Final Draft - Portfolio Reflective Essay

When I first began this class, I had a lot of misperceptions about it. I thought it would be boring and agonizing at times, but it has turned out to be the exact opposite. Between the reading and the writing, I have come to learn and understand more about American literature than I originally thought was possible. I feel that I have grown as a person while enrolled in this class, as well as developing better writing styles and expanding my knowledge on all of the aspects of American literature. All of the assignments up to this point have been very interesting to write about, and I love how the reading ties in with it. I have had some problems with the reading in the beginning, but now I know how to understand the material. Throughout this reflective essay, I will demonstrate that that I have acquired and improved my skills as a writer and a reader for topics in American Literature and the time period involved.

It is sometimes difficult to read and understand material that was written all the way back in the 1800s. What I have learned is to review the material several times and often do research on the Internet concerning a particular time period or a group of people, such as the Romantics and Romanticism. I have learned a great deal about the Romantics and Romantic literature. I find it particularly interesting how the Romantics helped to fight and justify slavery in America. They also valued the individual and valued feeling over thinking and reason. People are still like this today, but maybe not quite as strong as the Romantics were. The list of all the things that American Romantics did goes on and on. Thoreau, Poe, and Whitman are all examples of American Romantics. Thoreau was an American Romantic who had different ideas on many topics. He was about living the full life and defining your best self. I displayed my knowledge of this in particular with my blog post: http://cdelongenglish241spring2011.blogspot.com/2011/02/living-full-life.html. From reading Thoreau, I saw his views on how to live a good life. It’s not the materialistic things that are important as much as the little things such as love and family. You really have to sit down and think what we actually need, not want, in order to live a full life and be happy with it and ourselves in the process. It’s also about understanding the Sublime, and dealing with the obstacles that are in the way of living a full life. Thoreau believed that it was possible to find the sublime in everyday life, although it was sometimes a constant search. Thoreau was a simple man and did not need many things in order for him to have a full life. Simplified life made Thoreau’s life fuller.

While reading about Edgar Allen Poe, I thought what an intriguing person. Poe was a one of a kind writer in the fact that he basically wrote within the same genres. I often wondered, and still do, how his mind worked. Maybe being an American Romantic had something to do with it. What exactly is it about these specific genres that intrigued Poe to write about them? I think the reasoning behind these specific genres is that ghost, thrillers, and horror were the subjects that Poe thought about the most. It was easy for him to write on these topics and with his imagination flowing, you never knew where the book would take you. Also, it seems that Poe really believes in these things, and can focus in more detail because of his confidence. I also displayed my knowledge of information in several other areas such as a post to my blog: http://cdelongenglish241spring2011.blogspot.com/2011/01/what-is-american.html. This was an important topic for me as it really helped me to embrace my rights as an American citizen, and just realizing what a great country America is. The freedoms that we have as American citizens are fortune. Many other countries do not have a democratic government, which is even worse. America is the land of the free and the home of the brave. What a great place to live!

Another important writing assignment was my DB Post on Slavery. I have found this to be one of the more interesting topics of this class, because there are so many different views on this matter. There are many questions that come into play when discussing the issue of slavery. For me, the big issue is why this was ultimately necessary and why is it so hard to find a workable solution to the problem of slavery? I understand more about the issue of slavery now than before because of the Online Discussion Forum. After the reading and Discussion Forum, I can say that I have gained a deeper understanding on the issue of slavery. This was definitely one of my favorite topics to discuss, and I demonstrated this as I had lots of interaction with members of my class concerning the issue of slavery through the Online Discussion Forum. There were several disturbing posts when I first interacted, but after learning and understanding, I see why slavery was ultimately necessary. One of the topics that really hit home for me and brought out a lot of thinking was my DB Post on Nature. I really enjoyed both parts of this assignment in particular. I was able to be outside going for a walk, and then writing about my journey. It was wonderful to become one with nature and just soak up everything that it has to offer. Developing your own relationship with nature is truly is a beautiful thing. Too many people take nature for granted and we have done a pretty good job of destroying it and our ecosystem over a long period of time. However though, the damage can be repaired. This is both literal and physical. Damage to our ecosystem and Nature also ties with my blog post titled Social Practices and Problems: http://cdelongenglish241spring2011.blogspot.com/2011/02/social-practices-problems-and.html. I chose the topic of our dependence on foreign oil and global warming for one reason. It is a large issue that is facing America today and the years to follow. In this essay, I displayed how my writing skills have improved and how I am able to discuss things more clearly. 

