Leila McBride 

English 110

Jason Lobell

17 November, 2023

Cover Letter

I think in my essay I’m proudest of how clear and specific my point and argument became. In the beginning, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to argue about, and when I chose what I wanted to argue, I wasn’t really sure how I was going to demonstrate that. So I like and am proud that I was able to get my point across clearly and succinctly and feel my argument is solid and impactful. 

I was drawn to choosing this topic because of how current the issue of banned books are at the moment. I also was curious about how it affects education and literature when you resort to banning books. On a smaller scale on social media, I’ve seen how certain posts or outlets are censored or shadow-banned to pursue an agenda of a specific interest group. Even in this, I could see the negative impact with respect to how it affects people’s knowledge and critical thought. So I wanted to get answers to the actual consequences of and reasons both for and against book banning.

In my research, I learned a lot more about banned literature in other regions of the world. I knew of very broad examples and obviously current ones, but I wasn’t aware of the censorship of literature in India, so it was very interesting to read and learn about it. I also discovered more about how teachers are handling the increase in literature censorship in their classrooms and their views on it, which I appreciated learning about. 

I think it’s important for people who are being subjected to censorship of literature to read this essay to inform themselves about how harmful this could be and why they should advocate for and try to pursue texts that are being banned despite this. Specifically for students, I think it’s important for them and their parents to understand the dangers in banning books, and why they should not advocate for this (censorship of literature) and be open to reading books that diverge from the norms.

Research Paper: The Dogfight Over Banned Books 

In 1839 the words “The pen is mightier than the sword” were spoken by Edward Bulwer-Lytton and nothing has ever held more truth. The written word has always had the ability to provoke, inspire, and either begin or end wars. Written words can educate, persuade, and even weaponize people. Books have often become the target of censorship because of their importance in early education and their ability to shape young minds. The issue of banned books highlights the reality of how societies view free speech, authority, and the most impartantly right to access information and ideas. Banned books are the results of restrictive governments, institutions, and communities, seeking to maintain social order through censorship. To accomplish this, certain works of literature are portrayed as being too insensitive and controversial to be allowed into areas of education. This paper will explore and examine the reasons behind their censorship, the implications for society, and the enduring impact of the written word. It will enumerate writings’ ability to implore readers to actively think about and rationalize the world around them, in the words of texts, which threaten institutions that thrive on people’s obedience. While censorship of literature is said to protect and guard against harm, it is actually used by institutions in power to control populations and spread singular narratives, which ultimately clamp down on knowledge as well as subduing the rationality with which people view the world. 

Without a doubt, censorship of literature has been present in societies across the globe, the question is, what is the true reason for it? Following the logic of pro-censorship institutions, books are most notably banned due to content that is deemed offensive, inappropriate, or objectionable by certain individuals or groups. This may include explicit language, sexual content, or the discussion of controversial topics. Moreover, books that get banned are primarily targeted at the youth. Therefore censorship of this nature is said to protect young minds from ‘harmful rhetoric’ that is spread by said books. For example, a more lighthearted example is the censorship of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter trilogy in parts of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia because of its inclusion and depiction of magic (Smith 4). 

However, the issue of censorship becomes much more serious when examining the prohibition of books that discuss issues of misogyny, racism, and religious differences, etc. Furthermore, taking into account which books are banned, the true nature and goals of the censorship becomes evident; thus not to guard against harmful content, but to guard against foreign and alternative ideologies and thought. Most notably, the banning of books like A Handmaid’s Tale, Girl In Pieces, and The Hate U Give, (“Here”). Or most ironically Farheneit 451 by Ray Bradbury, which explores a dystopian future society where books are banned and “firemen” burn any that are found. The protagonist rebels against the oppressive regime to rediscover the importance of literature and free thought. When these books and others like them get banned, it becomes increasingly difficult or even impossible to engage with these issues altogether. The danger in this is that it only allows for closed-minded and narrow thinking to fester. When people are exposed to only one narrative which is driven by their own governments, states, and communities, especially from a young age, only a singular story can be accepted by them, and all other realities are excluded and refuted in their minds immediately; as it doesn’t align directly with the knowledge and literature they’ve been exposed to and indoctrinated with. 

