Comments for English 117AS: Creative Nonfiction (Fall 2010)

Comment on Welcome to Your New Home by Alexandra McKnight

Alexandra McKnight — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 06:07:34 +0000

What I enjoy most about Dayo’s piece is how comfortable she makes her reader. She does a nice job of letting the reader inside her thoughts. For this reason I am able to experience her emotions and thoughts because she is so transparent. I’m nervous with her and I feel embarrassed when she does. I found myself laughing and shaking my head with amusement but empathy. It was a really well-developed piece.

Comment on E-Diary of the (Un)Accomplished by Alexandra McKnight

Alexandra McKnight — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 06:06:57 +0000

I LOVE the blog design. I thought this was really attention grabbing and just great. I opened the document and was stunned. I had a “wow” moment. On top of that the blog posts were funny and Erica’s humor/tone/personality is consistent. The pictures and graphics were excellent and well placed. It was not only wonderful to read but also lovely to look at.

Comment on Memories by Alexandra McKnight

Alexandra McKnight — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 06:06:00 +0000

I really like this piece because the emotions are so present. As a child we see things with such a limited perspective and the blanks do not get filled in until much later. Normally, that’s fine. However it can cause pain when everything comes together too late. That’s what this story brings to mind for me. Brea misses her grandmother’s smell and the color of her clothes. At nine if she had known her grandmother would pass away in ten short years she might have requested a hat or would have asked what perfume her grandmother wore. The pain is real and even though I identify with losing a loved one to the same disease, I think Brea creates a climate that allows her reader to sympathize with her.

Comment on Tags for a Moment by Erica Lin

Erica Lin — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 21:12:16 +0000

“Tags for a Moment” was a touching account about dealing with the end of a relationship. It was beautifully written. I admire how you are able to put all these sentiments onto paper because mine have remained an entangled mass of fragments. There really is no better way to say it than simply “Love = Love.”

Erica Lin

Comment on The Pink House on the Sidewalk by Erica Lin

Erica Lin — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 21:11:02 +0000

Margrette,

I was awestruck by your piece. After I read it, I, too, felt motivated to break away from the societal responsibilities of an almost-graduate. I think that the mark of a good writer is to inspire such feelings in its audience members.

Erica Lin

Comment on I Look Down by Erica Lin

Erica Lin — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 21:09:41 +0000

Lawson,

I enjoyed reading “I Look Down” because it approached a subject matter that is relatable to all of us (us being Duke students). The piece, which is best summarized by his sentence “When everyone is a winner, each one becomes, by definition, average,” perfectly describes a psychological obstacle, which we all had to overcome—I was nodding along to the words as I read, quite emphatically I might add.

Erica Lin

Comment on Bookworm’s Manifesto by lawsonkurtz

lawsonkurtz — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 14:49:32 +0000

Wow, Eriks, what a great piece. The digressions and interjection of speculative conversations between you and your reader gave this work a unique, fun personality. I totally agree with nearly word. I too loved Little Fur Family, and—despite my love for technology— had similar feelings toward eBooks when I went to the library to pick up a book on reserve, only to be handed a Nook. I love the line where you recount texting you mom to find where the old book has ended up, only to receive an emotionally uninvested, unsure answer. Oh times have changed. Great work.

Comment on The Harkness Table by lawsonkurtz

lawsonkurtz — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 14:33:16 +0000

Andrew,
What a great piece! You’ve taken an object so familiar, so central to the lives of each and every one of us and have torn it down, exposing it as a barrier to progress. Your argument is well articulated, and I have felt the same frustrations surround the desk myself. It’s very interesting to consider how the physical layout of a room can affect the learning that goes on within, but it’s so true. Well done.

Comment on Somewhere Over the Rainbow by lawsonkurtz

lawsonkurtz — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 14:21:54 +0000

Zeewan,
What a great description of insecurities of childhood. The feelings you express so well are certainly shared by all. I found myself continually reminded of my similar experience trying to learn how to ride a bike. Great use of pictures to give us a glimpse of the “rainbow from hell”.

Comment on The Wall by Zeewan Lee

Zeewan Lee — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 13:56:46 +0000

Tim-

Now I know why your piece is yet to be commented on: it’s LONG! Nevertheless, as soon as I started reading yours I found myself engrossed in the story about the years-long friendship and rivalry between you and “the wall,” and your piece didn’t feel long at all.

I used to play squash in high school, and so I can tell you I know a bit about what it is like to hit against a wall. My initial impression of it was very similar to yours – “uncomfortable”. But then I realized the whole point of squash is to learn about what comes back at you when you hit against a wall (or three walls to be more correct) and learning to control it. Since you like playing against a wall, you should try squash sometime.