Writing Portfolio

Here are my writing workshop assignments in chronological order:

WW#1: Looking for Alaska Critical Review

Miles Halter has dedicated his life to learning people’s last words. He knows every president, all the rock stars and of course the greatest writers. But Miles, a typical Florida boy, isn’t satisfied with his normal and boring life. He dreams of finding adventure and living a life of purpose. In order for Miles to find “the great perhaps” he decides to attend Culver Creek boarding school in Alabama.

Upon arriving at Culver Creek Miles is instantly thrown into a new world. With a fresh start, a weird nickname and whole new group of friends, it doesn’t take much time for Miles to find excitement. Miles’ life at Culver Creek begins when he meets his roommate Chip, better known as the Colonel, who gives him the unfitting nickname of Pudge and takes him under his wing. The Colonel introduces Pudge to his side kick Takumi, his girlfriend Sarah and most importantly their ‘group leader,’ the beautiful, amazing, daring and mysterious Alaska Young.

Once Pudge meets Alaska everything changes. In the book, after just one glance, it is apparent Pudge has fallen in love with Alaska. Pudge is drawn to not only her physical beauty, but also to her personality. Alaska is confident and strong, but also acts depressed and self conscious and Pudge is intrigued by her mysterious and unknown story. Alaska takes Pudge on wild adventures and shows him how to live life to the fullest, but with Alaska’s reckless personality she can’t even keep herself safe. Looking for Alaska is an exciting and emotionally gripping novel about one boy who knows everyone's last words, but will never know Alaska’s.

Looking for Alaska, written by John Green, is one of the best books I have ever read. The main reason this book is so amazing is because John Green is a Phenomenal writer. From page one until the very end, this book is impossible to put down. In Looking For Alaska there is never a boring moment. Green writes so that every part of the book in not only interesting, but important. This is true because Green has fantastic character development. While reading Looking for Alaska I felt like I personally knew the characters. I understood what they wanted and how they felt. Yet even with such strong characters like Pudge, the Colonel and Alaska, this book is still very unpredictable. Looking for Alaska has a really great plot because it is unpredictable, but it also has a crazy climax. While reading you can definitely feel the action rising towards the climax and even afterwards there is still a lot of conflict that makes the end interesting.

Although Looking For Alaska is hands down one of the best books I have ever read, it does have some flaws. Despite the fact Green’s character development was one of my favorite things, it also was one of my least favorites as well. Miles, Chip and Alaska were all really well thought out and realistic characters, but I felt like some of Greens side characters fell short. For instance, Chip’s girlfriend Sarah is mentioned a fair amount at the beginning of the book and is in a few scenes with Chip. By the middle of the book she practically disappears and she doesn’t really play a role in the story anymore. The other character this happens to as well is Lara. Lara is a boarding school girl who gets to know Pudge and even becomes his girlfriend for a very short time. Lara is important because she is a part of a huge scheme Alaska sets up. But after Pudge and Lara break up, there is very little closure and she is not brought back into the story again.

Looking for Alaska is a beautifully written book about friendship, tragedy and healing. It is funny, exciting and meaningful all at the same time. Not only is Looking For Alaska a book that readers will look forward to reading at every chance they get it is a book that no one will ever tire of. I recommend Looking For Alaska to anyone who is in search of a thrilling and unbelievable story written by an amazing and brilliant author.

WW#2: The New Slide

I climb the ladder. The dark brown wood and neon yellow paint catch my eye. I am so excited; my new slide waits before me, beckoning me to sit upon its shiny plastic. My tiny hands grip each rung pulling me closer and closer to my next adventure.

I reach the platform, grinning as I look down at my sister and grandmother. One step, two steps, three steps later, and I am touching my new slide. It seems so long, so big, yet I can’t wait. I position myself - legs out, hands up, and push.

Whoosh! The wind flies into my face, whipping my hair back. The fresh spring air whirls around me, and I hear my sister shout, “Me next, me next!”

A rush of adrenaline courses through my veins. Then, suddenly, the feeling is over, gone, just like that. But instead of feeling the warm, soft grass beneath me, there is something else. It feels cold, and wet, and squishy. 

Reluctantly, I look down only to see in shock that I have landed straight in a mud puddle leftover from yesterday’s rain. “Haha!” a giggle bursts out from across the yard. I glare at my sister and grandmother, but it only takes me another second to realize that I am laughing, too.

WW#3: Perseverance is The key to Success

I believe that perseverance is the key to success. For five years I have been playing basketball. It all began in fifth grade when I joined my middle school team. I didn’t know a thing about the game, and the hoop was three times my height. I felt like a midget. The ball was bigger than my head, and the court seemed to stretch on for miles.