Additionally, if the goal is to protect students from literature that has content that is ‘too harsh’ or ‘unpalatable’, when it is a reality for people in present day societies, it would be much more reasonable to address those issues honestly, starting by speaking and reading about them, rather than censoring them all together.

Analyzing history’s examples, cases of banned books in societies and their consequential effects are highly evident. Often, governments are at the crux of enforcing book banning. In 1617 India, during the reign of the British Raj, the implementation of book banning was especially prevalent. The government justified this by permitting book banning, noting that it was well within the rights of the government if it was in the interest of: “(a) the maintenance of the security of India; (b) the maintenance of public order and standards of decency” (Noorani 10). Although it clarified that the banning of books, mentioned in the categories above, go beyond the reasonable restrictions that were defined in the constitution. It, however, did not stop the government from enacting these bans to enforce their power over the country. The literature that was subsequently banned contained, “religious controversy, nationalist, secular politics, and patriotic poetry” (Noorani 10). Anyone who did not act according to or who encouraged the spread of this literature was seen as “imputing disloyalty to the country to any such group” (Noorani 11). In doing so the British Raj was able to control the literature that was spread about religion and Indian patriotism, which would defy the British imperial power in India at the time. 

Similarly, the radical expression of book banning is most evidently seen in book burnings during Nazi Germany. In “Books Cannot be Killed by the Fire: The German Freedom Library and the American Library of Nazi-Banned Books as Agents of Cultural Memory”, Nikola von Merveldt looks at two libraries that were founded as symbols of resistance to Nazi Germany. These libraries hold books that were banned and were often the target of book burnings by Nazi Germany. Von Merveldt determines that book censorship and book burning were used to ‘cleanse’ the German people of any views that contradicted Nazi rule (4). This is demonstrative of the correlation between book banning and the suppression of knowledge. The establishment and existing state of these libraries are a testament to and symbolic of resistance against oppressive powers that exercise power by censoring literature. The banning of books functions as a more advanced and strategic tool to achieve psychological manipulation and obedience of minds, akin to book burnings like the above example.

It is irrefutable that reading by its very nature is intellectual, it requires reflection of what is written, against previously held ideals, and the dissection of the meaning behind what is written. Hence “readers tend, therefore, to be more reflective and more critical than nonreaders”(Knox 29). In a journal article by Emily Knox, she makes the avid point that people in power, who argue for censorship of literature do so because they know the power of books (29). Books are critical instruments for the creation of intellectual beings. Intellect is dangerous to higher powers, because left to grow, there is nothing that is not questioned, reconsidered and further analyzed. The banning of those books subsequently means a banning of intellectual thought. Evidently, it only makes sense that immutable power structures in place censor the one thing –  literature –  that can call their judgement into question; alleviating them from the ‘hazard’ of intellectual insurgance. The suppression of books that deviate from the set “norm” draws an easy path into obedience. 

Knox further elaborates that she, herself, purposefully picks texts in her classroom that she wants her students to wrestle with ideologically. Without this, exposing students to ideas they have not encountered before, they are not provided with “the cultural capital they need, to be citizens in a democracy”(Knox 29). 

With this knowledge, the implementation of banned books in classrooms becomes glaringly problematic and intellectually deconstructive in practice. In “To Ban or Not to Ban: Confronting the Issue of Censorship in the English Class,” Marilyn Maxwell and Marlene Berman discuss the issue of adapting lessons to banned books in recent years; whether the censorship of literature is ethical, or even valid in discussion. This is most apparent when considering the freedom of education as well as freedom of speech in the context of the United States. They conclude that banning books restricts access to diverse perspectives and limits intellectual freedom, which hinders educational opportunities for students. Furthermore, they note that banning books can be seen as a violation of the First Amendment (Maxwell, Berman). They continue to say that most teachers want their classrooms to be a platform for free and respectful exchanges of ideas, including controversial ones, to fully educate students on complex issues in the world. The prohibition of specific books that engage with topics that are crucial to discuss, completely disregards and robs young students of the opportunity. 

