Reflection on Nature Essay and Memoir

I wrote the memoir with the purpose of reflecting on an important experience. This was the first time I wrote a memoir, so it was nice to learn how. I learned about painting with brush strokes, such as switching adjectives out of order, which really makes your writing more interesting! I wrote the nature essay with the purpose of reflecting on my most memorable experience in nature, and the way it affected me. I learned more about incorporating quotes into my writing, and making connections between the quotes of others and my own personal experiences. Learning about comma errors, switching adjectives out of order, and being subtle have been very beneficial to me, and my writing skills.

I revised several parts of my essays. I decided I wanted to start my nature piece by listing some aspects of nature I find especially great. I thought this would be a good way to grab the reader's attention, and make them want to read on. I added the second purple section to explain how my experiences related to the quote I had used above. I added the last purple section to further explain how these experiences affected me, and what they meant to me. On the memoir, I really focused on vocabulary. The first draft was far too simple, and I felt it came off too juvenile. I worked on using words that spiced up my writing, but actually made sense. I colored some of the words in purple, that I added to spice up my writing.

While reading my peers' blogs, several things really stood out to me. I loved the way Emily Anna started out her essay about Hester. She wrote, "She may seem like an awful person at first, but later on Hester really turns out to be a wonderful person." I was very proud to see this optimism she expressed. It really showed me that if you look for the best in everyone, you're sure to find it. Ben's pieces were stand-outs as well. His vocabulary is astounding, and on a completely different level from my other peers. Some specific words in his writing I found particularly impressive were aroma and ambiance. "Like Goliath, the curtain fell and the stone that hit him was the music played by the band." This excerpt from Ben's essay shows his knack for metaphors. I really enjoyed Molly's piece about becoming a Christian. I have known her since I was a baby, and I am so proud of her and glad for her that she has truly achieved salvation, and can now be confident with her eternal fate. For these reasons, Molly's essays were probably my favorite, because they were able to appeal to me on a personal level.