We have had some very interesting writing assignment throughout the semester, but one of my favorites was my blog post: http://cdelongenglish241spring2011.blogspot.com/2011/04/public-profession-of-belief.html. Religion and slavery are both two very heated topics that can cause a lot of concern for many of us. So many people are set in their ways are not willing to listen to another point of view. I personally am not like that….I welcome opinions from others. Each and every one of us is unique in our own way and people need to realize that. I enjoyed writing this blog post in particular because it really allowed me to express my feelings about religion from childhood to adulthood. It also displays my growth as a person and a writer, as well as me expressing myself.

Overall, I feel that I have grown throughout this class not only as a person, but also as a more experienced and developed writer and reader. I am able to discuss topics online with other members of my class, and understand the material. It is sometimes confusing because I feel that I have to put myself in that time period to fully grasp the information. It is not always easy when you are using to living in 2011, but it’s interesting to go back and think: What would I have done if I had been born in that time period. How would my life be different? They are all interesting things to consider and have helped me in my learning and understanding of the literature. An example to display this is more communication on the Online Discussion Forum. I really enjoy interacting with other members in my class, and viewing their position on certain topics. In the beginning, I felt that I was completing the bare minimum, but the professor has really brought everyone together to interact. It’s not boring…it’s interesting and fun at the same time. I would definitely have to give the professor credit for that. I also enjoy writing the essay comments for members in my committee. It is always nice for someone else to critique your work and let you know where areas can be improved. This also benefits me as well due to other people critiquing my work.

            Being enrolled in this class has taught me so many things throughout the course of the semester. Not only did I learn more about literature, but I also learned things about myself that I can use later on in life. For example: the work that we have done on acquiring our virtue(s). I have posted several updates on how plan to acquire my virtue is going. The help from the teacher and the encouragement that you get throughout the process really helps you to learn more about yourself as a person. I have personally learned that while trying to obtain my virtue of vigilance, there are other virtues that I need to work on as well. This is displayed in my blog post: http://cdelongenglish241spring2011.blogspot.com/2011/03/personal-virtues.html as well as my updated status on my virtues:

http://cdelongenglish241spring2011.blogspot.com/2011/04/update-on-virtues.html. Overall, I feel that I am growing as a person and learning things about myself that I did not know. I am also learning to be a stronger person and stand up for what I believe in.

Due to my outstanding work and constant effort that I have put into this class throughout, I feel that I deserve an A for my final grade. I always submit all of my assignments on time, except for a very few rare occasions and I am also an active member in the Online Discussion Forum. I feel that any post I make whether it be to the Discussion Forum or as a blog post, I put forth 100% every time. Based on this information, and in closing, I am arguing for my final grade to be an A.

Penultimate Draft of Portfolio Reflective Essay

When I first began this class, I had a lot of misperceptions about it. I thought it would be boring and agonizing at times, but it has turned out to be the exact opposite. Between the reading and the writing, I have come to learn and understand more about American literature than I originally thought was possible. I feel that I have grown as a person while enrolled in this class, as well as developing better writing styles and expanding my knowledge on all of the aspects of American literature. All of the assignments up to this point have been very interesting to write about, and I love how the reading ties in with it. I have had some problems with the reading in the beginning, but now I know how to understand the material. Throughout this reflective essay, I will demonstrate that that I have acquired and improved my skills as a writer and a reader for topics in American Literature and the time period involved.

