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- Reading responses must be AT LEAST 250 words.
- Include your full name at the end of your comments. Unnamed comments will be deleted.
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- Reading responses are due by 10pm on the day PRIOR to our discussion of the required reading
I can relate to Moore when he says that he was devaluing his own experiences. Everyone has a different life and different things to tell, the point is to write in a way to catch a reader’s attention. It is not about what you write but how you write it. Moore also pointed out something that i had never thought about before, he mentions that we have different personas and we should just use one when writing or else we, as writers, will seem as “uncertain, indecisive”. I had never thought of this and honestly i am afraid that i have used different personas in a single essay and that it might have had an effect on the reader. i do not like the example he gave of sarcasm to prove ones point, i mean he didn't write it, and Moore was just doing his job to show us how sarcasm can be used. He mentioned that Swift did not use sarcasm to be funny but to show the British system. Well it worked for me, i felt so disgusted while reading that, like it really worked, i felt so bad reading that, like sad. The ending to Moore’s piece really made me feel better about myself as a writer. :)
ReplyDeleteI like how El Camino Real was informative but it also had a story. I like how he describes the people on the bus and how he talks about Mauro’s experience. I like how Reel just tells the reader in short about Mauro’s experience working, he just says “he spends an average of 26 days driving” instead of giving us a long paragraph about how he works everyday from morning to night, etc.
Word Count 285
Jennifer Millan
I was impressed by how much information the writer knew about one road. Then again I’m even more impressed by the impact this road had in its surroundings. I wouldn’t even think about stuff like that. If I was ever making a trip like that I would just be asleep on the bus until I finally arrived to my destination. The writer on the other hand understood how important that road really was and decided to write about it. He wrote about the good and bad effects that one simple road was able to make. He wrote about the increase in crime but also the increase in interest of sustainable activities. He could have written about the destination itself. All the fun stuff that he was going to do in the ocean. Instead he wrote about a road. He wrote about the destinations that he passed along the road and gave his own opinions about it. The best part was that I never wandered off. I just kept reading without any stops. It flowed naturally and to me if felt believable. I read this piece first. I always read Dinty’s piece second so that I don’t have an idea of what I’m about to read. I’m always glad that I do that. Dinty like always made really good points. He explains that in writing just because you don’t live a difficult life it doesn’t mean that it’s not worth writing about. Dinty uses his life as an example. He is a simple catholic boy who never travelled from coast to coast or stopped criminals with super heroic actions. He was just Dinty and that’s how we should write. We should write with our strong personal presence. I’m not slim shady or Bryan Cranston but I am Juan. A twenty-five-year-old college student who was in the Marine Corps and has a significant love for comic books and football. When I write I should write like I am personally talking to you. I shouldn’t try to imitate others because if I do it would be noticeable. Eminem always said it best. “I’m Slim Shady, yes I’m the real shady all you other Slim Shadys are just imitating so won’t the real Slim Shady please stand up, please stand up…”
ReplyDeleteWord Count: 377
Juan Garcia Jr
Moore’s essay pushed into light a few details of writing that a portion of writers may not have known about. For instance, he talks about how when we write we have different voices and how it is easy for us to sometimes use two or more different kinds of voices to write a story with. However, we should not do this because when we do it can be quite confusing/ disorienting for the readers. Which is something that I am surely guilty of, and something that makes complete and total sense. The reason for this is because, imagen that you are listening to a lecture of some sort, and the lecturer is speaking in a very matter of fact way, when all of a sudden they start speaking in a very imaginative and mystical sort of way. This would throw a curve ball at the audience, and would be very disorienting.
ReplyDeleteIn Reel’s article, he followed the saying “Life is a journey not a destination.” He does this by writing about his trip to the ocean, however, he does not write about the ocean and what he does there, he writes about his journey getting there. This was kind of cool to read about because of the fact that whenever I hear or read about people traveling, it tends to be more about what they did while they were there and what the scenery was like. This allowed for a different perspective to shine through and was able to give me ideas for future writings.