The true strength of literature lies in its ability to challenge, provoke and inspire, transcending boundaries to illuminate the complexity of our existence. Institutions that resort to censorship betray the very essence of intellectual freedom, impeding the evolution of society and fostering a climate of uniformity. Institutional censorship of literature serves as a prison for not only writers but audiences alike, specifically young developing minds. When institutions wield the power to silence dissenting narratives, they inadvertently sculpt a singular and often harmful storyline that narrows our collective understanding of the human experience. 

Works Cited

Here is every book banned in America – Harper’s Bazaar. 11 Sep 2023. 

Knox, Emily J. M. “Books, Censorship, and Anti-Intellectualism in Schools.” The Phi Delta Kappan, vol. 101, no. 7, 2020, pp. 28–32. JSTOR.

Maxwell, Marilyn, and Marlene Berman. “To Ban or Not to Ban: Confronting the Issue of Censorship in the English Class.” Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, vol. 41, no. 2, 1997, pp. 92–96. JSTOR.

Merveldt, N. von. (2007, April 12). Books cannot be killed by fire: The German Freedom Library and the American Library of Nazi-banned books as agents of cultural memory. Library Trends.

Noorani, A. G. “Book Banning.” Economic and Political Weekly, vol. 42, no. 48, 2007, pp. 10–11. JSTOR.

Smith, Michelle. “Sex and other reasons why we ban books for young people.” (2015). 

Leila McBride 

English 110

Jason Lobell

12/4/23

Self Assessment Essay 

I have always acknowledged that writing is one of my strongest attributes. Moreover, the importance of being able to write well. However, that being said I never gave much thought to  why that was the case, I just knew it was.

 From the beginning of this course, it became apparent how important language politics was and how it was going to be covered. From the onset, it was an eye-opener to hear and read stories of people’s experiences. While I was never oblivious to the premium society puts on standard English, I will admit that it was not at the forefront of my mind until I entered this class. It allowed me to gauge the many different ways language politics affects people, and how different styles of language can provide more opportunities and understanding for a wider array of people that are otherwise disregarded. Throughout the first phase of the course it became evident from a number of readings that those who did not speak standard English were often ostracized and belittled because of their particular use of English. Through many stories, like Amy Tan’s ‘Mother Tongue’ and June Jordan’s, ‘Nobody Mean More to Me Than You and The Future Life of Willie Jordan’, we learned the importance of acceptance of different approaches to English and how humanizing people is vital in empathizing with different styles of English, which often defy standard norms.

More specifically, through my language and literacy narrative, I was able to discover within myself, how language politics also affects those whose first language is English, if it is not used in a socially ‘correct’ way. I was able to develop my thoughts further in my peer analysis. I was able to understand how my peers from different cultures, despite adversities, used their bilingual nature to progress. Further emphasizing how important it is to break down standard English; and how once it is broken down, more people can advance. 

I found that personal writing and peer analysis was something new to me during this course. Despite my college Common App essay, I had never really been assigned any personal writing. So it was a new experience for me to explore something other than academic and/or research related writing. It allowed me to broaden my writing abilities. 

As for readings, from the start, we were introduced to a multitude of media that demonstrate the importance of language politics. From poetry to personal essays and TED talks, it was beneficial to see all the ways in which we can interpret and connect to information. We also indulged in this, when presenting our own different multi-media in our language and literacy presentations. It enhanced the stories that our peers shared greatly. It was liberating to see the different ways in which each story was conveyed, in the tone, humor, and such, whilst still  maintaining the same strength of message in reaching other people. 

When developing strategies for my writing I was able to further my base knowledge of citing sources, learning new things that I hadn’t known before, for example, how to cite a source when there is no author or publication date. Additionally, throughout the course, we had to analyze and pinpoint rhetorical strategies in our own work, our peers’ works, and the readings we read. A strategic thought I started to focus on in our readings and with respect to my own writing was ‘who is my audience?’ and ‘what do I want my audience to get out of this?’ Previously, I felt that I had done this superficially, but throughout the semester, by repeating this exercise over a variety of sources, it allowed me to connect my writing to the purpose, message and audience of my work. As for revision, I never had a specific way of revising my writing, however learning to write one simple sentence about each of my paragraphs, describing what my paragraph is attempting to convey, really helped me hone in on a strategy that can work for me now and in future. 