It is sometimes difficult to read and understand material that was written all the way back in the 1800s. What I have learned is to review the material several times and often do research on the Internet concerning a particular time period or a group of people, such as the Romantics and Romanticism. I have learned a great deal about the Romantics and Romantic literature. I find it particularly interesting how the Romantics helped to fight and justify slavery in America. They also valued the individual and valued feeling over thinking and reason. People are still like this today, but maybe not quite as strong as the Romantics were. The list of all the things that American Romantics did goes on and on. Thoreau, Poe, and Whitman are all examples of American Romantics. Thoreau was an American Romantic who had different ideas on many topics. He was about living the full life and defining your best self. I displayed my knowledge of this in particular with my blog post: http://cdelongenglish241spring2011.blogspot.com/2011/02/living-full-life.html. From reading Thoreau, I saw his views on how to live a good life. It’s not the materialistic things that are important as much as the little things such as love and family. You really have to sit down and think what we actually need, not want, in order to live a full life and be happy with it and ourselves in the process. It’s also about understanding the Sublime, and dealing with the obstacles that are in the way of living a full life. Thoreau believed that it was possible to find the sublime in everyday life, although it was sometimes a constant search. Thoreau was a simple man and did not need many things in order for him to have a full life. Simplified life made Thoreau’s life fuller.

While reading about Edgar Allen Poe, I thought what an intriguing person. Poe was a one of a kind writer in the fact that he basically wrote within the same genres. I often wondered, and still do, how his mind worked. Maybe being an American Romantic had something to do with it. What exactly is it about these specific genres that intrigued Poe to write about them? I think the reasoning behind these specific genres is that ghost, thrillers, and horror were the subjects that Poe thought about the most. It was easy for him to write on these topics and with his imagination flowing, you never knew where the book would take you. Also, it seems that Poe really believes in these things, and can focus in more detail because of his confidence. I also displayed my knowledge of information in several other areas such as a post to my blog: http://cdelongenglish241spring2011.blogspot.com/2011/01/what-is-american.html. This was an important topic for me as it really helped me to embrace my rights as an American citizen, and just realizing what a great country America is. The freedoms that we have as American citizens are fortune. Many other countries do not have a democratic government, which is even worse. America is the land of the free and the home of the brave. What a great place to live!

Another important writing assignment was my DB Post on Slavery. I have found this to be one of the more interesting topics of this class, because there are so many different views on this matter. There are many questions that come into play when discussing the issue of slavery. For me, the big issue is why this was ultimately necessary and why is it so hard to find a workable solution to the problem of slavery? I understand more about the issue of slavery now than before because of the Online Discussion Forum. After the reading and Discussion Forum, I can say that I have gained a deeper understanding on the issue of slavery. This was definitely one of my favorite topics to discuss, and I demonstrated this as I had lots of interaction with members of my class concerning the issue of slavery through the Online Discussion Forum. There were several disturbing posts when I first interacted, but after learning and understanding, I see why slavery was ultimately necessary. One of the topics that really hit home for me and brought out a lot of thinking was my DB Post on Nature. I really enjoyed both parts of this assignment in particular. I was able to be outside going for a walk, and then writing about my journey. It was wonderful to become one with nature and just soak up everything that it has to offer. Developing your own relationship with nature is truly is a beautiful thing. Too many people take nature for granted and we have done a pretty good job of destroying it and our ecosystem over a long period of time. However though, the damage can be repaired. This is both literal and physical. Damage to our ecosystem and Nature also ties with my blog post titled Social Practices and Problems: http://cdelongenglish241spring2011.blogspot.com/2011/02/social-practices-problems-and.html. I chose the topic of our dependence on foreign oil and global warming for one reason. It is a large issue that is facing America today and the years to follow. In this essay, I displayed how my writing skills have improved and how I am able to discuss things more clearly. 

