week 9

Greetings! I trust you enjoyed the weekend, and that the wind is behind you as we go into these last few weeks of classes.

Today we begin putting together an essay that requires you work with one or two others in the class. Each of you will put together a "portrait" of a classmate to exemplify the range of personal experience, background, dreams, and ambitions that have brought the student(s) thus far in their respective journeys. To get to know your subject you will spend some time "interviewing" him or her, recording your impressions of the subject's style, appearance, mannerisms, story, voice, and the specific comments he or she makes that reveal an essence or truth of your subject. Some questions to ask to get your subject's story include the following:

What's this experience or period of your life really about?

What is the emotional truth of your life today? What feelings are you working through? What do you feel good about, uncertain about?

Describe a past or current struggle in some detail to show the kind of challenge you know best.

How did you get to this point or place in life?

Who were the important people in your life? How did they influence or shape you?

What are your near and long term goals?

The essay is to be organized in the following way:

Paragraph one: the lead introduces your subject by name and by means of the dominant impressions your subject creates in terms of character, personality, and appearance. Use the first person POV, as you the writer are to conveyyour views here on the basis of face-to-face interactions and observations of your subject. State your thesis claim. Use the present tense to give an impression of the here and now

Body paragraph(s): the body moves from the lead in present tense view to the past, reconstructing some of the subjects relevant history (place of origin, schooling, early influences). Past tense verbs may predominate.

Body paragraph(s): the body moves back to the present, to your subject's current situation and story, including struggles, dreams, ambitions. Direct quotation allows the subject to speak directly to his or her struggles and/or successes.

Conclusion: Remarks on the character shown or exemplified in the story elements of the essay. The writer speaks to the subject's heartfelt experience in bringing the essay to a close. The conclusion may also, or alternatively, move to the future, to what lies ahead in the subject's immediate or near term future. Direct quotation here allows the subject to speak directly to his or her hopes and dreams. Tense used may be predominately present and future.

Alternate: You may use several classmates (including yourself) to construct an essay exemplifying a range of student experience and background here at AiFL. You will have to determine a focus and let each of your subject's weigh in the issue or focus. You will more briefly introduce and describe each student, as each is to be an element in this mosaic portrait. You may find yourself using comparison and contrast means of development at times.

If you are absent from class, find some suitable subject, a person whose life and/or work interests you and, with any luck, will interest your readers. Bring the essay to class next week.

Reminder: By next week you should have submitted all assignments you intend to submit. I accept no papers beyond week 10. Week 11 is reserved for final exam makeups or retakes.