Revisiting all the specifics of this course has reemphasized the skills that I’ve adopted in each phase. Not only as a writer, but as a reader, I can feel more confident in analyzing texts using rhetorical terms and strategies. While also using these skills to understand complex and important issues in the world such as language politics and its consequences.

I was drawn to choosing this topic because of the current ban on banned books. I was also curious about how it affects education and literature when you ban books. On a smaller scale, on social media, I’ve seen how certain posts or outlets are censored or shadow banned in order to pursue the agenda of a specific group. Even in this, I could see the detriment in how it affects people’s knowledge and critical thought. So I wanted to get answers to the actual consequences and reasons for or against book banning.

With this research essay, I’m hoping to reach organizations or institutions considering banning books. I want to alert them to the dangers of doing this. And for those who are victims of this or are actively experiencing banned books, I want them to seek out these banned books to gain a broader perspective and critically analyze why that book or piece of literature would have been banned.

I hope to demonstrate the actual consequences that we’ve seen in our society in history when literature of certain genres, rhetoric, etc. were banned.

I hope to get a better understanding of this issue of the censorship of literature. Despite my own views, I would still like to get a better understanding of the argument for banning books and try to see where they would be coming from. Ultimately, though, as stated before, my view is that banning books only seeks to control the minds of a society as well as hinder the mind in critical review of texts and thinking. Knowledge is very powerful, and censoring people’s ability to gain new knowledge or a different perspective on knowledge is only harmful.

Leila McBride

Jason Lobell

English 110

4 October 2023

Language and Literacy Written Narrative

1.) I think that in this essay I am most proud that I wrote about a personal moment in my life. I generally don’t always or often write about personal memories or feelings so I’m glad I was able to do so without making it too academic and leaving the ‘me’ aspect present.

2.) I believe that there are two audiences to my essay. For one, I would like teachers of all agegroups, but especially of younger children, to read my narrative. I think my story, along with many others like mine, illustrates the critical part that teachers play in how kids define their intelligence and exceed in learning. Without encouragement, kindness and sincerity, it is almost inevitable that it will crush a young child’s spirit and passion for learning and, like in my case, writing. I think my second audience would be children who have had similar experiences or feel they are sharing one right now, whether it be a teacher or another aspect of their life hindering their passion and drive for academics; I would like them to know that despite that, they can be great and seek their own approval. 

3.) In my literary essay, I used quite a bit of imagery to set the scene and create the same vision I see when I think back to these moments. I also used humor in my piece, to allow my writing to gain traction with the reader and allow them to feel greater relatablity to it; while still allowing them to appreciate the seriousness of the matter. 

4.) This essay made me realize how language politics has affected me in my own life. Even in situations where I wasn’t aware of it. Having to think back to specific moments, renewed moments in my life where I noticed specific choices and distinctions I would make with my accent and way of speaking. Additionally hearing everyone else’s stories allowed me to rethink the appearance that language politics takes on for everyone else, and how language politics affects people’s conformity in such a wide array of ways.

Final Written Narrative

Anyone who knows me knows I’m as stubborn as they come. Especially in my writing and work. I like the particular way I phrase things, I like the way my writing sounds to my ear. They’d probably protest but I know I get it from both my parents. Looking back now it’s become crystal clear how my stubbornness in writing manifested from my experience in third grade. 

From the beginning of the school year, it was clear to me that my teacher was no fan of mine. She didn’t waste any time trying to hide it either. She would pick on me, talk over me when she called on me, make sly comments about my family and my race, and occasionally accuse me of things. I knew the cause. It was something I took great pride in anywhere but in her classroom. It was my dad’s role in the anti apartheid struggle in South Africa,  and his strive and commitment to ensuring equality for everyone. I wore this like a badge of honor, but in her classroom, it gave her a bright red target; and writing prompts were to be her weapon. So I simply decided if this was the way it would be, she wouldn’t get anything out of me. Especially for writing. Even if it was at my expense. During her lessons, she would ask the class to write a paragraph about our weekend, what we did, what we ate, anything. I would look down at my sheet and write a sentence. Then gaze out the window. After a while, she would come past my desk, scrutinize the flowers I’d drawn all over my page, and scoff. After giving a few more prompts she would collect everyone’s work. 