My first year on the team was really great. Our head coach was super nice and inclusive. Despite my clumsy moves and mostly questionable playing, he still treated everyone equally. I learned a lot and developed a real passion for the sport. I made a promise to myself, that no matter what, I would play all four seasons of basketball during middle school.

Sixth and seventh grade basketball went by in a blur. I still loved playing, and my teammates were great, but during those two seasons there were some significant changes. Change number one: a new head coach. He had previously been our assistant coach, but I knew that no one could quite compare to our old coach. Also our team dynamic changed. No longer was basketball just about having fun and trying your best--it was about winning. Our new coach stressed being the best. If you didn’t live up to his expectations, you were a bench warmer. Change number two: I was a bench warmer.

When sign-ups for the eighth grade season began I really contemplated not going out for the team. I wouldn’t have to waste my time working hard to sit on the sidelines. Despite the fact I could have just ended it all, I did not. I remembered what I had told myself in fifth grade, that no matter what, I would play basketball all four seasons during middle school. Besides, the team had improved so much and I wanted to be a part of it all.

The majority of my eighth grade season was no different than my sixth or seventh grade seasons. I continued to play infrequently. Overall we did very well. We had an undefeated regular season. When we got to the tournament, I was so ready to play and to show everyone what I could do. The first and second games were really disheartening. In game one, I played even less than usual. In game two, I didn’t play at all. I was the only person on my team who didn’t play. I was shocked, upset, and more than disappointed in my coach. Even my dad--who has never quit anything--told me that I didn’t have to be a part of the team anymore.

But I persevered. In the final game my coach put me in towards the very end. I was fouled and went to the line to shoot. I dribbled, and shot. Whoosh. It was all net. I scored my team’s last basket for our middle school career. It was then that I realized perseverance is the key to success.

WW#4: The Paul McCartney Concert 

A chill came through my body. I shivered in excitement. Pulling out my camera I started recording a video. “Were at the Paul McCartney concert!” I yelled to the blank screen. Music was blaring through several large stereos and people were quickly fileing in. From my seat at the top of the stadium I could see tiny figures crammed together at the entryway, waiting for their tickets to be scanned and the show to begin.

Everything felt surreal. Since I was five years old I had been listening to Beatle’s music. My sister and I would always play our favorite song Lady Madonna, which was about a stay at home mom with a chaotic life. We would run up and down our family room, dancing to the beat; acting out the songs story as we went.

The music quieted and the colorful lights framing the stage went black. The crowd fell silent. Everyone directed their attention forward. I was holding my breathe. All at once, screams and cheers illuminated the stadium, I leaned to get a better view and there front and center on the stage was Sir Paul McCartney.

McCartney looked incredibly young for being nearly seventy. His eyes gleamed and his face glowed. With confidence and ease he walked up to the front of the stage. He smiled and picked up the mic. Looking at the crowd he raised his arms and shouted “Hello Washington!”

Everyone was wild. I could feel the adrenaline working it’s way through the crowd. Moving into every body and leaving a smile on each face. Paul turned, gave a slight nod to his backup band, and the music began to play.

I watched as his fingers skipped from fret to fret with no hesitation, he strummed each chord with power and precision; letting the notes float softly in the air.The deep vibrations jostled my body and the sweet melody ran through my mind. As Paul sang the last note of Eight Days a Week I knew I was in for a great show. I listened intently and was able to hear`the songs final note dissolve quietly into the cool night air.

WW#5: The Four Day School Week

The four day school week-- it's every student and teacher’s dream. A day off from the stress and difficulty of school is exactly what we all wish for. The four day school week is beneficial to school communities because it gives time for students and teachers to relax, finish work, and it helps schools save money. Despite the fact all students and educators know how demanding school in today’s world can be, the four day school week is still only a mere fantasy for most.

One of the biggest issues in our modern day school system, is that students and teachers are losing motivation and becoming unfocused. Based on a recent survey from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, regular non-working high school students spend an average of 6.5 hours in school and another 0.9 hours in various after school activities. With so much of our time spent in a school environment, it is more difficult to maintain determination and drive. The four day school week is a great solution to this problem. By giving both students and faculty the day off, people will have time to redirect their energy and focus. Also, the four day school week will help students and faculty control their health by giving everyone time to rejuvenate and prepare for the upcoming day.

