Writings About Dislikes and Likes free essay sample

Another word is involvement; it suggests that one’s emotions become almost enfolded in the characters, problems, and outcomes of a work. But sometimes these two words are used defensively, much like the word â€Å"boring. It is easy to say that it was â€Å"interesting† or you were â€Å"involved,† but you might be saying these things hoping that no one will ask you to explain why. In this case, you are being asked to explain your reasons. Using Your Early Reading Response Notes No one, not even your English teacher, can tell you what you should or should not like. While your experience of reading is still fresh, you should refer back to your reading notes (from assignment two). Build on to these notes if necessary and discuss whether or not you liked what you read. Be frank in your judgement. Write down your likes and dislikes and try to explain the reasons for your response, even if they are brief and incomplete. Example: I like â€Å"The Necklace† because of the surprise ending. It isn’t that I like the Mathilde’s bad luck, but I like the way that the author, Maupassant, hides the most important fact in the story until the end. Mathilde does all that work and sacrifice for no reason at all, and the surprise ending makes this point really well. This little paragraph could be expanded as a part of a developing essay. It is a clear statement of liking, followed by references to liable things in the story. This response pattern can be simply paraphrased as â€Å"I like [or dislike] this story because†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and is useful in writing an initial response in your notebook. Brainstorming Likes and Dislikes If at first you cannot write any full sentences detailing the causes of your responses, make a list of the things you like or dislike. If you write nothing, you are likely to forget your first reactions; recovering these for later, either for writing or discussion, will be difficult. Responding Favourably Usually you can equate your interest in a work with liking it. Use the following list to help you be more specific when trying to articulate a favourable response: You like and admire the characters and what they do and stand for You learn something new – something you had never known or thought before You gain new insights into things you already knew You learn about people and customs of different places, times, and ways of life You get interested and involved in the outcome of the action or ideas and do not want to put down the work until you have finished it You feel happy or feel good for having read the work You are amused and laugh often as you read You like the way the author has presented their ideas You find that some of the ideas are beautiful and worth remembering Responding Unfavourably Although dismissing a story as â€Å"boring† is not usually an ideal response, it can be used to formulate a response that has been carefully constructed. You do not need to hide the fact that you did not like something. Example s: 1. I do not like â€Å"The Necklace† because the main character seems spoiled, and I don’t think she is worth reading about. 2. The Necklace† was boring to be because it is not an adventure story, and I only really enjoy adventure stories. These are both legitimate responses because they are based on some specific aspects of the story. The Example 1 stems from a distaste of the main character’s unlikable traits; Example 2, from a preference for stories that move quickly and evoke interest in the dangers faced and overcome by main characters. What is important is that you include reasons for your dislike, and support those reasons using details from the story. Example 1: I do not like â€Å"The Necklace† because the main character seems spoiled, and I don’t think she is worth reading about. She is a phoney. She nags her husband because he is not rich. She never tells the truth. I dislike her for hurrying away from the party because she is afraid of being seen in her shabby coat. She is foolish and dishonest for not telling her friend about losing the necklace. It is true that she works hard to pay the debt, but she also puts her husband through ten years of hardship. If Mathilde had faced facts, she might have had a better like. I do not like her and cannot like the story because of her. Example 2: Before you can discuss what you don’t like, you must first articulate what you do like and why. Here are some reasons for liking adventure: 1. Adventure has fast action. 2. Adventure has danger and tension, and therefore interest. 3. Adventure has daring, active, and successful characters. 4. Adventure has obstacles which the characters work hard to overcome. If you were to simply say that that you did not like this story because of qualities it does not possess and left it at that, you would not have enough information to write an essay. Therefore you must try to â€Å"bridge the gap† by extending your preferences. For example, the story â€Å"The Necklace† definitely does not meet the criteria of the first three qualities of adventure stories, but a connection can be made to the fourth by saying that the main character works hard to overcome the conflict and hardship in the story. The trick is to show an open-minded approach and be willing to form a positive connection to the text being considered, even if reluctantly. I usually only like adventure stories; therefore, I disliked â€Å"The Necklace† at first because it is not an adventure story. But one of my reasons for liking adventure is that the characters work hard to overcome obstacles and hardships, liking finding buried treasure or exploring new places. Mathilde, the main character in Maupassant’s â€Å"The Necklace,† also works hard to overcome an obstacle. Insert details from the story] I see many of the same qualities in Mathilde that I see in adventure characters, and came to appreciate this character and her determination. Writing about Responses: Likes and Dislikes In writing about your responses, you should rely on your initial informed reactions. It is not easy to reconstruct your first responses after a lapse of time, so you will need your Early Reading Reponses observation s as a guide in the pre-writing stage. Develop your essay by stressing what interests you (or does not interest you) in the work. Introduction Begin by describing briefly the conditions that influence your response. Your central idea should be why you like or dislike the work. Be sure to mention the name of the story and its author. The thesis sentence should list the major causes of your response, which are to be developed in the body paragraph(s). Body The most common approach is to consider specific things about the work that you like or dislike. The list given on this handout may help you to articulate your responses. Give just enough (relevant) details from the story that someone who has not read the text will be able to understand your point. Use paragraphs as appropriate for your content. Conclusion Here you might summarize the reasons for your major response. Yu might also face any issues brought up by a change or modification of your first reactions. For example, if you have always held certain assumptions about your taste but like the work despite these assumptions, you may wish to talk about your own change or development. This topic is personal, but in an essay about likes and dislikes, discovery about yourself is something you should aim for. Assignment Write a short essay (3-5 paragraphs) examining the reasons that you like or dislike the story you are reading. While a reflective personal essay (therefore using â€Å"I† or â€Å"my†), this essay should be written using an academic and analytic approach. Since no time will be given for multiple drafts, this essay will be marked on content and organization only.