Final Blog

Christopher Baird
I have been asked to take time and reflect on what I have learned this semester. This was a pleasurable assignment given that I enjoyed myself so much. I was surrounded by warm and caring people. The things I learned in this class will remain part of me for the rest of my life. I would like to start with the begging of the semester. I would have to admit I was nervous meeting a new professor and getting adjusted to the summer schedule. I quickly put my anxieties aside the moment the class started on day one.
The first area we studied was short stories. I simply found it be hilarious that Miss Scott had chosen a method of choosing the stories we were going to read by random. I can see how picking some of your favorite stories for a class like this can be rather difficult. I generally have not read short stories in the past. I tend to stick to the novels and my main source of reading material. I learned that this was a error. I learned that the stories may be short they still have the ability to impact us. The two short stories I enjoyed the most was Mother Savage and Orientation. The stories were so radically different. Mother Savage about cold blooded murder in an attempt to atone for her husband's and sons deaths. I enjoyed orientation. It was so far off the wall. It showed how complex a simple office can be. I loved the unofficial information that was given about each employee. That they all acted professionally for the most part and had some small shortcomings that needed to be adjusted for.
The next thing we did was poetry. This section was filled with insight and inspiration. I had not read a poem in years, and enjoyed it immensely. I loved hearing the chose the class picked. I myself chose the poem Nothing Gold Can Stay. The poem was about the short period of youth and how it should be cherished. Youth is a funny thing in this regard. The next thing we did was 10 minute plays. This plays ranged from the creepy to the bazaar. I think the story about the serial killer and the kittens haunted me the most. The idea of a monster existing praying on the innocent like that causes my blood to boil.
The next thing we did was learn about literary moments. The small portions of time that works contained a new theme or writing style. I also learned to expand the area of genres that I have grown accustomed to read. The examples of literature that have seen varied so much. I was exposed to a hundred years and more of writing movements. My favorite was probably the stories contained within the New Journalism packet. I would like to say my fellow class members did a excellent time picking material that reflected their period. Some of the choices surprised me. I did not realize that material from one movement could be so varied.
I think for the most part the greatest thing I learned was a new found appreciation for the written word. I think somewhere along the way life just caused me to look over this source of enjoyment. I learned that a piece of work often is a great indicator of the times in which the period was written. The boot movements showed culture was loosening up to eventually become the drug filled days of the 60's.
In conclusion, I like to say that I enjoyed my self immensely. I enjoyed hearing and seeing what my fellow classmates thought to be important. I love reading the blogs . There were a few that I will remember for quite some time.