Great Class

English 214 has been different than any other English class I have taken before. I have learned how to write in different discourses, from ones that I wasn't familiar with at all to exploring the discourse of my major. In a way I believe this class was created to tailor every specific student in their own way because we were always able to write about what we wanted and explore and question our own beliefs.

A major way we were able to learn about our selves was through metaphors and invisible narratives. Through Caitlin’s lectures and the readings I was able to learn a lot about how other people saw things and also made me reflect on why I saw the things the way I did.

I can honestly say learning about invisible narratives has had a direct impact on the way I view life, culture, metaphors and others. It has opened my eyes and makes me look past the obvious of things and wonder why those things are the way they are, the backstory.

At the beginning of the semester everyone had to write a diagnostic essay on something, no matter what, just something that they believed very strongly about. When I first got the assignment I just assumed this was the task to have something to write about, but now that I have seen how the class has unfolded I know that it was meant to look back on later and realize how invisible narratives have shape our way of thinking.

 In my diagnostic essay I wrote about the Hispanic culture. Specifically how Mexicans tend to take full responsibility of their parents when they get older, it is a ways of showing the ultimate respect and gratitude for all the sacrifices that were made to raise them. Versus Caucasian culture where when parents get to an age were they cannot care for themselves they are sent to a home.  Looking back now I see invisible narratives I did not see before. The most relevant being income, although there really is a tremendous love for family most Mexicans in America are hard working and get by while Caucasian people statistically tend to be more affluent and can afford an elderly home.
One time in class Caitlin said she hated culture because it was extremely oppressing. At first I didn't understand but I disagreed, I love my culture I was proud and it was part of who I was. But the more I thought about it I forced myself to look past what I had always believed. I tried looking at it from and outside( Non-hispanic) perspective and realized that culture does have the power to oppress because culture is tradition and language and people everywhere have already formed invisible narratives and stereotypes good or bad about such. If you are associated with a certain  culture, you are a certian type of person kind of thing. Crazy but people do think this way!

Another assignment that I really enjoyed was my final project presentation where I explored truths about the Rosies' of WWII and I found out it wasn’t all glory being a woman in the workforce of a man. How they had to struggle and fight to break the invisible narratives of what a woman should be. Struggling between expressing or suppressing their sexuality and how they would be portrayed (promiscuous or lesbian).

Ultimately I feel that I did a large amount of learning due to how engaging the class was. I can truthfully say I enjoyed the lectures because I would leave the class pondering what was said. I also enjoyed that is was interactive it was not a one way stream. Getting to share what I had to say on a topic and hearing what my class had to say back was a good experience. Either because I was standing up firmly for something I believed in or because I was not certain and wanted to hear other perspectives.