Milia McCoy

Period Three
Mrs. Hanthorn
Paper One Reflection
As daunting as the mock exam seemed to be, I felt (shockingly) well prepared for the
assessment. That is not to say I felt completely comfortable with how I did, but going into the
exam I felt well equipped and prepared. One thing I felt I improved upon since the last exam was
my time management. In previous paper one styled assessments, I struggled the most with
managing my time in an efficient manner. I would read through texts without annotating and
leave little time for the second passage. To alleviate this problem I had an active timer in front of
me which encouraged positive pressure and an awareness of time. Moreover, practice in class,
being in a timed and quick manner enabled an innate efficiency when reading and recognizing
literary devices. Going forward in the study process, I will continue to time my practice passages
to improve my time management.

Practicing annotating passages has helped me become comfortable reading and

recognizing textual and authorial choices under pressure. However, when choosing what kinds of
work to practice, there was a preference for fictional literature and poetry. This made my formal
analysis on Alan Aykbourn’s drama Absent Friends and Robert Twigger’s non-fiction travel
guide, Lost Oasis: The Search for Paradise, fall short. In my original paper one, I failed to
recognize the extent to which stage directions, setting, and act titles aid the literary analysis of
character interactions within a drama. While I was able to reference the importance of some
stage directions, the inclusion of setting further establishes and alludes to the characters. In my
rewrite, I made sure to include the significance of stage directions and setting to stress the
uncomfortable relationship between the two characters. After realizing the purpose of stage
directions I came to the conclusion that “The ambiguous setting establishes an uncomfortable
atmosphere and characterization played into throughout the act.” Moreover, exploring the stage
directions revealed the setting alludes to Evelyn’s “disengaged characterization” through
prison-like imagery. Through the specific inclusion of this passage, I am confident that the
rewritten analysis is a stronger representation of the relationship between the two characters.
Going forward, I will make sure to study the literary vocabulary associated with dramas and how
they contribute to a formal analysis.
 I struggled the most analyzing and formatting the non-fiction prose passage. As
previously mentioned, my preparations were mainly directed towards fictional prose, so I
fumbled with the proper language and execution to analyze non-fiction. As some of my peers
noted, I wrote predominantly about the use of imagery and struggled to make a direct analysis of
figurative language and it’s narrative purpose within the passage. In my rewrite, I made a note to
recognize the figurative language and devices the author used to strengthen my argument. I
noticed glaring areas where literary vocabulary like setting, simile, figurative language, and
atmosphere should have been used and implemented them within my paper. In retrospect,
fictional and nonfictional analysis have similarly used literary devices, but the way they are
utilized differ. For future practice, I would like to read through more nonfiction texts, and be able
to overcome the fear of writing and analyzing one.

Lastly, the thing I feel needs the most improvement on is the execution of ideas within
the paper. When preparing for the paper, I created a brief outline of each passage and how I
would incorporate each element into my paper. This outline was meant to provide structure
within my paper, but more often than not, it is a loose brainstorming of connections. Ultimately,
this outline lacks a strong structure I can follow, resulting in a rushed and slightly disordered
paper. Since I fail to create a strong structure to follow, my paper ends up having much deeper
realizations towards the conclusion that may not be reflected throughout the introduction. As
seen in the rubric, Criteria C is an area I am most uncomfortable with and thus, need to work the
hardest one. To improve, I plan on reviewing external sources that can help me create a
structured essay efficiently and effectively. Additionally, I can prepare by creating a stronger
outline before I start writing that includes a fleshed out and comparable analysis of the given
text.
Rubric for Grading:

B D A

Discuss strengths and weaknesses in your examination response.

Provide textual evidence to support your claims. (This is important - I shouldn’t

have to reread your exam to find examples)

Show that you know the elements of literary analysis.

Consider and discuss your own process of preparation before and during the
exam.

Be detailed and specific.

B:Beginning D:Developing A:Advanced