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Jovanna Garcia

Professor Batty

English 102

11 December 2019

Looking Back to Move Forward: Reflection on English 102

Most people find English to be a boring course that involves lots of writing and reading.

I, however, find English classes to be fun as we can never stop learning something new in that

department. Perhaps I’m only saying that because I enjoy reading, writing, and challenging

myself. But, we can all agree that English is vital to our growth and development in this world.

Without expanding our knowledge in English, we would be stuck in one place. Therefore, to be

successful in our society we must keep stimulating our minds with new information. This

information can come from reading, thinking, or writing. In my case, I need to continue

improving my skills in English because I work as a Teacher Assistant. Being a teacher assistant

means I help children to learn and sharpen their English skills. Which is why I enjoy learning

something new so that I may pass on my newfound knowledge to younger generations. This past

fall I had the pleasure to take another English class with Professor Batty at Los Angeles Valley

College. In her class I was able to continue growing my English skills as a critical thinker, writer,

and reader.

One of the skills I improved was my critical thinking through canvas discussion

assignments. Throughout the semester there were five discussion posts that helped me grow

individually. The first discussion was about analyzing a poem of our liking. I chose the poem

“Dulce Et Decorum Est”, by Wilfred Owen, because it represents the harsh reality of war from a

soldier’s viewpoint. While analyzing the poem I was critically thinking about each line. I was
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able to find connections between words that rhymed with other lines. I also found poetic devices

like imagery, similes, and personification throughout the poem. The second discussion focused

on analyzing a split scene in Angels in America by Tony Kushner. During my process I was

actively thinking how two scenes happening at the same time were connected through a deeper

level. I analyzed scene 5 which focused on Joe, Harper, and Louis. I was able to connect the

scenes through the setting which both were cold and lonely places. Also, Joe and Louis were

connected by their character’s struggles of leaving their ill partners. The third discussion

analyzed the changes from play to film of Angels in America. It had my mind working while

breaking down and comparing the dream scene and Roy and Joe’s relationship. Similarly, the

fourth discussion on Dracula, by Bram Stoker, had me critically thinking of Jonathan Harker’s

deepest desires. I concluded that Jonathan’s repressed sexuality is what leads him to

unconsciously fulfill his desires. Lastly, the fifth discussion further opened my mind to analyze

Thi Bui’s graphic novel The Best We Could Do. This discussion was my favorite because I really

got to think on a deeper level to analyze a panel with no words. In fact, I used visual elements to

analyze and conclude how a single drawing can convey emotions. As well as, how visual

elements tell a story without using words. Overall, I learned that my strength is critical thinking

which shows through my writing.

Another skill I improved upon was my writing by doing peer reviews on three essays.

The first essay was about finding poetry devices in a song. The song I chose for this essay was

“The A Team” by Ed Sheeran. This poetry/song essay required a deep analyzes of the song’s

meaning from the lyrics and/or melody. The second essay was a drama essay on the novel Angels

in America. This drama essay required that I analyze the play through a queer theory lens. The

third essay was my favorite because it was a monster novel essay. For the monster essay I got to
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pick the novel Dracula. While writing my monster paper I got to apply a psychoanalytic lens on

the characters. During peer reviews for all three essays I found out that my weakness is failing to

write counterargument paragraphs. I tend to not write about the opposing viewpoint because

sometimes I have a hard time rebutting it. In addition, I need to work on my thesis by

acknowledging the “so what” part. However, I also learned that my strength is writing well

supported paragraphs with quotes that match my argument. In sum, peer reviews helped me grow

as a writer for my three essays which required analyzing and reading.

Lastly, I dived into three different novels which increased my reading skill to understand

different topics. The first book I read was the play Angels in America by Tony Kushner. The play

was something fresh to read compared to my regular manga books. While reading Angels in

America I was put into the world of sexuality. I got the chance to further expand my

understanding of binary and homosexuality concepts. I also got to read Dracula by Bram Stoker.

As I read Dracula, I got to explore a different writing style. Stoker’s novel challenged me with

his writing because I had to look up definitions for some words. Also, I learned to read while

looking at the text through a psychoanalytical perspective. The last book we read for English 102

was a graphic novel called The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui. It was a refreshing experience to

open my mind to a graphic novel that has an immigration theme. Bui telling her parents stories

resonated with me because my parents are also immigrants. While reading The Best We Could

Do I realized that there are many ways to tell a story. To conclude, all three books played a role

in strengthening my knowledge as a reader.

In the end, my time in English 102 made me grow as a critical thinker, writer, and reader.

My experiences in this class taught me my strengths and weaknesses. I learned that I’m good at

being a critical thinker when it comes to analyzing a text. Likewise, I’m a good writer at
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supporting my arguments with quotes. However, I learned that writing counterarguments and

thesis are a challenge for me. On another note, my reading skills are another strength of mine

because I’m able to understand different topics. Altogether my weaknesses and strengths give me

opportunities to grow. Being able to further increase my skills in English helps me become a

better Teacher Assistant. I hope to continue growing so I can help others who struggle with

English. I believe there is always room to improve and that there’s no such thing as over

learning.