Whitlow 1

Alexandria Whitlow
ENGW 105-21; Cyrus Hampton
Essay 1: My Literacy Experience

The author Pearl Cleage once said in reference to reading books that

she had a need to interpret what [she] saw as a story (Golden 83). This

quote best describes what reading has always been like for me. Especially

when reading fictional texts, I can draw an unambiguous meaning from the

words on the page if I can clearly picture the setting and people acting out

the scenes, similar to transforming the story into a movie in my mind. Putting

my imagination to use like this has proven helpful when interpreting more

advanced works. It has also transformed the type of writing I enjoy doing

outside of the classroom, which is usually in the form of poetry, journaling, or

storytelling. When I write for creative purposes, I tend to incorporate similes

and metaphors to draw illustrative comparisons between subjects to clarify

their meanings and to make them more interesting. I also take pleasure in

tailoring the language to fit the personalities of each character in my stories

as a way to help readers better understand the character, even if their

personality type is not blatantly stated. Overall, it is my affinity for creative

forms of literacy that has inspired my writing style, which can diverge from

the standard form of writing taught in the classroom.

What helped spark my appreciation for creative forms of literacy were

the books I read in elementary school. I had never been a huge fan of books

when I was younger, mainly due to the fact that I found many of the
 Whitlow 2

assigned reading books boring. In addition, being ahead of my age groups

reading level introduced the struggle of finding books that were both

advanced and exciting enough to keep my attention. It was not until I

discovered series such as Little House on the Prairie and A Series of

Unfortunate Events that I realized that what I truly appreciated was creative

storytelling. These series piqued my interest due to the simplistic, yet vivid

manner in which the characters and the surrounding situations were

described. I was able to make connections with the characters and immerse

myself in their backstories without being confused by the reading level. It

was this unique approach to storytelling that inspired me to begin writing in

a similar, descriptive format.

Though creative writing is my favorite kind of writing, it is the least

common type of writing that I am required to do in school. Fortunately, I

have written enough essays over the course of my educational career that

have made the task of writing in a less creative style a bit easier. However,

depending on the topic, the formulation of ideas can prove to be difficult. Of

course, with different teachers come different expectations as well, which

has caused my basic essay writing formula to change a few times. For

example, elementary school placed an emphasis on the primary foundations

of spelling and grammar. Junior high put the spotlight on basic essay

structure and novel comprehension. Finally, in high school my teachers

focused on the content of my essays and graded assignments based upon

the quality of my literary analyses and the commentary I provided. This

specific progression was utilized in order to teach the basics of written

language (grammar and spelling) and combine it with how to organize an

essay in order to compose analyses and formulate discussions based on

written text. Unfortunately, as stated by Royster, this standardized approach

can lead to institutionalized equations which cause our true-to-life

students to fall between the cracks, (Royster 38). Therefore, there was a

period where writing felt difficult as I tried to conform to exactly what

teachers expected. However, while my weaknesses as a writer were being

exposed, I realized exactly what I needed to improve upon to become a

strong writer. It was brought to my attention that I my weaknesses lie in

structuring, organization of ideas, and my ability to communicate those ideas

completely and clearly. Additionally, I continue to struggle with choosing

content for introductory and closing paragraphs. I tend to start off explaining

my main points without introducing them for the same reason I have trouble

writing a closing paragraph: it feels and sounds repetitive.

To aid in strengthening the formal writing skills I fall short with, my

parents would always proofread my school assigned papers prior to high

school. This allowed them to review my grammar and diction I chose for

certain concepts I wanted to present. Having another set of eyes glance over

my work has always been helpful, because it lets me edit any mistakes I did

not notice while composing. However, once I progressed on to high school,

the aid of my parents became less necessary as the center of attraction was

placed on how I personally analyzed and presented my ideas about a novel. I

also found it more beneficial when an instructor would offer suggestions on

how to improve a rough draft, because I could understand exactly what the

instructor expected from my essay. To aid in strengthening my creative

writing, specifically my stories, I like to watch movies, study art pieces, and

listen to personal anecdotes. Doing this helps me create a more vivid picture

through my work. Since I like to imagine what I am reading, I try my best to

compose in a way that can convey that same concept to other readers. I do

not preoccupy myself with the formality of the writing. Instead, I try to allow

everything to flow in the way that I imagine it in my mind.

Overall, I am determined to continue improving my writing skills. I need to

focus on bettering my use of the basic techniques of writing, while also

emphasizing the importance of what Shirley Logan defines literacy skills as:

abilities [which are] essential for meaningful civic engagement, (Logan

108). If I can improve the organization of my thoughts and expand my ability

to analyze works without the need to ramble, I will feel like a more

accomplished writer, from a scholastic perspective. With my creative writing,

expanding my vocabulary will prove to be very beneficial in order to continue

improving my use of descriptive voice. In terms of reading, I would live to

better my ability to comprehend more advanced articles and non-fictional

prose that I may not be able to clearly picture in my mind. By augmenting

my literary capabilities, I will have a stronger sense of my own voice as a

writer and higher confidence in my skills as a reader.

Work Cited

1. Logan, Shirley. "Why College English." College English 69.2 (2006): 107-10.

Web.
2. "Pearl Cleage." Interview by Golden Marita. Word 2011: 80-93. Print.
3. Royster, Jacqueline. "When The First Voice You Hear Is Not Your Own." College

Composition and Communication 47.1 (1996): 29-40. Web.