The next day I’d come in, she’d hand back our papers, and to no surprise mine was littered with red ink scribbles. “I can’t grade your work,” “You didn’t even try,” my personal favorite, a large X covering what used to be my flowers. 

This continued for a while until she’d had enough. She sent a letter home and decided I had to be sent for extra language and writing classes during free time and recess time. 

When that bell rang, while others were out playing, and eating lunch, I had to march my way across the school to extra classes. I was not a fan. I even tried to skip a few times, but that only lengthened my sentence. I was too embarrassed to explain to my friends why I was no longer out on the playground. I didn’t want them knowing, that I, needed extra help. I would circumvent questions and hope they wouldn’t catch on. 

I knew I could write. I truly just did not want to write for her. I knew she would not be listening to my words, so why waste my effort? But in the end, it wasn’t my choice. So I sat down with the new teacher; she had scarlet frizzy hair that she kept loose. Her black-framed glasses detailed her face and she wore a colorful sweater over a pastel green shirt. Her room was a small one, pushed to a quiet forgotten corner of the vast campus. She started small. Asked me to describe things I saw outside and such. I’d take a look outside, and the leaves would catch my attention, I’d forget I was even there, until I felt the pencil fall out of my hand, and I’d be transported back to the small little room. 

After I’d written a few words and simple sentences, we moved along and she asked me to describe a vacation I’d had. I loved vacations, my mom always planned elaborate ones, so it wasn’t an obstacle describing one. 

I went into great detail about who went on the vacation, how long we were there, what we did, and why that destination, I went on and on. Until she stopped me. She paused for a second, looking utterly confused. “If you can describe it, why don’t you just write?” I don’t remember the exact answer I gave her but it was along the lines of ‘I don’t feel like it’. She laughed. 

From that moment, the moment she found amusement in my comical stubbornness, I wrote, not for my teacher, but I wrote for her in my extra lessons. I wanted her feedback, I wanted her help. When I did well, she made sure to let me know, she’d give me stickers. I kept one she’d given me on my backpack for the rest of the year, it was a green turtle. 

Sentence by sentence, she’d ask me to describe something, and I’d have to write it down. A lot of the time, my thoughts were so quick, that I lost track of them, so she’d ask me to immediately write them down. Even still today I find myself doing the same thing, every time I feel anything of importance pop into my head, I urge myself to write it down. 

While I always possessed the ability to write, she was able to help me beyond just getting me to write, she helped me voice my thoughts, and my words in written form, without shying away from it. It allowed me to write in a way that my work and I can be taken seriously and treated with respect. 

When I eventually did write for my actual teacher, a couple of paragraphs this time, I imagine she was probably displeased that she had to give me credit, despite my flowers still featuring prominently on the page. 

Leila McBride

English 110

Jason Lobell

10/20/2023

Peer Profile Cover Letter

1.) I think I am most proud of my delivery of Tiara’s story. I tried to write in a way that would accurately and sincerely reflect her feelings and experiences that are rooted in her languages and culture. I also liked the structuring of my paragraphs and the pattern of my thoughts combined with Tiara’s thoughts throughout the profile. 

2.) I employed a lot of verbatim quotes and paraphrased sentences directly from the interview I had with Tiara. I did this to directly connect the audience of this peer profile to what Tiara felt and what her narrative was speaking to. I also used extensive descriptions to give the reader a better rationalization and understanding of Tiara, her language, and her writing. 

3.) Writing this profile encouraged me to learn more about my peer’s life and experiences on a more intimate level. I was able to view her narrative through a much more refined lens and see how specifically her family and her determination were key when dealing with being bilingual and how she put it to use. Additionally, I was able to see how someone else’s linguistic experiences are both different and similar, in particular ways, to mine. Despite being from two different cultures I was able to connect to Tiara’s experiences, which made me think about how different yet universal a lot of experiences with language can be to people.

