UNEMPLOYED

BY KENYON MACDONALD

     In the personal essay "Unemployed", by Kenyon MacDonald, (2016), MacDonald claims that his termination that he viewed as one of the worst experiences in his life, to be a pivotal moment where he changed job careers and went back to school.  He asserts that this termination gave him a new appreciation for what he has and he develops this idea by giving us background concerning his job employment.  He then tells us what led to his being fired and how it made him feel.  His purpose is to let young people know that in this world of change, it is important to appreciate what you have because it could change at any moment.  His intended audience is other young people.

     MacDonald's essay show that in the end he was able move past the most embarrassing day in his life onto better things.  I found illuminating that he was also able to recognize the fact that he did play a part in the loss of his job.  Sometimes, I've noticed that young people tend to want what they want right now, and feel if they are completing a task they should get immediate results.  They often do not react well when they don't get their way.  When MacDonald didn't get the results he was expecting, his work ethic changed and his job performance declined.

     MacDonald enlightens us to the fallacy of thinking a job will always be there. Change is constant and that applies to the job market also.  Maturity is an important quality to exercise when engaging with your coworkers.  His recognition of the fact that he was sometimes "a bit hot-headed", (141), is an acknowledgment that he contributed to his demise.  He also points out that though this was a bitter moment, he learned from it and was able to move on to better things.

     His intended audience speaks to other young people entering the job market, and he highlights some mistakes they could avoid.

Swiss Miss

     In Amanda Thompson's personal essay "Swiss Miss" (2015), she announces that being a loner isn't amiss, and that one's desire to be alone should not be considered negative or positive but just a persons choice.  Thompson develops this by giving us some personal background into her personality, she states as a matter a fact that she is aloof at most times, and how this affects her interpersonal relationships with family and others she comes in contact with.  Ms. Thompson's purpose seems to be to inform the readers that being a loner should be associated with negative traits.  The author takes on the role of a mentor to individuals who may happen to be aloof also and are in an environment outside of their comfort zone

    This is the first essay that I actually found annoying.  The writer comes across as kind of bratty, but to her credit, she is very comfortable in her skin.  She has a desire to be alone, not out of fear, or social awkwardness, its just her preference.  I found it annoying because I like applying the personal essays to real world situations, and to think that a person would choose to isolate themselves and prefer to have no contact with other humans is a sad choice.  The fact that even when she discovered that she actually could have a good time with others when she was forced, her preference was to be "non-feeling", and I find that distressing.

Throughout the passage Thompson, reveals a time where she knew her classmates stayed away her because of her personality. (Because I was so aloof most of the time, my classmates and peers generally steered clear of me, with a good chunk of them talking about me behind my back page 134). In the story one of the girls from the group referred her as Switzerland. The name confused Thompson, but after it was explained that the country didn't participate in any wars and is prosperous she being to see that there are people who understand her mannerisms.  She goes on to share why being a loner isn't bad at all. Its a personal choice, and she's content with her decision.  

    

Watch Your Language: Teaching Standard Usage to Resistant and Reluctant Learners

     The personal essay "Watch Your Language: Teaching Standard Usage to Resistant and Reluctant Learners", by Mark Larson, (1996), suggest that there is an alternative way to teach standard English so that students are more receptive to the lessons being taught.  Larson develops this by first giving an account of his experiences as a student in a remedial English class while in high school, and how it impacted him, he then transitions into his experiences as a teacher at the same school and how his style of teaching changed to meet the needs of the student.  His methods encourage students to write their truth, but also recognize that errors can jeopardize their intention, and he also wants them to be able to function in the real world.  This is a great essay for teachers and students alike, for teachers it provides a different perspective that can assist them in their efforts to connect with students; for students, it gives understanding to knowing what you bring to the table has value, but you need to be able to communicate outside of your community.

