READING RESPONSES

No paraphrasing

Use quotes and No summarizing

when writing Reading Responses, I would like you to explore one of the following prompts suggested on p. 71 of Habits of the Creative Mindlook for moments when an author

1. says something surprising or confusing;
2. makes an unexpected connection;
3. presents a provocative example;
4. uses a familiar term in a new or peculiar way; or
5. poses an idea or argument that is difficult to accept.

Reading responses should demonstrate that you have read and thought critically about the material.  Your response should demonstrate that you have made meaning of the text.  Reading Responses must be typed, free of grammatical errors we have discussed in class to that point, and in MLA format. No hand-written Reading Responses will be accepted. The Author and the Title of the work must be the title of your paper.

Example of a reading response down below

How It Feels To Be Colored Me by Zora Neale Hurston

Im too busy sharpening my oyster knife (266)

            In Zora Neale Hurstons short essay, the narrator uses this metaphor. This metaphor expresses how the narrator views the world. How? Well, if you think of what an oyster knife does it shucks the hard shells of an oyster. It splits the oyster in half so a person can get the meat inside (a pearl?). If we think of a person with an oyster knife in hand, we can see a person who is going to any lengths to break through the shell. Similar to this type of person is the narrator of this essay. Hurston shows that she is a person who is willing to confront the stereotypes of this eraracism and discrimination. During this period, Hurston experienced the highs and lows of the prejudices of society. The essay lets the reader know what it was like to be a black woman in the early 1900s.

          The essay starts off with little Zora feeling proud of her ability to entertain people (the white people who visit her community & her fellows in Eatonville) and then she discovers the prejudices of the big city. But she does not let this get her down. She has more gumption to deal with discrimination than an average person. This essay shows a persona that is ready to take on the world. Hurston is a badass. She will not be put down. She will not be pushed around. She will fight for what she deserves and will take names as she does so. I love this fact. I love this essay because of how the narrator symbolizes a true warrior. It is amazing to realize that this person was feeling this way back in the 1900s. She seems like someone who I would like to call my friend today. She is a role model for all who suffer from any type of prejudice.