Karina Gonzalez
Word Count: 255
I related to the author, Dinty Moore, when he complained to his wife about being “ordinary”. First, I would like to point out how blessed I am to be able to have this problem. I come from a Christian, middle-class, two parent household so sometimes I feel like I have nothing intriguing to write about, nothing that someone would take time out of their day to sit down and analyze. But then I thought about the different aspects of my life. I feel like I’m a totally different person when I’m with my family then when I’m with my friends. I choose my “personal presence” depending on the audience, but I make sure to be honest with myself. I’m usually louder around my friends because we’re usually at restaurants when we meet up or hangouts. I’m usually a lot quieter with my family since I’m the youngest sibling and my older sister is usually the one that talks. This chapter taught me that I should not question myself as a writer but embrace the different aspects of my personal life and include them in my writing because, “every author in some way portrays himself in his works.”
ReplyDeleteMonte Reel’s piece Camino Real was an interesting read in my opinion. We got to travel alongside the highway and experience the pros and cons and effects that it had on the people, economy, government, and environment around it. The imagery is what really made Reel’s piece come alive for me, he used specific detail that made me feel as if I was one of the people on that trip. I believe that the highway was an overall good thing for everyone. Even though it is still developing it has already stimulated the economy around it and has provided business opportunity. I think a stable government starts with a healthy economy.
M. Sarah Sanchez
Monte Reel's "Camino Real" produces an informative piece of literature about the importance of this one road. A road, that has finally been paved over permanently signifies the attachment and commitment the town shows for this road. Almost being the main vein that pumps the area with life. This road branches out to secondary venues but remains the leading the cause for the expansion of this area. Interoceanic Highway really set the foundation of the growth of South America. For example, there was a boom in the population of 8,000 new residents within a five year span due to "independent miners" looking to trade gold dust for cash. The locals described this activity as "destruction" due to the fact that there is now desert where rain forest was prominent. I personally enjoy the whole persona of the genre of people that come in and out of othis area. They describe the working field to be crap and the wages are low, the conditions are poor, yet people still come to this area in search of work. The government passes laws but apparently that power does not resonate with this area, even emphasizing the fact that the people treat laws just as they are, and that's simply words on paper. "The people who come here know this very well." The fact that “millions of Brazilians climbed over the poverty line” shows an increase of the growth of the people. Immediately associating with owning and purchasing a car will place one in a different class opposed to others fueled the whole notion of possession and materialism. They really felt that they were on some class above others because they were able to obtain a vehicle and even during these years, records sales in automobiles boomed dramatically so apparently something was driving the character of this area, hopefully towards more foundational growth.
ReplyDeleteRuben Loa Jr
I found Moore’s chapter “Who Am I Today?” very interesting. I too have those days when I just look at my writing and think “is this even any good?” or “this has already been written somewhere and it’s probably been written a hell of a lot better.” Non-fiction is definitely a challenge for me because I find it very difficult to write about my experiences. Moore talks about how every person is different and their experiences are different, which is something I have not really thought about. I am always so wrapped up in thinking about how dull my experiences probably sound on paper compared to others instead of trying to turn those experiences into something more. Moore’s view on persona was also something that caught my attention. I do not think I have any personas to be quite honest, I usually just sit down and write, but I may be wrong. There are days that I feel like my mood really affects my writing but as far as personas go I cannot say I relate. Reel’s “Camino Real” was a very informative essay. The author included so many facts that I sort of felt overwhelmed. They were well informed on the road the bus would be taking and he had a plan ready to tackle the long hours. What I liked most about the essay though was that it feels as if Reel is taking the reader on the road with them. They describe everything so well that I was never lost on what they were talking about.
ReplyDelete-Jennifer Gutierrez
While reading “Camino Real” all I could think about was how amazing it is that someone would know so much about a specific area, or road/route. It made me think about how Moore suggests doing your research before traveling for your essays. I wondered if the Reel did research specifically for this trip or it was something they had an interest in prior and then decided they knew enough and would like to write a travel essay about it. Either way it was pretty informative. Reading Moore’s “Who am I today” Chapter, I really related with him at the beginning as he tells his wife he feels like his life experiences are boring and not worth writing about. He goes on to compare himself to other writers who have gone out and done all these amazing things, or have lived through amazing things and he is just some white catholic guy who grew up in the 60s. I had that problem of devaluing my own life experiences because I could never find relevant literature. Whether it be culturally relevant to these wonderful borderlands, or relevant to my identity (queer lit). But as i got older, the more exposed I got to queer xicana lit, and the more comfortable I became with the idea of sharing my own personal experiences. The more I began to think, and now know my voice and experiences matter. Like Moore mentions, we are all universal because we are all humans made up of similar things.
