Coming into ENC 1101 0119, I felt I was a decent writer, but did not like to write at all because of being forced to write on subjects I did not care about in high school. Writing the Literary Narrative helped me come to terms with this and understand the root of my anti-writing attitude. The Writing Process essay was an enjoyable essay to write for me because it was not based on any concrete fact, but could be about any technique, skill, or trick I used while writing. It was also a highly metaphorical paper because it was about a subject that cannot be physically explain. Through this paper, I realized how much I enjoyed symbolic language and using it not only to describe ineffable concepts, but to keep myself entertained while I write. The Construct Essay for me was a cathartic experience because, even though not real, it gave me the feeling that I could do something which I thought so much about when I was a child: stop the three point essay format. As a kid, I liked to think up arguments against things that frustrated or annoyed me; and the Construct Essay gave me the grounds to organize my thoughts on one of these subjects. I did not see a huge change in myself through the ethnography, but I was able to demonstrate my progression as a writer with the skills I have learned over the semester. As a writer know, compared to where I was at the beginning of the class, I feel my skill has improved in a small way, but the largest difference has been my outlook on writing and the degree to which I enjoy it. Starting this class I despised writing, but have grown over time to realize that certain topics do interest me and are enjoyable.
In many papers I write, especially those simply assigned for school, I have trouble designating a specific audience. In all honesty, the teacher grading my paper is the audience, but I know some assignments, such as the construct essay are directed towards a hypothetical audience. Once the audience is defined, I am able to adjust the formality of my paper, how serious or light hearted it is, and many other aspects to make my essay more relatable. By learning the meaning of rhetoric, how it works, and how it is used, I feel more capable of getting my needs across in a paper and concluding with a call to action from the audience. My biggest downfall in writing to an audience, like I said, is deciding who I am actually writing to.
Knowledge of rhetoric and exigence is not only useful for writing and speaking to convey a need you may have, but it also very beneficial in every day life because it allows you to analyze the motive behind many things that people and companies do. Having studied Discourses, mushfaking my way into communities which I don't have extensive experience with will be easier. My attempts to write papers for certain classes or communicate with certain communities will be greatly aided by my knowledge of Discourses and how they work.
