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Lauren Sakamoto

Dr. Malashewski

IB ENGLISH

12 December 2023

Self Reflection ‘23

Throughout August to December I have grown tremendously as an IB English student.

IB English has opened my eyes to the idea that all writing holds significance whether it's

seen right away or not. Literature is a way to express much more than a story but rather a

deeper meaning that may settle with society or global issues. This is truly exemplified in

HTRLLAP. Over the course of the summer How to read literature like a professor by

Thomas C. Foster has shifted my views on literature as his book goes into depth on the

analysis and construction of text. This has engraved a new approach to literature because

now I look for key elements such as snow, rain, marks, etc. These elements allow me to

further expand my thinking outside of the book. Connecting to much more than just a

story but the concepts that allow writing to become more lively and significant.

I have consistently been annotating the books we read in order to maintain the

information. Oftentimes after reading a big chunk of literature I forget what happened or

what I found significant. However annotating has prevented this from happening.

Recalling back to last year I used to hate annotating because it consumed more time than

just thoroughly reading through a book. But after finding a reason to annotate it's been a

lot more motivating to do. For instance now annotating makes it ten times easier to find a
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greater meaning to the text. This allows me to create work on specific text in a much

more efficient way.

The work I feel that specifically highlights my progress as a writer is my fourth

dialectical journal on There There By Tommy Orange. In this dialectical journal I

establish how the structure of text can bring out much more than just what is physically

being said. For example I talked about Tony and how violence is used as a way to find

himself. But ultimately when he was shot as readers we were able to see the fulfillment

he endured. It was only when he connected to his culture and died at the powwow with

bullet holes in him were we able to see the holes that have been established in the

beginning of the book become fulfilled. These holes are fulfilled due to the fact that as

readers we were now able to see the holes rather than like the beginning; they weren’t

physically seen but symbolically. Due to our ability to see the holes it gives the

impression Tony has accepted himself due to the visibility of the holes. Tony was no

longer hiding away himself.

Next semester I really want to become a better formal writer. I think I can have good

ideas to build off of but the execution of those ideas aren’t the best. Oftentimes my

writing is rather just a lot of words scattered with many concepts rather than having many

concepts that tie in together. I think through improving transitions in my writing that will

help a lot and take my writing to the next level. Now it's just a matter of practicing and

exploring what I want my writing to look like. I’d also like to improve on shortening my

writing, for instance, getting more to the point. I feel like I can ramble a lot and in result
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my writing isn’t as intriguing. But overall I’m so excited to build off of these goals and

keep striving towards becoming the best writer I can be.