New Year’s Resolutions:

Let’s All Commit to Making New Mistakes in 2019!

I. Gather the Following Materials:

a. The Dew Breaker Close Reading (Diagnostic) Feedback (Wed, 08/29)
b. The Great Gatsby Close Reading Feedback (Thurs, 09/27)
c. Song of Solomon Research Essay Feedback (Fri, 11/16)
d. Clybourne Park Process Check Feedback (Wed, 12/19)

II. When it comes to the creation of an essay—which includes the skills of

(1) Reading Comprehension, (2) Quote Identification & Selection, (3)
Pattern Recognition, (4) Question Generation, (5) Conclusion
Generation, (6) Organization & Outlining, and (7) Drafting/Writing the
Essay—which skill or skills is/are your strength(s)?

In other words, what can you rely on to do successfully—relative to the

other parts of the process?

I think that my analysis is generally strong while my quote selection is relatively

lacking. I have a good reading understanding; however, it takes time to fully
comprehending what I am reading. Generally, in terms of analysis – questions,
conclusion, and analysis – I am strong. In the organization and drafting, my writing
tends to be a bit weaker as I need to plan out my essay longer than I currently do.
 III. Looking back on my feedback, what mistakes to you continue to make?
These mistakes can take the form of either things done poorly or
steps/processes skipped.

My introduction paragraph and quote selection have been relatively not

as strong in comparison to other parts of my outline. I think that I should
spend more time organizing my paragraph and planning my body
paragraphs before my introduction to ensure that I can properly explain
all my ideas in my intro. Additionally, I will try to spend more time with
the book and annotate as much as possible to make sure I have proper
quotes.

How will you move to address this/these flaw(s) in your process? How
will you ensure that progress is made on this assignment?

I will spend more time on the body paragraphs and do them first to have
ideas for my introduction paragraph. Also, I will try to use other resources and find
as many ways as possible to get all necessary quotes.

IV. Focus specifically on the Process Check Feedback. Respond to that

feedback. Based on my recommendations, what is your new driving
question, what 2-3 quotes will you use as part of your response and what
is your current working thesis?
Driving Question: How does Bruce Norris use humor to help the audience understand the different
motivations for characters as well as their apparent prejudices amongst other races? How do each
character’s reaction to racial humor explain the different sentiments and emotions towards race, and
how does the changing time in the two acts examine the way in which internal feelings differ from
changing external feelings?

Thesis: In the play, Clybourne Park, Bruce Norris uses humor and characters’ subsequent reactions to
emphasize the difference in internal and external racial prejudice: while the play depicts two different
times separated by the diminishment of external racial prejudice in the latter act, preconceived racial
notions overshadow the changing external perspectives. Commented [CS1]: Interesting claim. Does this mean
that in Act 1 the humor is focused on showing the
characters’ external racial prejudice, while in Act 2 it is used
to focus on their internal prejudices?