Another common problem students and teachers often face during the school week, is not having enough time to finish work. The four day school week will help students and teachers excel because there is an extra day to complete any necessary tasks. Chris Fine, superintendent of the Lathrop school district in Clinton County, Mo., said that since 2010 kids in the Clinton County district have been going to school Tuesday through Friday with longer school hours. Mondays are reserved for students to do work and for teachers to have staff development meetings, time for lesson planning, and technology training.

Although the majority of people are supportive of the four day school week, there are still some who disagree with the idea. Non-supporters of the plan believe that switching to a four day week would be too difficult. Saying that converting to a four day school week would be complex, is a misconception because it has already successfully been done. Brian D. Hadfield, a Middle School Teacher, at Chippewa Valley Public School, in Michigan, says that schools in small rural towns have been switching to the four day school week in order to save money. Hadfield says, on average, substitute costs have gone down 76 percent, transportation costs have gone down 35 percent, and utility costs have gone down by 8 percent. Schools both big and small are looking for ways to cut down costs, and the four day school week does just that.

The four day school week benefits students, teachers, and school communities by providing time to refresh, time to finish work, and the the opportunity to help schools save money. With more time out of the classroom students are able to excel and enjoy school. The four day school week is a plan that should be pursued despite the fact it’s unconventional. Students and teachers who have participated in a four day school week program found that a great majority of people thought it was a beneficial change. If we want students and faculty to have a positive experience in a school community, then the four day school week is a schedule we should follow.

WW#6: Reaching Adventure

The clouds roll by, swept up by the wind. The sun is so bright, so hot. I smile. My dress ripples in the breeze, the air is sweet. I grin as three little mountain goats cross the dirt path up to my village. Their heads bob as they trek up the steep hill to Piskokefalo. Holding a pail of water, I follow the goats up the hill. Whenever I carry the water home, I always like to study the ocean. Each day it’s different. Sometimes the sun reflects off the water, making the quivering waves glisten. Other days, the ocean is full of fishing boats, catching food for the day. This morning, the ocean looks huge, bigger than normal. It has no beginning and no end. I want to be like the ocean. I want to be forever.

“Garifalia!”, my mother yells from our front stoop. I start running towards her. Some water from the pail trickles down my leg. “I’m coming; I’m coming!”, I shout breathlessly. I rush inside bumping into my little brother George as I go.“Sorry, ” I mumble as I run on. I stop in our courtyard. The smell of roses is overwhelming. The wind carries the scent deep into my nose. I slow to a stop and gently set the pail on the ground. A rush of sadness comes over me as I realize this is the last time I will ever carry the water home.

I stay in the courtyard. Sitting down, I close my eyes. The wind fades away, but the smell of roses is still undeniable. Footsteps approach me from behind, my mother gently taps my shoulder. I turn towards her, feeling embarrassed that she has found me in my state of meditation, I blush. Standing, I give her one more quick hug, and say “I’ll go get my bags.” She smiles and says “Go greet Manoli. Papa will bring your trunk.”

I run outside to take one last look around. I can’t help but smile as I look at my little village. In Piskokefalo, just one of the thousands of villages in Crete, each house touches one another. Many houses here are built into the walls of ancient forts. They are small and white, with colorful doors. Flowers and vines cover the sides, yet all the houses look so pristine. Even the dirt paths touching the doorways have been swept clean.

I take in our little church and the market where we get food. Everything I’ve known growing up is still in sight. Silently I acknowledge the olive trees, I will always have the ocean, and the roses, but I will miss these trees. I’ve played under these olive trees, I’ve hidden behind their branches, and I’ve even taken their olives. I will miss my village, I will miss my island, and I will miss my country, but I still smile. I am more than excited for what’s to come. This week marks my first month as a married woman. I just returned from my honeymoon and now I am leaving everything I know to go on the biggest adventure of my life.

I watch as two donkeys meander towards me. My husband and father walk beside them holding their reins. My husband, Manoli, climbs onto a donkey and pulls me up. My father places one trunk onto my lap and straps the other onto his donkey.“Off we go,” he calls. Slowly we trek down the mountainside towards the pier. As we approach the water, I see a small ferry waiting at the shore. We load our bags onto the boat, I say one more goodbye to my father, then Manoli and I  jump from the pier into the ferry. “Safe travels!”, my father shouts. Manoli and I smile and wave as Piskokefalo becomes a tiny speck in the huge mass of mountains.

The ferry is crowded with people. Everyone is from different villages, but we are all heading towards the same place. The sunlight slowly dwindles away and night is caste over the sea. When I awake the next morning we are approaching Athens. Upon our arrival, we board from boat to boat. More people are on our next ship, I can see that everyone is quietly bracing themselves for a long ride. Although I love the ocean, I quickly tire of riding on the boat. The days pass slowly and everything I have been looking forward to seems so far our of reach. The ride feels infinite and the ocean seems more endless than ever. Every cloud looks the same and the different shades of blue in the sea all merge together.

