Weekly Writings – Bookends

Sending Greetings!

My Presentation

This past week in class, I presented my research topic about the greeting cards industry and how they are sold to enable easy connection; yet they don’t spark any real connection. I was really excited about this topic because I’ve saved every card I’ve received since I was around eleven. I am a very sentimental person and I enjoy looking back and reading what people sent me in the mail. For the presentation, I focused on text and image. Often times greeting cards appear cute and gushy because of what it said. But if we take a step back, the words don’t have any meaning. Cards use generic phrases and terms to attempt to tell a story but the words feel very surface level. I brought many examples to support my point and it was kind of fun to bash greeting cards. In my real life I have no problem with greeting cards. I purchase them for friends and family and enjoy standing in the greeting card aisle at my local grocery store.

I also discussed how images attract consumers to greeting cards. Like the text portion of my presentation, I took the class on a deep dive and conveyed how images stand independent from the text and don’t lend any meaning. I used an example of a red-roofed barn that was commonly seen on Christmas cards during the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. There are sources that discuss how this image made its mark on holiday culture but there are many interpretations as to what the barn actually represents. This opened up another can of worms when I began discussing the implications of inserting images on cards. Images are in many ways more up to interpretation than text. I argued that in order for images to achieve success on cards, they need to be a product of the text’s meaning.

As I continue writing my paper, I’m interested in discussing how the mass production of greeting cards impacts the connection we anticipate to derive when looking for connection.

My Thoughts

When I concluded my presentation, I was unsure of my performance. I was positive that I could convey all of my information in the appropriate time frame but then Tina cut me off. I left the podium a little frazzled and confused. Where had the time gone? Was I speaking nonsense? Was a speaking coherently? Some of my peers whispered to me that they had enjoyed the information I had presented but I was still unconvinced. After reading the comments on the TAG feedback, it appeared that people enjoyed my information but I still need to clarify some of my points. I entered this presentation with an incomplete paper and didn’t have all the information to necessitate a well-rounded explanation. I am looking forward to expanding my explanation in my paper as I prepare to submit later this week.

Dear Mrs. Allen,

This past week was Thanksgiving break and it was my first time returning home since school began. It was a surreal experience to see my mom, dad, sister, and dog. During all of the time I spent at home cooking, baking, and spending time with my family, I couldn’t help but think about the spirit of Thanksgiving which is expressing your gratitude. Besides for my family and friends, I am incredibly thankful for my high school teachers who prepared me for college. I am especially grateful who my Junior and Senior literature teacher, Mrs. Allen, who I addressed my gratitude letter to.

Mrs. Allen is a very special person to me. She really enhanced my writing abilities and made me more consciously aware of how to structure my thoughts on paper (or on a computer screen). Besides for all of the writing lessons and skills I gained from her, I had many memorable and heart-to-heart conversations with her. She is a very personable person (funny play- on- words) and it was always very easy to express my feelings to her. We would often speak during Homeroom and Advisory Period about things that were bothering us–different students, teachers, pet peeves, TV shows–you name it, we talked about it. I am incredibly grateful for her as a person, teacher, and a friend.

Representation Makes the World Colorful

Among the many activities we did this past week in class, we read two entertaining epistolary children stories on Thursday. The first story we read, The Jolly Postman, weaved several nursery rhymes and stories together to tell an interesting and revamped narrative. The Day the Crayons Quit was the second story we read and my personal favorite. I had never heard the story before and was surprised when many had. The stories I grew up with were in my mind the classics of children’s literature: When You Give a Mouse a Cookie, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Goodnight Moon. I buckled up, strapped myself in, and was ready to hear the story.

Wow, what a story! But don’t fret, I’m about to summarize it for you. The story takes the perspective of the crayons as they communicate their issues of how Duncan, their owner, uses them. The story is very colorful as each crayon color addresses how it wishes to be used. When the story began, I immediately knew that the story would be very comedic and the dialogue mirrors that of a Seinfeld stand-up routine.

The white crayon is utterly confused for why Duncan uses it. It hardly ever gets a presence on the page because Duncan always uses a white background as opposed to black. It also complains that white is only ever used to color snow or fill in empty space. The purple crayon appreciates that it’s Duncan’s favorite but is ready to throw a fit if he doesn’t begin to color in between the lines. Examples like these made me think that perhaps these colors are a a metaphor for life. These colors represent different groups and demographics of people who may be misrepresented. There are many examples in the story when the different crayon colors bash Duncan for his lack in using its color and using it incorrectly. We find this similarly in culture and especially in media when a specific group of people is targeted because there is hate and many times misunderstanding. If we could all maybe be a little bit more kind, respectful, and thoughtful to those around us, I think the world would be a better place and filled with a little bit more color. And I think the crayons would find grace with this sentiment as well.

Diving into the Job Pool

This past week in class we discussed life after college. I was taken aback that we were already talking about post-graduate life. We just arrived at Muhlenberg ten weeks ago! Why the rush? Although I was surprised, I soon appreciated the discourse which occurred. I was given some time to think about my college timeline and what exactly I wish to accomplish in the next three and a half years. Since middle school I’ve wanted to pursue a degree in English and Creative Writing because I enjoyed my English classes. Despite the fact that I have received criticism as to why I would pursue such a degree with a low salary, these comments don’t sway me but rather encourage me to continue working hard to fulfill my dreams. What dreams you ask? Read the rest of this post to find out.