4.) I believe the audience for Tiara’s narrative might be her family, to show them her pride and gratitude for their support. As well as anyone who is struggling with being bilingual to show them that if they are determined enough they might be able to create a business of their own or something similar. I think the audience for my peer profile could and/or should include anyone curious about the benefits of being bilingual and what serves as good motivation to implement and use bilingualism in their lives. I believe the narrative provides the audience an opportunity to experience Tiara’s pride in embracing her identity by maintaining her mother tongue whilst also assimilating into a new culture. This is an empowering example and stands as a model for many children who are in her position. I think this can be drawn from Tiara’s narrative as well as throughout my profile. I think I would also want Tiara to read it, just to know if I portrayed her thoughts well and what her thoughts were in general. 

Final Peer Profile of Tiara Maldonado

Tiara Maldonado is a first-generation student, born to an immigrant family, with both parents being from the Dominican Republic. Family has been and continues to be one of the most important parts of Tiara’s life. From a young age, her mother encouraged her and her sister to master English and incorporate it into their home life, combined with Spanish. Spanish continues to be a tether that connects her with her family to this day. 

While Tiara says she uses predominantly English nowadays, she still gravitates toward Spanish whenever she is in the presence of her grandmother, as “she strictly only speaks Spanish”. Growing up, both of her parents had to work lengthy hours, and during this time she would be in the company of her grandmother, who only strengthened her roots in the Spanish language. Despite her mother’s limited knowledge of English in Tiara’s early life, her mother strived for Tiara’s adoption of the English language. Not only did she do this for Tiara but for herself as well; building and strengthening Tiaras’s bridges with both Spanish and English at the same time. 

This being the case, Tiara has felt more supported by her family in her journey with language as opposed to having to face it more independently. However, the encouragement and dedication from her mother are most notable. Even at times “when it was hard to maintain both languages at the same”, and when her Spanish diminished, her mom and family were there to help her revive it.

Even though in recent years Tiara uses English more commonly, there are still phrases in Spanish that just do not feel as right in English, such as: “¿cómo estás?” and “¿bien y tú?”. Conversation starters in Spanish flow more naturally for Tiara and she is “more comfortable” starting conversations in this way. 

Both English and Spanish have a place in Tiara’s heart and life, much like the rest of her family. While there were struggles for herself and her mom when grasping the English language and maintaining Spanish while doing so, their ability to achieve it and prosper from it, “demonstrates [their] resilience and independence”. They use both languages in striving to give themselves more opportunities. 

As struggling with a language can culminate in so many ways, Tiara further explains that at times when writing this narrative, “it was hard to write about one specific thing”. When queried she explained that she wasn’t sure if writing about one specific thing would express the culmination of her struggles and achievements while also demonstrating the ones that her mother grappled with. 

However, while this was the case in the beginning, it later ended up being a strength. Tiara’s implementation of pathos in her writing conveys a variety of in-depth explanations of ways language has impacted her. She speaks of its ability to connect her to her roots, being able to “talk to [her] friends in Spanish and be able to talk about [her] family traditions,” which allowed for this connection. Even more so Tiara’s in-depth explanations and descriptions allow us to align ourselves with Tiara and her experiences. We can empathize with her and ascribe these feelings to similar experiences in our own lives. 

Despite the struggle of magnifying one singular aspect where language has changed her, Tiara elaborated on a few. Similarly in her life, following the example of her mom, she honed those different experiences, and combined them with her independence, using it to create something valuable. Like starting her own business as a nail technician where she was able to put her bilingualism to use. 

Tiara mentions that similar to a skill, her language “comes and goes at times”, specifically her Spanish. During her heavier school years, she wasn’t able to practice as much Spanish because she was not servicing many clients. Her Spanish decreased a bit. However, in times when she has had more free time and flexibility, like now, when she can take a lot more clients, her Spanish peaks. 

Her ability to interchangeably use these two languages gives her a gateway to more clientele and a broader variety of experiences as a service provider. She is able to provide services for people who didn’t have that opportunity before due to language barriers.

Likewise, Tiara has always “enjoyed interacting with kids and saw it in [her] career path from early on”. Her journey with being bilingual set her on a steadfast path toward early education. As Tiara volunteers and continues to do so, she enables kids to embrace and foster their bilingualism too. It has allowed her to see the struggles that kids in immigrant and/or bilingual households face, with not being able to excel in academia due to a linguistic barrier. To aid this, Tiara wants to strive to be a teacher of bilingual nature who can be there for kids who need it, “sparing them from any further struggles due to language barriers”. As she explains, the gift is to be able to hold two languages in your possession.

