Prospectus: Proposal #2

Rachel C. Johnson

Mr. Griffin

English 111

11/11/08

Prospectus: Proposal

The project is going to focus on me. It is going to be like an autobiography but told in a more interesting way. Instead of only completing a written part of the project, I also want to make a video. I don’t want it to consist of only my thoughts, but also the opinions of others. The project is going to be like a rhetorical analyzes of me. It will consist of my history along with my present.

The genre that I am choosing to do is a collage. Not just one collage but multiple ones that express different aspects of me. For example one collage will consist of my hobbies, another collage will focus on my personality, and the last collage will be about what I don’t like or my flaws. I don’t want to give my audience this perfect image. I want them to become aware of the negatives and positives of Rachel.

My intended audience is my classmates. I want my classmates to know me as a person, not just a girl who was in English 111 with them. My audience is also my professors. This semester I didn’t take the time to form a relationship with my teachers. This is an opportunity for them to know a little about me. My audience is my friends. Maybe my friends will learn something about me that they never knew. Lastly, my audience is myself.

College is all about growing up and learning who you are. The purpose of this project is to dissect and interpret. I want to discover who I am. I want to do this in different perspectives, view myself through my eyes and the eyes of others. That’s where the interviews come into play. Interviewing others and asking them how they would describe Rachel. I think I might even have a different person interview these individuals to get an honest opinion. The purpose is to also make new discoveries. Maybe I will find out that my past experiences have influenced my personality. Or maybe even discover some bad habits that I was never aware of. The ultimate question of this assignment is, “Who is Rachel Johnson?”

"Just Walk on By..." Free Response

I read this essay before in high school. I experienced the same reaction. The essay made me feel very angry, sad, and misunderstood at the same timer. I know that I am not a black man so I can’t fully see what he is going through. But I am a black woman and have experienced other forms of discrimination.

Brent Staples along with other African-American men have been stereotyped. Nobody likes to be judged before you get to know them. What’s even more insulting is that these are professional black men that are doing something with themselves. The black community is always looked down upon as lazy, ignorant, and criminals (which is not true). But when we are successful, we are not acknowledged. Why did the sales clerk at the jewelry store underestimate him? Because he was black and a man he had no place in a jewelry shop? That in my opinion is an example of ignorance.

I am a young woman so I understand that we have to take safety precautions. Anybody can harm another individual, not just a young black man. Whites and Blacks have done their fare share in committing crimes. A lady should never walk alone at night anywhere. If she has to she must walk at a steady pace and keep a form of protection on her. For example a cell phone, pepper spray, or a stunt gun. This should be done in any neighborhood! Not just the urban community. I’m pretty sure that some blacks are afraid when whites walk behind them. But if we run away people will look at us like we were insane.

What I will rhetorically analyze.

The speech that I am going to rhetorically analyze is Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream." I chose this speech because I believe that it is very important. Dr. King was an extremely important person who helped change this country. This speech captivated the audience, changed the hearts of many, and convicted others. I sadly must say that I have never read the entire speech, and it is my job as an African-American woman to know my history. This rhetorical analyzation will definately help me grow.

Fallacy

Example of a Logical Fallacy

I believe that some preconceptions of college are examples of fallacy. For example when I came to summer orientation here in Miami we met a group of students called SOULS. They basically introduced Miami to us, but not in a professional cordial way. Souls are super excited, full of energy and say everything with enthusiasm. So when I saw the 20 or so souls behaving this way, it made me think that all Miami students loved this college and shared the same excitement as the SOULS. Of course my assumption is not logically correct, therefore causing me to be guilty of committing a Hasty Generalization.

Was the argument convincing?

Rachel C. Johnson
English 111
Journal

I do not think that McCormick’s argument was convincing at all. I believe it was biased and “dry.” To be completely honest it didn’t affect me at all. I didn’t know what was better or worse, living on campus or living off campus. I did see that she used rhetoric devices, but she didn’t use them to their best ability.
I think the argument could’ve been stronger if it had more passion behind it. McCormick should’ve used better details regarding her experiences. Or to make it more reliable, she should’ve mentioned some experiences of other college students. I can’t base my decision on her negative situation. Also the conclusion was the worst part. She portrayed herself as a hypocrite. After that last statement, I questioned her entire argument.

