Assignment 1: Independent Novel Study
Our task was to select a novel and write a multi-paragraph 800-1200 word response. I selected Turtles All the Way Down by John Green. During the reading process, I reflected on three different scenes and wrote about the character motivations within each scene. After I finished reading, I reflected on the whole novel. I wrote about the protagonist and assessed their growth throughout the novel. Then I analyzed the major theme that the book explores. I also wrote about any personal connections I made between the character’s conflicts and my own experiences and finally, I gave the novel an overall star rating. The objective of this assignment was independent work and reflecting on ideas present in literature.
4. I constructively build upon or synthesize the ideas of my peers
Although this assignment was an independent novel study, getting peers to look over and revise your work is helpful in terms of punctuation, grammar, and the overall flow of your writing. While I was working on this assignment, I asked a few peers to read over my work and give me constructive criticism. I built upon their feedback and applied their thinking into my work. My peer’s responses were helpful as sometimes you can’t see errors while viewing your own writing.
15. My work demonstrates a positive, productive, and empathetic worldview
I wrote about the major theme presented in the novel. The novel I synthesized explores mental health as the main character struggles with that every day. It talks about how her anxiety and OCD affect the way she wants to live her life. In the character appraisal, I wrote about how I feel empathy for her as anxiety and OCD are definitely things that are not easy to deal with and she still manages to stay positive through it all.