Public schools have perfected the standardized way to teach writing.

They have taught us the proper way to write a five paragraph sentence, and the correct SAT words to use when. Its hard to deny the fact that almost everyone has had a similar experience in their English classes. But if everyone has been taught this standardized method of English, then why are peoples writing styles so varied and unique. This is because we interact with text and the English language in every second of our lives. We each have our own pasts and these pasts are what have affected our writing. From our parents to a painting on the wall, everything has had a minute influence on our way we interact with literature. These literacy sponsors are who the schools have to thank (or blame) for giving every person their own unique taste for writing. The pictures I composed show how my literacy sponsors have affected me and my growth as a writer over the years. When choosing a genre I had to consider many factors to what would be best suited for a worthy recounting of my literary history. I needed a genre that I could say I am knowledgeable and passionate about. This weeded out many facets of creativity in my life. There simply isnt much I am knowledgeable or passionate about, much less both at the same time. The major choices for genre I had narrowed down were a film and something to do with clothes. Making a film is always a commitment. It doesnt require just my time: it requires the time of my friends. Being in a new environment; I was short on both things. I had little time, and I had even fewer friends. One could say that my choosing of use of fashion of clothes was a choice out of elimination. It was simply the most viable. The product I made though was decided because of a plethora of reason. I am passionate about clothes, photography, and the like. Even after doing my project Im not entirely sure what genre I didAfter doing my project I find it hard to define it with a genre. The product I made is some weird amalgam of

Comment [PL1]: Before You read all these comments I made it might be best to list out the five things I worked on. 1.Introduction 2.Thesis 3.Tone 4.Transitions 5.Conclusion I changed some other things in the piece that I didnt like, but they didnt really fit into any of these categories. I also write Tone change a lot in the comments. I shall explain in more depth here. Much of my previous essay had a problem with establishing an authoritative tone. This is what I mean by tone change.

Comment [PL2]: This is my new introduction to my defense essay. Changes from the previous intro: it exists

Comment [PL3]: This is my new thesis to my defense essay. Like my old intro, my old thesis didnt really exist.

Comment [PL4]: I deleted one of these sentences to change tone. Added the second to make a transition

Comment [PL5]: Very similar to the above, except that the sentence I added in is to usher in the new paragraph

photography, clothes, acting, and scenery. This wasnt entirely on purpose. Most of what is going on in the picture stemmed from me creating a centric theme or message to convey, and using just clothes was too hard. The message I am trying to sendsending isnt shown solely by looking at a single aspect of the picture. There are many things to consider. Facial expression, body language, and what Im holding are all things to consider. This project has evolved much past what I had initially set out to do. This isnt just about clothes anymore. Clothes have been a recent discovery to me, but now I am very judgmental when it comes to how a person dresses. A lot can be predicted simply by looking at the way a person dresses. If someone wears gym shorts and a t-shirt to class, then one may assume either this person didnt have enough time to change or this person has poor sense of fashion. Everyone judges and assumes based on how a person dresses. If you walk into a Wal-Mart wearing a blue polo and chinos, then you will probably be approached by many customers with questions. This is because people associate your outfit with someone who works at Wal-Mart. Everyone does this. Walking into a Wal-Mart with a blue polo and chinos is an easy way to sample this. This is a good example of how much meaning your choice of wardrobe can carry. You can find meaning behind almost anything in a persons choice of wardrobe. Choosing a leather strap on a watch rather than a metal one is an easy way to dress down a suit. Letting your dress shoes break in and have some wear to them gives them a more vintage vibe, while keeping them shiny makes them more suitable to wear during a press conference. Wearing a three button suit is a more old fashioned style, and wearing a single button suit in a slim fit is considered modern. The smallest details in fashion can completely change the meaning an article of clothing carries. If being overly critical in peoples clothing choices has taught me anything in literature it would be to pay attention to even the most minute detail. I feel beingBeing overly

Comment [PL6]: Tone change.