After college I would like to work as a Television comedy writer. It is extremely difficult to achieve success as a writer in show business but I have long been fascinated with TV production, and more specifically with the construction of character development, storylines, conflict and humor. I want to work in a creative environment and not in a cubicle. Having the ability and opportunity to work in a writer’s room would fulfill my creative dreams. I grew up watching my dad, an advertising writer, create the most incredible scripts and incorporate humor at the same time. On school holidays, I would go either to his office and watch him write or go to a Downtown Dallas editorial studio and watch editors masterfully cut commercials. These memories and experiences have without a doubt informed my decision to go into this field.

However, my real dream is to work as the camp director at the summer camp I attend. I have been interested in the camping industry for many years and I would also like give back to an institution which gave me so many life experiences. Camp has been my creative playground and working as the camp director would enable me to further add my creative flavor on a greater scale. Pursuing a degree in English would certainly assist me because camp director’s communicate regularly with the parent body, staff members, fundraising partners and vendors.

Cover Letters

After reading two articles from The Muse and Allison Green, I gained valuable tips for writing a personal and professional cover letter. A cover letter is more than just a résumé. It is a helpful way to introduce yourself and express your personality in addition to listing your job in a résumé. It’s not only important to write why you would be good fit for a job but it’s also important to convey why you would be a valuable asset to the entire company. When hiring employees, employers are also looking to see that you have good values in addition to past job experiences. A person may do their job well but employers need to know that they treat others with dignity and respect. An interesting tip I learned is to include comments said by colleagues, as it proves to the employer that your talents and skills are recognized by others. Even including a positive office nickname may leverage your chances of acceptance. Another interesting tip I learned is to use similar language found in the job description and the company’s mission statement to convey that your values are clearly aligned with that of the organization. This shows that you’ve researched thoroughly and your commitment for wanting such a job at a company.

It’s in the Cards for the Buyer

I’m interested in learning about the history of the greeting card industry and the profound impact it has had and continues to have on American culture. I want to argue that greetings cards give individuals the ability to connect with others more easily because of the variety of cards which are available. I find it easier to send a message to someone when its their birthday or their anniversary because I have a reason to communicate with them.

It is almost like greeting cards exist as the middleman between the sender and recipient. If the sender is uncomfortable with sending their own card, they can always turn to greeting cards which showcase cute personalization. The companies which create and distribute the cards such as American Greetings and Hallmark, create cards for any occasion that reflect any type of emotion the recipient may be feeling. This personalization enables the sender to send a message and doesn’t take away from the personal aspect that sender can add. Sending different styled cards

If you walk into almost any supermarket, there is almost always a greeting cards aisle or section. It would be interesting to discuss why this industry has exploded into supermarkets and why there aren’t individual greeting card stores. Perhaps to make greeting cards more accessible to the buyer they are placed in common locations where people go such as grocery stores? I think it would also be interesting to discuss the appeal of paper greeting card compared to e-cards.

Letter of Note: Improv Style

This past week in class, we picked a letter of note and then gave rapid-fire presentations similar to a Pecha Kucha. The letter I chose was written by Patrick Hitler to President Franklin D. Roosevelt on March 3, 1942. This letter was especially interesting to read because Patrick Hitler was Adolf Hitler’s nephew and he had to convince the president for admittance into the U.S. Army. Patrick claimed that he was ideologically different than his uncle in that everyone deserves freedom. He also used “fluffy” language to prove his self-worth and admiration for Roosevelt. This language really showed a stark contrast between him and his uncle. Overall, this letter unsealed an interesting World War II story I had not heard before and it made me more curious about Patrick Hitler.

Presenting this letter was quite the exercise. I had time to collect the information I wanted to discuss before class but we were only given ten minutes in class to construct and brainstorm our actual slides. This was a little stressful but definitely an exercise in quick thinking. We were also only given three minutes for the actual presentation and that made it really fun. I was definitely up for the challenge and it felt like I was performing improv on stage. I was laser focused when I was speaking and seeing Tina’s timer directly in front of me increased my nerves and also my excitement, which was weird. Perhaps I enjoy running on adrenaline? Anyway, I got through the presentation but I do think I spoke way too quickly. After all the presentations concluded, Tina did make note that some students’ had spoken too fast. Next time, I will slow down my speech and remain more in the moment.

“The Gift”: Unwrapping Epistolary Fiction

This past week in class, we read short stories in the epistolary format. I chose a story titled “The Gift”, which comes from an anthologized volume of short stories called Astray. The story takes inspiration from a period of time in America between 1853 to 1929, when there was mass migration of children on “Orphan Trains.” A quarter of a million children were sent from Eastern cities to rural locations in the Midwest and West, as well as Canada and Mexico. The story is about a woman named Mrs. Bell who gives up her one year old child, Lily May, up for adoption and her desperate correspondences to get Lily back from her adopted family, the Bassetts.

