Writing 39B has been a phenomenal course to push and transition my high school level critical reading and writing skills into more college level skills. The course has expanded my knowledge of what it means to read critically and how vast and loose rhetoric really is. In high school, I was simply taught the standard rhetorical devices that authors might use to strengthen their argument, some of which included: ethos, pathos, logos, repetition, and anecdotes. I was able to learn why these rhetorical devices are used and how they can strengthen an argument. However, it was not until Writing 39B that I learned to analyze not only the obvious rhetorical devices, but also the author’s stylistic choices, and how implementing these stylistic choices into my own writing can further my argumentative writing skills. 

Completing the critical reading assignments at the start of the quarter helped me to better analyze choices that the author was making in order to strengthen their argument. I was also introduced to what genre conventions are, and how conventions can be subverted to make a statement or prove a point. One of the most beneficial process assignments I had was critical reading assignment 1, where we were asked to discuss how genre can be a tool of subversion. For this assignment I discussed how writers can experiment within the “edge” of a genre by perhaps writing a piece so unrealistic that it could be considered fantasy or a piece so plausible that it could be considered non-fiction. The two works I referenced in this piece were the movies - Avatar and The Martian. In my writing I wanted to show how both these works effectively explore the edge of the sci-fi genre on two completely different ends of the spectrum. The Martian implements a lot of science and technology that is used today and applies it to survival on Mars, given this usage of current science and technology, along with recent research on Mars, this sci-fi piece has a very plausible and realistic plot, tagging it under the “hard” sci-fi category. On the other hand, I categorized the movie Avatar as “soft” sci-fi given its extremely unrealistic aspects such as: dragon-like creatures, floating mountains and a “magical” tree, and a fictional planet. This process assignment overall, helped me in understanding the science fiction genre as a whole, along with its conventions, as well as its two main “subgenres” which are “soft” and “hard” science fiction.  

Another beneficial process assignment that I completed was critical reading assignment 2. This assignment was very good preparation for what would follow in the Genre Analysis and Imitation projects. The assignment prompted me to discuss how essentially the mixing of two genres that occurs in Dancing to Ganam can change the reader’s perception of either one or both of the genres. In this case the two genres being science fiction and “heroic colonial tales of first contact”. First and foremost, this assignment required me to closely read and deeply analyze both The Shobies Story and Dancing to Ganam, prompting me to annotate the text, and pay close attention to recurring themes, as well as any stylistic and rhetorical choices the author was making. Through this assignment, I was able to establish a connection between Dancing to Ganam and tragic hero stories by recognizing the main character, Dalzul’s, tragic flaws that included: ethnocentrism, sexism, ignorance, and a massive ego. I implemented many relevant supplementary quotes in this assignment which is largely due to the critical reading strategies I picked up and applied in this class. My close analysis of Dancing to Ganam in this process assignment largely influenced the main argument of my Imitation Project. 

Having taken AP language and composition in high school, I felt confident going into the Genre Analysis project as I thought of it as just another rhetorical analysis essay. However, in this major assignment, I struggled from the get go as I chose a very specific thesis to argue. I believe that my thesis was very unique and strong, however as I continued to write my paper, I found it extremely difficult to argue and to find supporting textual evidence that I could analyze. Ultimately, I believe that my critical reading and my rhetorical analysis skills were displayed extremely well throughout the paper as I was able to find very miniscule details in the text that reflected the author’s writing style. My main struggle came in analyzing my quotes in a subjective manner rather than an objective manner. I agree with my instructor's comments regarding my lack of sufficient analysis of the textual evidence supporting my thesis, and had my thesis been more narrow I believe that I would have been able to engage much more effectively in this analysis. Overall, I believe this assignment was truly eye opening for me and made me learn what it means to engage in critical analysis of rhetoric at a college level. 

Our last major assignment of the quarter was the Imitation Project. I found this project fun and engaging as it allowed me to implement creative aspects into my writing. However, my struggles within this assignment were somewhat similar to the Genre Analysis assignment. Once again, I chose to argue a thesis statement that was extremely narrow, supported by evidence which was not completely subjective. I also had a hard time joining a popular discourse. However, for this assignment I believe I was able to find a plethora of supporting sources and simultaneously employ many modes that enhanced my writing to a high degree. 

Overall, the process assignments mentioned in this reflection truly helped me to become a better reader, and analyze the rhetorical situations present in each piece of writing. These assignments also helped me to truly understand what genre is as a whole, specifically what the sci-fi genre consists of , and how the sci-fi genre can be used to reflect current-day events and situations. Ultimately through the information gained regarding genre conventions, subversions of conventions, and rhetorical situations, these process assignments served as a stepping stone for the major projects in this class. Moving forward, the skills and lessons I learned in this class will definitely prove beneficial given my major and its emphasis on research and cold, hard facts.