Writing History

Rachel C. Johnson
English 111
8/26/08

Am I a poet? Sadly I’m not a huge fan of listening to it let alone writing it. So am I a songwriter? I love to listen to music, but can’t say that I was blessed with the gift to combine words with melodies. Now do I write stories? I love to read, but no I can’t say that I can see myself creating them. I am not a writer. I simply write because I am told too.

I used to enjoy writing. When I was younger I always kept a journal. I would always find the time to express how I felt about a particular day. But once I became a “teenager” or “young adult” it changed. I didn’t like talking to a blank page. It didn’t seem real to me. I no longer wanted to use my imagination. Why should I when I had T.V. and a cell phone to my convenience. Also I realized that there were better writers than me! When it’s just you and your diary, you are the best. When it was time to learn how to write essays my whole idea on writing changed. I liked how I was writing before and enjoyed doing it when I wanted too. Not when I was made to do it. That’s when writing stopped being an interest of mine and became a job.

My teachers never taught writing as a passion or a way of expressing yourself. It always translated as: “Write about this and write it like that.” I wasn’t given the opportunity to discover myself. Sometimes If I couldn’t see the teachers love for writing and teaching it, I didn’t see the reason why I should care about it. I don’t blame it all on my English teachers in the past. I blame myself as well. I should have encouraged myself to keep writing. Instead I let other things put a negative influence on me.

So I have to admit, I just recently had a beautiful experience with writing. I went to the Cleveland School of the Arts and my major there was Theater. So for my senior year our assignment was to write a play and the scripts that were good would be produced in the annual New Play Festival. I couldn’t help but be excited! I love theater! Writing a script was an experience that I will never forget. It was hard, exhausting, frustrating, and exhilarating. When I watched and performed in my finished product on stage I finally felt what writers had been feeling all along, that feeling of being content, happy, relieved, and blissful.

Unfortunately I wouldn’t call myself a writer. I still grunt when I have to type a paper. Since I love to act, I would describe myself as a vocal person. I prefer to talk about it then write about it. That way I don’t have to worry about punctuation marks and having 5 or more sentences in a paragraph. But I can say that there is hope that I someday will.

Ethnography

McBride Hall

I am a freshman at Miami, and as I continue to meet new people every day they still ask me the same question? “So, what dorm do you stay in?” And I answer with a grin, “McBride.” I live in the coolest dorm on the coolest part of campus, East Quad. I know that might sound a little bias, but I believe I speak for all McBride residents (now and present) when I say that McBride is just like home.

What is so great about it? You may ask. Well as soon as you walk in you get this warm feeling inside, a feeling that is not to be confused with the fact that we don’t have air conditioning. It’s like a welcome home hug. As you walk down the hall every door is open for you to come in and say hello. You are embraced by loud music and laughter. Not to mention that people actually know your name! I’m not just known as the black girl who lives in room 101, or at least I hope not.

The size of the dorm also contributes to the spirit of McBride. It’s a small dorm with only three floors. The bathrooms have only two showers and three stalls. Basically we have no choice but to know who everyone is. Another contribution is the lightness and sense of humor of the McBride residents. Because of the Mosaic living learning community, I jokingly tell people that if they want to know where most of the black freshmen are in Miami to come to McBride.

What also makes McBride great is where it’s located. East Quad is a small intimate part of campus. It is surrounded by trees which provide plenty of shade and grass that is perfect to sit on while studying. As you walk outside to use your cell phone, it is no surprise to see three other people on the phone as well (most phones get zero reception in McBride). At any time of the day East Quad is peaceful and beautiful. But my favorite would have to be early in the morning when the fog is still settled and the sun is rising.

Ok, I have given other dorms a chance. So far I have spent a significant amount of time in Morris and Collins. But they still don’t compare. I wasn’t welcomed with smiling faces and hellos. Yes some doors were open but it wasn’t for me to come in. You may not agree with me on this debate, but if you walk inside with me one day I promise that you will feel a little of what we “Brides” feel.