This story really intrigued me as I was reading it. I had forgotten that this mass migration movement had happened. It is almost like it is a forgotten part of history not taught enough in schools. I hadn’t realized how many orphans there were and it made me think about the countless number of families who took these children into their homes. Did the family dynamic change drastically? Were most of the kids younger or older? How did older children adjust to this new environment. I also thought about the identity of the child: did their name change once they were adopted like Lily May? If so, how did this impact the decision? Did the adopted parents have conversations discussing this or was it decided early on. Overall, I really enjoyed this short story and I look forward to reading more epistolary fiction.

Welcome to my Ted Talk!

Our Presentations

This past week we completed our study unit on World War II letter writing with our presentations which accompany our papers. It was very interesting to listen to many of the presentations and take note of the various public speaking techniques that were being used. I was especially impressed with the visual aids incorporated into the presentations and how each aesthetic differed from the next. One such presentation I found compelling addressed the theme of hope in letters from the “Last Letters from the Holocaust” archive in Yad Vashem. The individual spoke about that even in times darkness and destruction, hope always finds its way to the surface. Torah and Talmudic scholarship were used to support the argument and it was interesting to see which individuals were used to support the different strings of reasoning. I was surprised that the presenter volunteered to go first as she was struggling to brainstorm ideas. That being said, she did a great job.

Next up…Ezra!

When I was called up to present, I was very nervous. I am still not done with my paper and not having all of the necessary points to defend my argument about elements of romanticism in the My Dear Bessie Letters scared me. Overall, I think I presented pretty well considering the limited time I had to prepare due to Jewish holidays. I knew that it would be more interesting if the audience was involved and thank goodness there was participation. Making use of my surrounding space was very important to me and I used it when talking about the word “forage.” The laughter I received in response to my doing that was satisfying. I initially was very nervous about the time constraint in my presentation but after I finished, I was pleasantly surprised. Ironically, I wish I had a little bit more time to talk about my last point which would have tied the presentation together.

Hearing that we have extended time to complete our papers was the highlight of my day. Even though I will continue to spend much time writing and editing, I find comfort in knowing that I don’t have to be so stressed out about the impending deadline. Stay tuned next week to read my paper!

Thesis Construction

This past week in class, all of us were surprised to see that Tina wasn’t standing behind the podium but Annalise instead. Annalise gave an informative and compelling presentation about the use of a thesis. A thesis is used to drive the point you are trying to convey. It is the crux and foundation of your argument. In doing so, it should clearly and explicitly define your claim or question. Additionally, the thesis is used as a tool to format the rest of the paper. Once the thesis is written, you are able to write your argument.

As a thoughtful writer who is very calculating when it comes to word choice, Annalise gave some very helpful suggestions and techniques for developing a thesis statement. The first technique she gave was creating a mind map. By doing this, it gives us an easier way to view how we want to branch out our argument through our topic. The next suggestion Annalise gave was to talk out our ideas. She gave numerous examples like our friends, family, roommate, and enemy, just to name a few. Talking it out assists in finding the root of your argument. It is also helpful to hear feedback from peers about your ideas and know if your argument is valid and legitimate. The last suggestion Annalise gave was to write and then summarize it with the use of a few keywords just like we do with these blog posts. I really connected with this suggestion because I am often confused with what my own topic is. Writing is scary, and Annalise’s suggestion about facing it head-on and then writing keywords seemed like a creative solution and different approach.

Love Story (Bessie’s Version)

The My Dear Bessie Letters

This past week in class, we studied love letters written during World War II. I was personally not very excited about this topic of letter writing but after listening to a selection of the My Dear Bessie Letter’s, a collection of 500 letters written between Chris Barker and Bessie Moore, I came to appreciate the artistry. My preconceived notions before this assignment framed this style of writing as “gushy” and “on the surface” whereas now I see love letters as narrative and poetic.

Chris Barker and Bessie Moore first met each other while attending a training course for the Postal Office at Abbey Wood in southeast London and developed a platonic relationship. Upon completion from the course, they drafted letters to one another discussing politics and their hopes and dreams for the future. Now stationed in Libya and serving in the Royal Corps of Signals, Chris decided to mail a letter in which he addressed his love and feelings for Bessie, who at the time was seeing another man. The letter was received enthusiastically by her and she spent many weeks writing a response that would change the trajectory of their lives forever.

Baby, Just Say, “Yes”

While listening to the letters, I was struck by the parallels they had to the ideas of English Romanticism which William Wordsworth conveyed in his poems in the 18th and 19th centuries. Wordsworth is most well known for writing Lyrical Ballads, describing poetry as “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings”, equating these feelings to nature. He believes that we are one with nature; we are intertwined with it. I believe that Chris sees Bessie as nature. Throughout his exchange with Bessie, he writes that he wants to touch her, feel her, see her, and hear her. He wants to be enveloped by her and have this special type of relationship. Whenever he thinks of her, Chris is overcome by an irrational, nonsensical love fever where he puts Bessie on a pedestal just as Wordsworth elevates nature. These descriptions of love between Chris Bessie may sound like a work of fiction but it was a product of a 58 year wedding knot between the two.