Mike Rose's Lives On The Boundary

Like transforming from a caterpillar to a butterfly, my writing style transformed from something mediocre to something quite exceptional. In high school, even when I took advanced placement English and Literature courses, I was never good at writing. My writing would lack structure, reasoning, syntax, and a well-defined thesis statement. My inadequate grades on writing assignments lowered my self-esteem, so I assumed I would never enjoy writing papers because I believed I could never improve. However, since attending a university my writing style has improved far beyond my expectation. My EN 101 course enhanced my understanding of the different ways I could approach my writing. Also, it enhanced my comprehension of outlines to complete assignments. Investing quality time into my writing made a substantial difference because I became a stronger writer. Through the late nights, constant revisions, and agonizing head traumas, I learned that my writing is truly spectacular whenever I incorporate well-defined thesis statements, provide sufficient supporting evidence, and maintain a clear focus in my assignments.

Kim Brooks, we know has been “teaching composition at state universities and liberal art colleges and community colleges as well,” (Brooks 2) however what makes her truly passionate about the situation is her love for literature since she was a teenager. “Like so many, depressive, creative, extremely lazy high-school students, I was saved by english class” (1). Brooks demonstrates through these quotes her credibility, not only because she’s a teacher but because she truly loves writing and believes others should receive the education which she was fortunate enough to get. She was not apart of any clubs or extracurriculars, she wasn’t interested in other academic classes, so she knows how beneficial having the skills to converse, to write and to properly articulate one's self are. Brooks shares this personal anecdote, otherwise known as pathos, to relate to those reading, most specifically high school students like she once was. While focusing this piece mainly on English it can also be associated with other classes in high school as well. She is trying to illustrate how one can use what is learned in high school in their life if given the proper tools and taught skills which can be applied

To read like a writer means knowing in advanced type of writing will be assigned. This is beneficial, Bunn argues, because when reading like a writer, knowing the style assigned, allows one to look for specific techniques in writing that they could adopt in their own work. To understand how piece was written, or to look back on his architect analogy, it is important to ask questions, assessing what “construction” techniques were effective in building a text. Before reading, one should ask himself who the audience is and the author's purpose in writing. While reading the texts itself, Bunn recommends looking at the style of language used and the effectiveness of evidence as well as the parts that don’t work or are confusing. While reading like a writer and asking these questions, Bunn encourages students to look for whether aspects are appropriate and effective as well as the positive or negative effect they have on readers. Bunn, in recognizing that every word choice made in a text has a certain effect, encourages readers to look critically at that effect in order to decide what strategies work should be adopted in their own

The narrator though an educator, is not very good at verbalizing his emotions. He tends to be the person who keeps everything inside

First, in his article, Rose sets the scene by efficiently using personal anecdote as an essential to achieve the emotions of the readers to argue his claim. Rose introduces his readers

“The Novice as Expert: Writing the Freshman Year” reflected my writing experience while I transitioned from elementary writer to a critical writer. Sommers and Saltz write, “freshmen need to see themselves as novice in a world that demands ‘something more and deeper’ from their writing than high school” (Sommers and Saltz 134). This line highlights the hardship that most students face when trying to write successfully. My earlier written works were much weaker than my current pieces because I often wrote for the sake of passing the class. While developing my writing, I focused on the new ideas that were introduced rather than limiting my argument to familiar techniques and ideas. Because of my new attitude towards writing, I began to demand

Alison Kong EN 102 The education system in America is broken according to “Lives on the Boundary” by Mike Rose. In this excerpt Mike Rose gives the audience a greater understanding about the decline of the education system. Rose gives examples of how and why education should be equal for everyone. Also, that the importance of great books and a proper curriculum is very significant to our education system. Rose further explains to his audience that these “Great Books” don’t contain real experiences that students could eventually come across during their time at school.

Eventually, Rose finds teachers that inspire him, which helps him get through his mundane life at Loyola. He begins to become more engaged and curious about his career in language with the help of his professors, Don Johnson, Frank Carothers, Ted Erlandson, and Clint Albertson; he is not afraid of asking for help when he needs it, in contrast to his other classes. He arrives at a point in his college

Also what I understood is for example how Rose had Mr.MacFarland to help him out and push him and make him to things schooling wise it made rose better himself and want to excel in school. Wich helped him out because he made something out of himself and he proved others wrong that one from the lower class can be something in

In literary education, from childhood to maturity, individuals are taught how to write not to improve themselves as critical thinkers, but to fulfill the requirements given to them in a prompt. Whether to analyze or argue, this form of writing has led to a cease of literary improvement in students today, making many question the effectiveness of writing classes. Mike Bunns, in his article “To Read like a Writer”, explores this topic and stresses the necessity for young readers to critically examine the author’s choices in order to improve their own pieces of work. Bunns effectively argues to his audience of college students that improved comprehension comes from focusing on the rhetorical choices authors decide to make in their compositions by tying personal narratives with repetitive questioning throughout his article.

First, Rose uses his personal anecdotes as a foundation for his claim, which emotionally hooks his readers. Bringing forth compassion and

David Foster Wallace was an eccentric, well organized writer who described to me the fine lines between descriptive and prescriptive writing. I learned that descriptivism is far more valuable than prescriptivism. With the help of a couple past English courses, I was able to construct my ability to write both an effective, abstract essay while maintaining a prescriptive skeleton. Course such as mythology, my seventh grade english course, and my sophomore year English course are all examples of classes that either helped my dexterity mature or diminish.

One trait that Lucy shares with Rose is her intelligence and yearn to learn more. Lucy satisfies her hunger by studying and working abroad. In her letters, Rose writes “Mrs Elliot says I am thirsty for words and she gave mr books. I read the poem again and again.(193)” This shows that even to Mrs. Elliot who Rose had just met, her need to learn was apparent.

Over the past month, we have been studying the concept of reading and writing in different communities. To assess this, we have read two different texts. Richard Rodriguez’s the achievement of desire”, from his autobiography “Hunger of Memory”; and Lucille McCarthy’s “A Stranger in Strange Lands: A College Student Writing across the Curriculum” from “Research in the Teaching of English”. Both answer key questions regarding what it takes to become a great reader and writer, however, from the reading that I have done, each one only answers one part of the question. Rodriguez’s main focus is in the aspect of reading, whereas McCarthy mainly focuses on the writing portion. Both do a decent job of analyzing and putting forth a view of how they believe a person can best perform in these environments. This then allows us to use their concepts and create our own version, based on their points of view. But why should we care? Most people at this level of academia will have developed a system of writing that works for them, and will have a difficult time breaking from it if they’re process doesn’t meet the criteria that Rodriguez, and McCarthy put forth. The reason it’s so important is because of implications these ideas have. Both authors put forth concepts that are indirectly related to one another and that are highly beneficial to all who will apply them. They will force you to conform to new environments in order to succeed, this in turn will make you more

“Lives on the Boundary” is a autobiography written by Mike Rose. In “Lives on the Boundary” Mike Rose describes his life, focusing heavily on his academic history. He explains from the start, how he was placed in the incorrect course due to a naming error in the school system. He then transitions to his years at university, and along the way he describes his mentors, acquaintances, and other people who influenced his life for the better. The three environmental factors that influenced Mike Rose’s life are his family/neighborhood, and his teachers at “Our Lady of Mercy,” a private catholic school he attended, and his teachers at LMU. These people guided and mentored Rose throughout his childhood, through to his college years, and gave him guidance and assistance that many students wish to receive.