She discusses in detail the positive outcomings of her volunteer work and her nail technician experience. With this, we can rationalize and reason with all the points she makes about the benefits of being of bilingual nature and culture.

Despite any stumbling blocks, Tiara and her family have always pushed to be independent and creative. Tiara has used this influence and support to volunteer and start her own business as a nail technician. In both of these aspects of her life, she can demonstrate her bilingualism, using it to help her and to make others’ lives easier. As well as using it for motivation in situations where she can demonstrate her proficiency in both languages. The gratitude that Tiara has for her bilingualism and her use of it is inspiring. She hopes to further inspire those younger than her, in a similar fashion to how she was encouraged.

I enjoyed reading my peers language and literacy  narratives.I think even though I was able to see brief presentations of everyone’s in phase one, phase two allowed me to fully grasp the extent to which someone has been affected by language. Especially for my partner, I felt as though I learned so much more from fully reading her narrative than I thought I knew from her presentation.

As for interviewing, I enjoyed interviewing my peer. I felt as though I could connect to a lot of what she was saying, but as I previously stated, I learned a lot more about her. It enabled me to write more deeply and personally about her in my peer profile. The only thing I wish is that perhaps there were two rounds of interviewing after finishing the interview, the first draft of the peer profile, and subsequent peer revision. I found myself wanting to know more about specific things that I hadn’t asked about. Either at fault of my own questions or lack of a second interviewing stage, I felt as though I didn’t have a full grasp of how her writing style connected to her background and identity. I knew a lot about the two separately; I was just struggling to revise and make that connection a bit stronger. So I think maybe a short second interview round could’ve been helpful in this way.

I also liked reading other people’s peer profiles. I think it allowed me to see other routes and strategies people were using to write theirs, and it allowed me to think about how I could revise and develop mine further.

I think writing is extremely powerful. I think a lot of times, when there is discourse or upheaval, writing is one thing people can do that helps as well as making an impact. When someone can write and use writing to help others and use it to educate, creating impacts, it gives a voice to those that don’t have the power to speak.

I think that engaging in writing can help educate and inform yourself and others. Engaging in writing and reading other people’s writing can breed creativity. It sparks more active mind. I think that if writing were to stop all together or slow down drastically—I guess as it appears nowadays—it would hinder people’s ability to use their minds actively.

While I do not think this can only be done through writing, as speeches and such exist and are able to reach people in quicker and broader demographics, I think that writing can sometimes create a larger impact.

Everything in life is dependent on your ability to voice yourself and be literarily engaged. I think life can prove extremely hard when you are not able to read and express your own thoughts.

For most jobs in the world, you’d have to be able to write; not all jobs, but even in jobs where it’s not a necessity, I think writing could help make life easier. In order to communicate with bosses, write as your actual job and reiterate and relay messages, writing is essential.

At the start of phase one, I wouldn’t call it struggling, but I was having a hard time deciding or coming up with ways language had affected me. I didn’t really think of myself as someone who ever had to grapple with language or language politics. However, the more I thought and tried coming up with a few bad examples and a few good examples, I began to understand and remember all the ways language politics has played a part in my life. Even when writing about the moment I did eventually pick, my memories and thoughts of different moments kept springing up.
Throughout the process, the immediate feedback and guidance through emails were immensely appreciated; they allowed me to better understand the task and how my work was compared to the goals of the task.
I enjoyed the pace of all the lessons and felt they flowed quite well together. It helped me feel closer to my peers to be able to hear each of their stories; it broadened my understanding of them and how language politics affects various people.
I would say the only critique I do have would be on peer reviewing; I think it could maybe be more enforced. I just feel that at times I wasn’t given any feedback or constructive criticism on how to make my work better, so I felt as though my work remained similar through the drafting process.
Overall, I enjoyed phase one and felt as though the workload was manageable and enriching to engage in, write as your actual job, and reiterate and relay messages. Writing is essential.

Overall I enjoyed phase one and felt as though the workload was manageable and enriching to engage in.

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