We have had some very interesting writing assignment throughout the semester, but one of my favorites was my blog post: http://cdelongenglish241spring2011.blogspot.com/2011/04/public-profession-of-belief.html. Religion and slavery are both two very heated topics that can cause a lot of concern for many of us. So many people are set in their ways are not willing to listen to another point of view. I personally am not like that….I welcome opinions from others. Each and every one of us is unique in our own way and people need to realize that. I enjoyed writing this blog post in particular because it really allowed me to express my feelings about religion from childhood to adulthood. It also displays my growth as a person and a writer, as well as me expressing myself.

Overall, I feel that I have grown throughout this class not only as a person, but also as a more experienced and developed writer and reader. I am able to discuss topics online with other members of my class, and understand the material. It is sometimes confusing because I feel that I have to put myself in that time period to fully grasp the information. It is not always easy when you are using to living in 2011, but it’s interesting to go back and think: What would I have done if I had been born in that time period. How would my life be different? They are all interesting things to consider and have helped me in my learning and understanding of the literature. An example to display this is more communication on the Online Discussion Forum. I really enjoy interacting with other members in my class, and viewing their position on certain topics. In the beginning, I felt that I was completing the bare minimum, but the professor has really brought everyone together to interact. It’s not boring…it’s interesting and fun at the same time. I would definitely have to give the professor credit for that. I also enjoy writing the essay comments for members in my committee. It is always nice for someone else to critique your work and let you know where areas can be improved. This also benefits me as well due to other people critiquing my work.

            Being enrolled in this class has taught me so many things throughout the course of the semester. Not only did I learn more about literature, but I also learned things about myself that I can use later on in life. For example: the work that we have done on acquiring our virtue(s). I have posted several updates on how plan to acquire my virtue is going. The help from the teacher and the encouragement that you get throughout the process really helps you to learn more about yourself as a person. I have personally learned that while trying to obtain my virtue of vigilance, there are other virtues that I need to work on as well. This is displayed in my blog post: http://cdelongenglish241spring2011.blogspot.com/2011/03/personal-virtues.html as well as my updated status on my virtues:

http://cdelongenglish241spring2011.blogspot.com/2011/04/update-on-virtues.html. Overall, I feel that I am growing as a person and learning things about myself that I did not know. I am also learning to be a stronger person and stand up for what I believe in.

Due to my outstanding work and constant effort that I have put into this class throughout, I feel that I deserve an A for my final grade. I always submit all of my assignments on time, except for a very few rare occasions and I am also an active member in the Online Discussion Forum. I feel that any post I make whether it be to the Discussion Forum or as a blog post, I put forth 100% every time. Based on this information, and in closing, I am arguing for my final grade to be an A.

Public Profession of Belief

Just like many others, I was raised growing up in the church setting. My family is Baptist, but I do not really consider myself to have a set religion. When I met by boyfriend, I learned that his family is actually Catholic. I have heard mixed views about religions and it seems to me that not one is better than the other. As a child, I did not know or understand the differences between religions, but I do know. I feel that I am able to look at my options, and then make a decision on what religion I would like to be a part of. So many of us follow in the footsteps of others. I’m not saying that it’s not a good idea; however though, I prefer to be independent and make my own decisions and do what is right for me. I don’t go to church nearly as often as I should, but I am slowly working my way back into the scene. I feel that I question so many things about God that I don’t really know what the truth is, and I don’t think that anyone else does either. We are supposed to believe in a God that performs great miracles, but also casts tragedies upon us. I wonder a lot of the time why bad things happen. It is almost like you have to give yourself a constant reminder that God is present to keep moving on. After a long period of soul searching, reading the Bible, and talking with friends and family members, I believe in God. I hope that when I die I go to heaven, because I don’t really like the idea of eternal punishment. I know that I have not always made the best decisions, but I can’t say that I have really done anything that bad to deserve eternal punishment in hell. I wish there were more answers to my many questions, but there are not. Whether or not there is actually a God is unknown to many of us. However though, it doesn’t cause harm to believe. All we have to go on is hope. Either way, you’re not losing anything by believing in God. If anything, you are gaining so much more because you are trying to live a better life that would make God happy.