Comment [PL7]: Tone Change

Comment [PL8]: This isnt one of my five goals, but I had a problem with this section. I make a claim, but fail to elaborate and explain the importance of it. Comment [PL9]: Transition

Comment [PL10]: Tone change

critical in the way I dress has helped me realize what meaning I am trying to send with the words I am using and the sentence structure I have applied. The series of pictures that make up my project are meant to be chronological. They represent what form of writing I mostly partook in, and what influenced my writing. Each of them follows a general theme. Like any abstract piece of art meant to convey a message, being overly critical and really reading into meaning is exactly what must be done if you really want to hear the message that my pictures are sending. Everything must be considered. Not just the clothes like how I previously intended. Facial expression, camera angle, lighting, and background are things you must look at to name a few. The first picture is a good way of sampling a picture that needs to be critically analyzed if you want to understand it. The first picture I took is supposed to show my immaturity and fear of writing. I am dressed in nothing but a green blanket. My hair is messy, I am alone. I am armed with a composition notebook. The vantage point of the camera is looking down on me. The lighting is done with a lousy flash. These all are attempts to convey the centric theme that I am immature and afraid. The composition notebook represents the only outlet I had for writing at the time: elementary school daily journals. I had an odd experience in elementary school. My teachers thought I had a learning deficiency when it came to writing. I would barely write anything in my journal when told to, and when I did it usually pertained to how I didnt feel like writing. Nearing the end of the year, my teachers were thinking about holding me back a year. It was at this time I finally decided to write. I filled up my notebook with words and my teachers passed me. This entire experience was most probably a negative for me. I have had the preconceived
Comment [PL14]: Tone Change Comment [PL13]: Tone change Comment [PL12]: Better paragraph that introduces how you are supposed to read my project. Comment [PL11]: Worthless awkward short paragraph

notion that I was a lousy writer for as long as I can remember. Most likely tThis is where it comes from. In the picture I am literally clinging to the composition notebook though. If this object represents such a bad experience for me, then why cling to it? Though elementary school was a generally negative writing experience for me, it was also my only writing experience. It was all I had. While the notebook represents my lack of ability to put pen to paper it is also the only reminder I have that I can write. The downward angle and flash are used in tandem to portray the message of how small weak and ignorant I was at this stage. Having a downward angle on anything is a technique often used in film to mitigate the size of something. Also it literally makes it so that the viewer is literally looking down on the subject. Looking down on something generally carries the conception that the subject is in a lesser position than you. The flash was mostly used to portray plain stupidity. The effect the flash casts on the subject is something I would relate to an animal. The empty white eyes are characteristic of taking a picture of a beast in nature. And as everyone knows, beasts arent the most intelligent. This is an attempt to shows I was a bit lower than average when it comes to writing. The green blanket is honestly there just to make myself not naked. If I had absolutely no shame, then I might have taken this in the nude. I wanted to show how I was almost an empty palate, and that I could still grow into something. I was still young. Unlike the first picture, the second picture has me equipped with more clothes.The second picture has me dressed semi-formally while falling asleep on the toilet with a laptop in my lap. The formal wear is done to show what type of writing I did at this stage in my life. That being the five paragraph essay. Past simply my outfit being formal, my outfit is also poorly put together. My collar isnt straight, my shirt isnt buttoned up properly, my tie is poorly tied, and my socks dont match. The way I dress here is supposed to show shows that I try to be formal,