     This thought provoking essay cause me to reflect back to my junior high school days when I was placed in a remedial reading class.  I ended up in there due to the fact I did not like reading aloud and the teacher assumed it was due to poor reading ability.  Often times, too much emphasis is placed on the method of standardized teaching and not the student.  These methods are often employed without any thought to the issues students are dealing with at the time.  Larson gives the impression of a teacher who has a passion for not only teaching the lesson, but also assuring that the student is aware of their own value and that they have a voice.  He stresses the importance of being an "effective" writer, making informed choices about which language code is best suited for whatever particular audience they may be speaking to. 

     Larson's essay challenges us to rethink the conventional ways standard English is taught in the classroom.  Just teaching the rules and regulations without allowing for the different variations of application and implementation of said rules can and does at times put students on the defensive.  Larson suggests that we should "support the language each student brings to school", (93), according to Larson, each student is a expert of his own language code.  He takes the focus off the prescriptive rules of grammar and places it on the descriptive rules of what people actually say.  He recognizes the importance of the prescriptive rules so that the students have the necessary tools to properly analyze their work, but to also appreciate and explore the many differences in writing and observe the effectiveness of it.

   

A Visit to the Library

        Richard Wright's personal essay, "A Visit to the Library", (1945), chronicles a period in his life when reading opened up a whole new world to him, and gave him a new perspective as to how he would proceed with his life.  He develops this assertion by recounting the story of how he used a white coworkers library card to gain access to books, the new found knowledge gained from his reading changes him in ways he did not know was possible.  The revelation he obtains gives him purpose to move beyond the constricted parameters that the society of the times had dictated for his life.  Considering the time it was written, this piece could be a clarion call to other blacks to understand that your existence does not have to be limited by what others think of you.

     We found this essay to be very compelling, in that it resonated on a personal level, being an African American.  To think there existed a time when the act of reading a book could be viewed as threatening, when we think about it today, segregation seems so far off.  The author's story of determination and perseverance is inspiring.  I think we take so much for granted these days, these types of essays are reminders of the sacrifices that have been made by others to ensure that I and my children's children are able to enjoy all the privileges of being an American citizen.

     Richard Wright's essay gives us a peak at what life was life for the average black citizen in the 1940's.  He describes the inequities that played out in everyday life that when you read it today you wonder how people could have tolerated such treatment.  He points out how he gained new insight with each book, and how it caused him to look at people differently, " My first serious novel was Sinclair Lewis's Main Street.  It made me see my boss, Mr. Gerald, and identify him as an American type."(132)  It also change the way he looked at himself, "My reading had created a vast sense of distance between me and the world in which I lived and tried to make a living, and that sense of distance was increasing each day."(133)  He understands that knowledge is power, and chooses to live life on his own terms outside of the confines of his surroundings. 

“We Are the Same”

            In the personal essay, “We Are the Same,”written by Emily Renie (2015), Renie reflects on a time when she worked as a medical assistant in Zimbabwe, and she proposes that even though people may be separate because of their differences, they are still basically the same due to common experiences.  She develops this idea by first giving us some context for her story, she recounts a memory of a compliment she received from her employer, she tells us about her experiences with the village children.  Renie’s essay highlights the fact that physical differences and language are obvious characteristics that people tend to gravitate towards when making an assessment of someone, but when we look closer at what really connects us, we find we’re more the same than different.  Her audience is other students, or persons who travel abroad and come in contact with people of other cultures.

            I really enjoyed the flow and arrangement of the essay, the way the author began the story by giving us context to her experiences in Zimbabwe, how she felt about herself versus how other saw her was telling.  So many times people live their lives based upon what others think or say about them.  The essay is a story of self confidence from a person who is comfortable with who she is.  She sees the beauty in herself and does not let her image be defined by the opinions of others.

            The purpose of Renie’s essay enlightens us to the common human experiences that connect us all.  When encountering someone new, especially someone from a different culture we tend to initially go to the physical.  Renie states “ Its is sad how the first thing we notice about other people is often our differences.”  When the group of village girls point out that she is same as one of the other girls (146), the girls were thinking the same due to a similar physical characteristic.  When the author looked into the eyes of the young girl she knew it was deeper than that.  It took her back to a time when someone tried to make her feel shame because of how she looked. “We both felt the same insecurities and the way it picked away at our source of courage,” she was able to be empathic because she had been in her shoes.  Renie ends the essay by contemplating the hope that this young girl would not let her personhood be defined by what others felt about her, but that she could see she was beautiful because of how she felt about her self.

