissorryforthewealthy?YetItmakes
perfectsense.Thehomelessknowwhattheyhaveisfleeting,andtheyknowwhatit
meanstotrulyvaluethingsandmoment.Theyunderstandhowtobesatisfied.The
wealthiestpeopleintheworldcannotstoplife.Theywilllive,theywilldie,andtheywill
notbeabletotaketheirmoneyortheirthingswiththem.