Early Final Draft of Portfolio Reflective Essay

When I first began this class, I had a lot of misperceptions about it. I thought it would be boring and agonizing at times, but it has turned out to be the exact opposite. Between the reading and the writing, I have come to learn and understand more about American literature than I originally thought was possible. I feel that I have grown as a person while enrolled in this class, as well as developing better writing styles and expanding my knowledge on all of the aspects of American literature. All of the assignments up to this point have been very interesting to write about, and I love how the reading ties in with it. I have had some problems with the reading in the beginning, but now I know how to understand the material. Throughout this reflective essay, I will demonstrate that that I have acquired and improved my skills as a writer and a reader for topics in American Literature and the time period involved.

It is sometimes difficult to read and understand material that was written all the way back in the 1800s. What I have learned is to review the material several times and often do research on the Internet concerning a particular time period or a group of people, such as the Romantics and Romanticism. I have learned a great deal about the Romantics and Romantic literature. I find it particularly interesting how the Romantics helped to fight and justify slavery in America. They also valued the individual and valued feeling over thinking and reason. People are still like this today, but maybe not quite as strong as the Romantics were. The list of all the things that American Romantics did goes on and on. Thoreau, Poe, and Whitman are all examples of American Romantics. Thoreau was an American Romantic who had different ideas on many topics. He was about living the full life and defining your best self. I displayed my knowledge of this in particular with my blog post: http://cdelongenglish241spring2011.blogspot.com/2011/02/living-full-life.html. From reading Thoreau, I saw his views on how to live a good life. It’s not the materialistic things that are important as much as the little things such as love and family. You really have to sit down and think what we actually need, not want, in order to live a full life and be happy with it and ourselves in the process. It’s also about understanding the Sublime, and dealing with the obstacles that are in the way of living a full life. Thoreau believed that it was possible to find the sublime in everyday life, although it was sometimes a constant search. Thoreau was a simple man and did not need many things in order for him to have a full life. Simplified life made Thoreau’s life fuller.

While reading about Edgar Allen Poe, I thought what an intriguing person. Poe was a one of a kind writer in the fact that he basically wrote within the same genres. I often wondered, and still do, how his mind worked. Maybe being an American Romantic had something to do with it. What exactly is it about these specific genres that intrigued Poe to write about them? I think the reasoning behind these specific genres is that ghost, thrillers, and horror were the subjects that Poe thought about the most. It was easy for him to write on these topics and with his imagination flowing, you never knew where the book would take you. Also, it seems that Poe really believes in these things, and can focus in more detail because of his confidence. I also displayed my knowledge of other information in several other areas such as a post to blog called: http://cdelongenglish241spring2011.blogspot.com/2011/01/what-is-american.html. This was an important topic for me as it really made me embrace my rights as an American citizen, and just realizing what a great country America is. The freedoms that we have as American citizens are fortune. Many other countries do not have a democratic government, which is even worse. America is the land of the free and the home of the brave. What a great place to live!