I’m beginning to lose hope. I wonder if I should have ever left my home and my family. Anxiously, I begin to pace around. “When will this be over?”, I ask myself. Exhausted of traveling and doubting my choices, I walk out to the deck. The air is warmer than before, but something else is different too. The ocean, it's changed. The ocean still seems to stretch on for forever, but in the distance there is a collection of large rectangular shapes. I've never seen anything like it. They’re buildings. They are long, tall, and thin. The buildings line the shore of an approaching island.

The clouds roll by, swept up by the wind. The sun is so bright, so hot. I smile. My dress ripples in the breeze; the air is sweet. I grin as I realize we have reached Ellis Island. We have reached our adventure. 

Revision reflection: I chose to revise WW#6 because this piece was probably my favorite piece I've written all year. I wanted to make this piece completely perfect because I knew with revision it could be a great representation of my capabilities. I knew going into the process of revising I didn't want to make a lot of obvious changes, such as changing the plot. The revisions I made on this paper are very slight because I only wanted to perfect and enhance my work, but I didn't want to change my writing style and original ideas. I revised specific words, punctuation, and grammar in order to present an impressive and polished piece of work, that still incorporated my personality and individual flare. Again, this paper has in no way dramatically changed. By revising I have fixed punctuation and grammatical errors. I have also changed, added, and removed various sentences and words to give the paper better flow and make certain parts easier to understand.

WW#7: La Luna

In  the Pixar short film La Luna, a little boy goes up to the moon to help two men with their work. The men who are with the little boy constantly bicker over him. When they arrive at the moon a huge shooting star hits the floor, making the men fight even more. While they argue, the little boy figures out a plan and cracks the star. This makes the men realize that despite their differences they both love the little boy for who he is; which gives them a reason to get along. In La Luna, differences bring people together. 
The little  boy, who appears to be raised by the two men, is stuck in between their bickering and their two different points of view. Each of the men individually encourage the young boy to behave like they do. For instance, the grandfather and father argue over how the boy should wear his hat. Also later in the film the men disagree about what tools the boy should use to do his work. Both of the men believe they know what is good for the little boy. Because of this the men disregard one another's ideas which creates a large division in their family.  

When a shooting star hits the moon and is lodged into the floor no one knows what to do except for the little boy. While the men argue about what to do the boy decides to take matters into his own hands. He does this by throwing on his hat, and adjusting it to his liking, he then grabs a hammer, a tool of his choice, and climbs up the large shimmering star. He gently taps at the star. When the hammer and star collide the star cracks into thousands of smaller stars. In a blazing second boy is sitting on the ground covered by a massive pile of stars. In this moment the men realize that the little boy has his own personality and that he doesn’t need to be like either of the men. 
In La Luna, differences bring people together. Despite the relentless bickering that troubles the little boys family, the boy uses his own personality and ideas to unite his loved ones, and end their arguing. The little boy unites the two different men by using his own personality. He makes their differences, which they see in a negative way, a positive thing. By following his own path, a different path from both of the men, the little boy is able to bring his family together and show them that their unique ideas and personalities are a great aspect of their relationship. The little boy  is able to prove that differences really can bring people together.

WW#8: The Coming of Age: an analysis of William Stafford “Fifteen”

All people change, it’s a fact of life. Every person in the world is at some point faced with a life changing experience that pulls them apart from their innocence and youth. “Fifteen” by William Stafford is a poem addressing the journey from youth to adulthood and facing the stark contrast between imagination and reality. Stafford uses word choice, repetition, metaphors, and structure to portray the poem’s theme of coming of age.  

In “Fifteen,” Stafford uses specific words related to traveling to metaphorically portray the speaker’s journey from youth to adulthood. The reader is immediately presented with a transportation related word when the speaker says “South of the bridge on Seventeenth” (1), here the speaker finds a lone motorcycle with its engine running. Although the bridge in the text is a literal pathway, it can also be viewed as a metaphorical pathway because the speaker must cross a bridge in his life in order to leave behind his childhood and move forward towards adulthood. When the speaker finds the motorcycle he is presented with a difficult decision that tests his morality. He can either act as an adult and find the motorcycle’s owner or he can act as a child and take the motorcycle. In this first stanza, the speaker appears to be on the brink of adulthood, but has not yet crossed the bridge from his youth.