Talking in Color: Collision of Cultures

            In the cultural criticism piece, “Talking in Color: Collision of Cultures” by Tiffany Hendrickson, (2013), the author discusses racism in one of its many forms so that other that find themselves in similar situations can become empowered to discover their own voice and speak their truth.  Hendrickson establishes her assertions by giving us a glimpse into her personal background, her relationship with her mother, how she learned to talk, and how she was treated because of it.  Hendrickson’s essay reveals a bias prevalent in a part of our society today, how some people are judged on the way they speak when that way is associated with being African American; she highlights the fallacy of this position to encourage others to look past the judgement of people who don’t matter.  Her intended audience is aspiring young writers, young college students.

            This was a powerful piece for the group.  Code switching has been a part of the black experience forever.  We not only do it with other races, but with each other also.  It’s all a part of how we communicate with each other.  The way Hendrickson pointed out the different dialects being spoken from different parts of the country, but yet when it came to that dialect being associated with the black race its described as sounding like a nigger.  No thought was given to who the person was as whole, or the potential they contained, just judgement based on the way they sounded and preconceived notions about the connotation of that sound.

            Hendrickson’s depiction of the pain she suffered as a result of racism and her ability to push past it and find her voice validates the notion of a purpose inside of each of us.  Her quote “ Though the journey has sometimes be painful, I cherish it, but more than the journey, I value most the power of my voice”, shows that even in face of constant rejections you can still find your destiny knowing we all have value.  Sometimes it takes a while to find that voice, Hendrickson spoke of initially being ashamed of the way she spoke when she was exposed to other white college students.  Being partnered with a Big Sister for a mentor helped her to discover the power of her voice that led to her seeing herself for the writer she is.  Hendrickson appeals to our sense of compassion to understand that our differences only separate us if we chose to.

         

CONTEXT 

The personal essay “Context”, written by Dorothy Allison, (1994),  explores the importance of context when looking at different situations, and that making a presumption without proper context can lead to irrational fears that cloud our own perceptions.  Allison demonstrates this assertion by taking us down memory lane with a vivid depiction recounting the time she brought her lover to meet her family, she shares her fear, doubts, and how she assumed her lover would react to her family.  Allison’s essay purports the significance of context and its impact on our understanding of one another.  Her intended audience, members of the LGTBQ community, or the general public at large to gain a different perspective at understanding one another by placing things in their proper perspective.

          This essay elicited a variety of responses from the members of this group.  For one, the response was invoked memories of her own childhood and reminders of how she was raised.  I found it interesting how a misunderstanding in the context led the author to assume how her lover would react to her family.  She became fearful because she was basing her assumption from the perspective of her own life experiences and not her lovers.   Her fears were more revealing of her personal feelings about her family than her lovers.  Her statement, “Don’t go deaf and blind to what this feels like, remember it” (119), stood out for me in that even as a child she recognized that this behavior was wrong, and she wanted to remember so that she would not be guilty of treating someone in that manner.

          Dorothy Allison utilizes her personal experience of taking her lover to meet her family and childhood memories to asserts the relevance of context to our understanding of one another.  Fear can cause us to act irrationally, to make assumptions not based in facts.  Allison assumed that her lover would look at her differently based upon how she felt about her family, “I was afraid that she might see me through new eyes, hateful eyes, the eyes of someone who suddenly knew fully how different we were.” (118).  She was right in that her lover did see her with new eyes, just not in the way she thought.  Later, when she reflected on meeting her lovers family, she began to see that she gained an better understanding of her lover by meeting them, “ Seeing where she had grown up, meeting some of her family, I had understood her better” (119).  Allison ends the piece by reminding us that our experiences, even the shameful ones are a part of who we are, but do not define who we are, we can choose to be different from our experiences.  Placing things in the proper context encourages growth and maturity, as the author said, “Context is so little to share, and so vital.”(120).