Another important writing assignment was my DB Post on Slavery. I have found this to be one of the more interesting topics of this class, because there are so many different views on this matter. There are many questions that come into play when discussing the issue of slavery. For me, the big issue is why this was ultimately necessary and why is it so hard to find a workable solution to the problem of slavery? I understand more about the issue of slavery now than before because of the Online Discussion Forum. After the reading and Discussion Forum, I can say that I have gained a deeper understanding on the issue of slavery. This was definitely one of my favorite topics to discuss, and I demonstrated this as I had lots of interaction with members of my class concerning the issue of slavery through the Online Discussion Forum. There were several disturbing posts when I first interacted, but after learning and understanding, I see why slavery was ultimately necessary. One of the topics that really hit home for me and brought out a lot of thinking was my DB Post on Nature. I really enjoyed both parts of this assignment in particular. I was able to be outside going for a walk, and then writing about my journey. It was wonderful to become one with nature and just soak up everything that it has to offer. Developing your own relationship with nature is truly is a beautiful thing. Too many people take nature for granted and we have done a pretty good job of destroying it and our ecosystem over a long period of time. However though, the damage can be repaired. This is both literal and physical. Damage to our ecosystem and Nature also ties with my blog post titled Social Practices and Problems: http://cdelongenglish241spring2011.blogspot.com/2011/02/social-practices-problems-and.html. I chose the topic of our dependence on foreign oil and global warming for one reason. It is a large issue that is facing America today and the years to follow. In this essay, I displayed how my writing skills have improved and how I am able to discuss things more clearly.  

We have had some very interesting writing assignment throughout the semester, but one of my favorites was my blog post: http://cdelongenglish241spring2011.blogspot.com/2011/04/public-profession-of-belief.html. Religion and slavery are both two very heated topics that can cause a lot of concern for many of us. So many people are set in their ways are not willing to listen to another point of view. I personally am not like that….I welcome opinions from others. Each and every one of us is unique in our own way and people need to realize that. I enjoyed writing this blog post in particular because it really allowed me to express my feelings about religion from childhood to adulthood. It also displays my growth as a person and a writer, as well as me expressing myself.

Overall, I feel that I have grown throughout this class not only as a person, but also as a more experienced and developed writer and reader. I am able to discuss topics online with other members of my class, and understand the material. It is sometimes confusing because I feel that I have to put myself in that time period to fully grasp the information. It is not always easy when you are using to living in 2011, but it’s interesting to go back and think: What would I have done if I had been born in that time period. How would my life be different? They are all interesting things to consider and have helped me in my learning and understanding of the literature. An example to display this is more communication on the Online Discussion Forum. I really enjoy interacting with other members in my class, and viewing their position on certain topics. In the beginning, I felt that I was completing the bare minimum, but the professor has really brought everyone together to interact. It’s not boring…it’s interesting and fun at the same time. I would definitely have to give the professor credit for that. I also enjoy writing the essay comments for members in my committee. It is always nice for someone else to critique your work and let you know where areas can be improved. This also benefits me as well due to other people critiquing my work. Although there is still half of the semester left, I can confidently say that I am looking forward to it. I enjoy the reading and writing aspect of this class, and also look forward to becoming an even more developed reader and writer than what I already am. When looking back, I have already come so far. This alone is a great accomplishment, and can’t wait for the next chapter.

            Being enrolled in this class has taught me so many things throughout the course of the semester. Not only did I learn more about literature, but I also learned things about myself that I can use later on in life. For example: the work that we have done on acquiring our virtue(s). I have posted several updates on how plan to acquire my virtue is going. The help from the teacher and the encouragement that you get throughout the process really helps you to learn more about yourself as a person. I have personally learned that while trying to obtain my virtue of vigilance, there are other virtues that I need to work on as well. Sometimes I feel that I am trying to do so many things at one time, and then nothing ever works out. Overall though, I feel that I am growing as a person and learning things about myself that I did not know. I am learning to be a stronger person and stand up for what I believe in.

Due to my outstanding work and constant effort that I have put into this class, I feel that I deserve an A for my final grade. I always submit all of my assignments on time, except for a very few rare occasions and I am also an active member in the Online Discussion Forum. I feel that any post I make whether it be to the Discussion Forum or as a blog post, I put forth 100% every single time. Based on this information, and in closing, I once again state that I feel that I deserve an A for this class.

Learning Reflection - Week 15

#1.       At what moment did you feel most engaged with what you were learning? Be specific. Was it while reading the literature, reading a blog post of a committee member, participating in the class discussion forum, writing your own blog post for the week, etc. Why was this the moment when you felt most engaged?

