A reflection for the last post seems like a good idea so here goes. This class had a huge impact on my interest and thoughts about literature. I was most nervous about taking this course, but it was the only one that could satisfy my class list and work best for graduation. I had no idea what rhetoric was, how to pronounce it, what it did or why it was important. But the class ended up being my favorite and where I showed most interest.
I am very passionate about the environment, recycling, nature, animals and how to conserve energy. I think it was relating the rhetorical strategies to the environmental texts that drew me in most. Reading different authors with different writing styles and passions was what allowed me to understand rhetoric the most. I appreciated how we took a theory and would apply it to a single text or two. This process made it not only able to relate to but understandable. I used the skills from the theories to write my final paper for my senior seminar. For my 26 page paper, I analyzed three films that dealt with food, another environmental issue. Using the knowledge learned from this class, I was able to complete a well rounded analysis of the rhetorical strategies in Fast Food Nation, Food, Inc. and Super Size Me.
The class discussions were most interesting as I always loved to hear what other classmates opinions were on the texts we read. This class was probably the most successful one at the discussion type of set up. As a wrap up to the class, I think it is beyond fitting that we are watching wall-E. It is a very well done film, and takes the huge topic of environmental issues and pollution and makes it understandable for not only kids, but the entire viewing audience. The realities of the film are not only realistic but are in gear of occurring. it is a scary thing, but from the class discussions I can see that I am not the only one who cares deeply about these issues. The class made me optimistic that maybe the future of our earth isn't all doomed. As I complete this final semester of my studies, I found the four classes I enrolled in to be extremely enjoyable. This was the first semester I didn't feel nervous to present projects or presentations. It's a good thing too because I had at least one in every one of my classes. I look forward to taking this education and applying it to a real life in the real world. I hope that I will be able to continue to have a positive impact on the world around me and that my passions for these issues will help change the world.