Comment [PL15]: Tone Change

Comment [PL16]: Tone change

Comment [PL17]: Tone change

Comment [PL18]: Transition

Comment [PL19]: Tone change

but fail in almost every way. This is analogous to my writing. I try to write an effective five paragraph essay, but mess up with almost everything. My expression of boredom and general fatigue stems from my attitude to writing at the time. It was simply a thing that had to get done. I did not have to enjoy it. I simply had to do it. This concept of writing stems from one of my biggest literacy sponsors: my father. My father taught me two things about writing. Good writing does not have fluff, and that everyone views good writing in their own way. Apparently I didnt listen to the first thing my father taught me, and completely took the second lesson the wrong way. This was when I got the idea that all writing is formula based. A teacher had only one idea as to what good writing looked like, and finding out that formula meant getting an A in the class. My fathers ideals on writing are represented in this picture with a laptop. The way I interact with the laptop is also important. It supports my weight, and I rely on it to keep me up. At the same time the only thing I am doing with its support is falling asleep. The reason I am in the bathroom doesnt hold too much meaning actually. Looking at this picture at the most shallow level allows you to see another meaning. There is a guy attempting to do work at probably the last second while going to the bathroom. This is exactly how I treated my writing during this stage. It wasnt a priority. The third and second pictures are meant to be polar opposites. The third picture depicts me sitting under a tree with a guitar. My hair is swept over one of my eyes, and I am dressed in a faux-leather jacket. This is in stark contrast to how I portray myself in my previous picture. No one would call my outfit formal, and my clothes are at least decently put together. This also portrays the style and quality of my writing at this time. I wrote mostly scripts for theatre classes, and screenplays for my own personal pleasure. The quality of my work was also much better than when I tried to write five paragraph essays. I was significantly more confident in my
Comment [PL21]: Transition Comment [PL20]: Tone change

writing. The theme I try to send across in this picture is creative and informal. My style of writing was also influenced by a particular band. That band being modest mouse. I learned how to put twists on words and double meanings. Many of my works during this time period integrated many of their concepts. This was also where I learned that good writing holds meaning. Be it the meaning of life, or what I had for lunch last night. I learned from modest mouse that good writing is used to send a message. Looking back at my writing from this time period, it was clear I grew in that my writing tried to convey a lasting message or impression on the viewer or reader. Even though the second and third pictures are meant to be different on almost every level, the fourth picture combines elements from both iterations. The fourth picture is a culmination of my past selves. It depicts me wearing casual yet semi-formal attire. Im holding a red party cup while standing next to a carton of minute maid juice. I am actually wearing the same button down and sweater from two of my other pictures. This is not simply because I have a lack of clothes to work with (though that is part of it). It shows how I have taken parts of my literacy history, and created a new entity. In this stage of writing I found myself writing more formal texts. The fact that I loathe formula writing also shines through. I try to incorporate as much personality as I can into my writing. This personality and sense of humor I feel comes from my creative stage as seen from picture three. Literally my outfit is a combination of my formal clothes and creative clothes. My writing during this stage reflects that. The red party cup and minute maid are mostly there to try and set tone for the picture. The tone being sarcastic. You would expect a party cup to be full of an alcoholic drink, but this one is full of a much more innocent substance. This picture is supposed to also be very different from my first picture. It is supposed to show how much I have matured and grown over the years.

Comment [PL22]: Tone change

Comment [PL23]: Transition

Comment [PL24]: Transition.

After doing this project I found that the genre I chose is only really limited by the author. I could have done so much more if I had invested more time in this project. Anything abstract can be read into much more, so the genre I chose is practically flawless when it comes to sending a message about emotion and tone. Which are two things I hope my history is full of. My literacy Narrative was made to show my growth as a writer. I started off as a writer who was very inexperienced, and didnt have much hope for his career as a writer. Because of my father, and the fact that I condemned writing to be a subject that is based off of my teachers opinions I grew into a strictly formula based writer, and not a good one at that. After joining theatre and writing my own plays, I started to see how writing can have a creative element as well. Recently I have been doing much more formal writings, and my work shows my past. I can stick to a flow of logic, but I still retain my unique tone in my writing. My current day writing was shaped by my many literacy sponsors. I can only hope my future will be full of more happy small narratives
Comment [PL26]: This is my NEW and IMPROVED conclusion. It is better than my previous conclusion because it exists. Comment [PL25]: Poor awkward attempt at a conclusion. Doesnt really count