Stafford uses repetition of number to symbolize the speaker’s experience of maturing into his age. After each stanza, Stafford repeats the phrase “I was fifteen” (5, 10, 15.) The repetition of this phrase shows the speakers focus on age and his belief that age and behavior have relativity. The phrase “I was fifteen” (5-15) is in the past tense, this shows how the speaker is looking back on his life. The last stanza of the poem slightly varies from the other areas of repetition. In this last stanza the speaker says “I stood there, fifteen” (21). The variation in this stanza represents the speaker’s change throughout the poem. In the phrase “I was fifteen” (5, 10, 15) the speaker seems to be pointing out the fact he was the age fifteen. When the speaker says “I stood there, fifteen” (21) he appears to be declaring his age. His change in wording shows how he was always fifteen, but only through a coming of age has he really become fifteen and learned to act with maturity.

Stafford uses metaphors to show the speaker’s conflict between living in an imaginary world like a child versus living in reality like an adult. Once the speaker stumbles across the lone motorcycle, he immediately falls in love with its gaudy appearance and daring style. Upon his surprising discovery, the speaker admits “I admired all the pulsing gleam, the shiny flanks, the demure headlights fringed where it lay; I led it gently to the road and stood with that companion, ready and friendly” (6-10). This statement shows the speaker’s attachment to the motorcycle. He views the motorcycle as a friend, who can take him on amazing adventures. It is apparent that the speaker is contemplating taking the motorcycle when he says “We could find the end of the road, meet the sky on out Seventeenth” (11-12). This stanza shows his desire to act as a child and live in the unrealistic world of his imagination.

Later in the poem, the speaker realizes that he cannot escape reality and in this situation he must act as an adult. After the speaker has shooed away his childish daydreams, he decides he must take action and find the missing owner of the motorcycle. The speaker says, “Thinking, back farther in the grass I found the owner” (16-17). This piece of text shows us that the speaker has decided to act like an adult in this difficult situation. This act alone has created a shift inside the speaker. He had the opportunity to use his childhood, and age as an excuse for wrong doing, but he pushed aside what his imagination told him to do and followed his head. The speaker recalls, “I helped him walk to his machine. He ran his hand over it, called me a good man, roared away” (19-20) because the speaker took realistic measures and did the right thing, he stepped away from his youth and moved into adulthood.

Stafford uses structure to portray the moments before and after the speaker’s coming of age experience. In the poem it is apparent the speaker is fifteen. He declares his age multiple times throughout the text and emphasizes his age during his experience of finding the motorcycle. Stafford uses the structure of the poem to show the events before the speaker’s coming of age experience. The poem’s first fifteen lines are about the speaker finding the motorcycle and contemplating what he needs to do. Between line fifteen and line sixteen the speaker experiences a coming of age. This exact moment is not literally portrayed in the text, but between line fifteen and sixteen there is an obvious shift within the speaker. In line fifteen, the speaker is dreaming of taking off with the motorcycle and in line sixteen the speaker goes into the woods and finds the owner. It takes fifteen lines for the speaker to decide to do the right thing, and it takes fifteen years for the speaker to learn to do the right thing. Stafford uses stanza structure to symbolize the boy’s coming of age and the internal shift he experiences at the age of fifteen. 

“Fifteen” is a poem expressing the always individual, but very common experience of coming of age. In this poem, the speaker finds that age and behavior do not have to be associated. He discovers, that you are never too young or old to do what is right. By being presented with a difficult decision, the speaker is able to cross the bridge from youth to adulthood. He learns that although it is tempting to follow your imagination, living in the real world can be very rewarding. “Fifteen” is a beautiful and unique poem that reminds us of the struggles we will all encounter in life. William Stafford's “Fifteen” emphasizes the importance of doing the right thing in every stage of life. “Fifteen” reminds us of the amazing and life changing effects that helping others can often bring our way.

Revision Reflection: I chose to revise this piece because I was overall very proud of the final product of WW#8. Although I was pleased with my writing work for WW#8, my editing on this paper was certainly lacking. Before revising there were numerous punctuation errors and a few confusing areas where the paper was lacking explanation about the poem's plot. I knew with some more editing and revising this paper could be so much better. I didn't want my editing errors to detract from my work, so I decided to revise this piece. While revising I thought about clarification. I wanted my paragraphs to be easy to read and understand. I knew that by clearing up some confusing areas and by polishing my punctuation, this paper would be much cleaner and more organized. Like WW#6 none of my revisions were drastic. I just wanted to perfect what I already had in my paper. Since originally writing this piece, it has changed with improved punctuation and clarity. I tried to improve the paper's flow by revising individual paragraphs, so each section had a clear and concise point.