The moment that I felt most engaged with what I was learning was while reviewing older material and playing catch up on certain assignments. I was very nice to have last week off, but I was still engaged and learning.

#2.       At what moment did you feel most distant from what the class was doing and what you were learning? Again, be specific and explain why.

For this week, I can’t say that I felt distant at any point. I feel that I am doing and learning what everyone else is doing.

#3.       What action did the professor or another student take that you found most helpful or affirming?

I cannot stress enough how helpful the professor has been throughout this course. Classmates have been very helpful as well in several ways. Whenever I am looking for insight on an assignment, I can look at everyone’s blogs and gather the insight that I need.

#4.       What group member’s post surprised or taught you the most? Why?

The group member’s post that taught me the most was Cynthia’s post on Federalist No. 10. I enjoyed reading her interpretation of James Madison Federalist No. 10 and her opinion on factions. I was a little confused on which side to take in the beginning, but after reading her essay, it all became clear to me. Not to mention, the essay was well written. This was why I liked her post the most.

#5.       Why action did anyone take that you found most puzzling or confusing? Why?

How did you overcome your confusion?

Luckily no confusion or puzzling actions this week.

#6.       What about the reading and discussion has surprised you the most?

The reading has been enjoyable and informative, while the discussion has been intriguing to say the least. I wouldn’t say that either one of them have really surprised me though. I love reading others people views and their thoughts, even though they are not always the same as mine. My favorite discussions were about slavery and religion. They are both two heated topics that can really get the conversation going, and it did. Plus, I learned so much information about both topics in the process of discussing them on the Online Discussion Forum.

Additional Update on Virtues

Obtaining my virtue of Vigilance is improving day by day. I am learning several things about myself in the process too. I am learning to become more patient, as this goes right along with vigilance. I feel that I have almost fully developed the virtue of vigilance. I am already a very patient person, but sometimes I have my days. While working on focusing my attention more, I am trying to be more patient as well. With everything else going on in my life, it is often hard to add one more thing to the list. However though, I am glad that I am working on this virtue. It is helping me in more ways than I could have ever thought. Luckily, I have not experienced any major obstacles while working on developing my virtue. Smooth sailing always works better for me, as it does most people. Life is unpredictable though; you never know what is going to happen next. I guess that brings about the excitement and nervousness at the same time.

Learning Reflection - Week 13

1. At what moment did you feel most engaged with your learning for the week? Be specific. Why was this the moment when you felt most engaged?

The moment when I felt most engaged was while writing about my virtues. This was the moment for me because it really took a thought to describe my update and process on acquiring my virtue.

2. What have you learned this semester in terms of the founder’s ideas about the nation and the role of the citizen/government?

I have learned many things this semester in terms of the founder’s ideas about the nation and the role of the citizen/government. For one, as citizens of the U.S.A., we need to be more aware and practice our duties as citizens. Second, we need to become more active in our government. People think that only elected officials can make a change, but the people are the ones that elect the officials. We have a chance to make a difference, yet so many of us opt out. Many other countries do not have the benefits that we do as American citizens, and we need to take advantage of that.

3. What have you learned about Enlightenment literature and self and community help? In your opinion, why is this kind of writing part of American literature and what it means to be an American?

Enlightenment literature and self and community help are so very important. This type of writing is part of American literature because we can express ourselves better. It helps us to become better people and more positive thinking reflects from it.

4. What action did the professors or another student take that you found most helpful or affirming?

As always, the professor has been very helpful. Also, viewing other classmate’s blogs has been informative and helpful as well.

5. What action did anyone take that you found most puzzling or confusing? Why? How did you overcome your confusion?

No confusion this week….thank goodness!

6. What about the reading and discussion has surprised you?

The reading and discussion has been informative and interesting, but nothing surprising. I personally like the Online Discussion Forum because of the interaction with my classmates, as well as hearing what other people think about a particular issue.