ReplyDeleteAmanda Victoria Ramirez~
In “Camino Real” Reel takes a bus ride on the Interoceanic Highway of South American. On this journey he sees the state of the highway and how it has been mostly a promise that has not been fulfilled. The highway is not like the roads here in the United States. For all their flaws our roads tend, for the most part, to be well kept. On this highway Reel travels on there are sections of it that the locals prefer the dirt roads next to the highway because they are smoother. However, for all the flaws of the highway and the governments that built them they are hope to some. At the end of the essay you get to learn that Joseph Silas, a migrant worker Reel met at a migration camp, got his papers to be able to work São Paulo, Brazil. Joseph would take the same highway that Reel did, but in a different direction, both in physical geographic direction and in the direction of attitude. For Joseph there would be hope in the country of Brazil unlike his home country of Haiti. It was a good ending being able to see different perceptions of two people who went down the same roads and how different they were. Moore’s chapter “Who Am I Today?” was encouraging for someone who wants to write but feel they are too “normal” and uninteresting. Moore says it is a good thing to embrace that because in being so you are that much closer to the reader, who likely isn’t a celebrity or themselves. This was an interesting approach and I have to agree. Also many people underestimate themselves and their experiences. Sometimes I tell a story and find that the person I tell it to says things like “wow nothing like that will ever happen to me I’m not outgoing.” The thing is neither am I, I am just like anyone else my age who is going to school. I think everyone has experiences worth writing down and for those who pursue that goal there likely will be many things they can write about others will find interesting.
ReplyDelete-Jesus Alexis Prado
I really enjoyed Moore’s chapter because he talked about one of the things I really struggle with as a writer. I find it hard to write about myself because I feel like I am way too ordinary and there is nothing exciting about my life. Moore talks about his own experience with this problem and I could really relate. The fact that I could relate is the exact point Moore is making. Chances are most of my readers will be people who can relate to my “boring” life. Non-fiction has proven to be more difficult than I anticipated because of this but my boring life is full of culture and experiences my readers know nothing about so there is my opportunity to write. I also really liked how Moore discusses writing in the form of your different personas. It’s always better to stick to one persona so your audience can follow better. Overall this chapter proved to be very helpful while using some of the strategies it contained. “Camino Reel” was a pretty interesting read. I really loved the way the road was different for everyone. He writes about how some locals still prefer dirt roads over the highway and how it’s impacted its surroundings. I really liked the way he focused on his journey on the highway rather than the rest of his travel. I think the author added the perfect amount of background information to inform the reader of the setting. He also, however, adds a good amount of his interactions with people, such as Joseph Silas, and how the highway impacted them.
ReplyDeleteOlivia Hinojosa
i found both stories to be interesting and informative. I like how Moore brought up a topic that many aspiring writers struggle with, including myself. I often think my stories aren't good enough, especially when it comes to non fiction. How can my boring life interest someone else? What I primarily focus on in my writing is adding emotion, even if the story is about a walk in the park. I tend to add a lot of emotion so the reader can feel connected. Moore's chapter showed me that a writer should stay true to themselves when writing and not try to change because there will be a reader out there that can relate to your stories. Moore's chapter ties in with Reel's story "Camino real" because he writes about something you wouldn't think someone would be interesting in reading, but I have never found a story about a highway as interesting and informative as Camino real. Reel's observations show how one road can have an impact on different people and how everyone has their own story to tell.
ReplyDeleteMayela Montenegro
Camino Real was such a cool story. It is definitely one of my favorites so far. This is because the author is so observant and shares all these details in his writing. These details I am talking about are not just about his own personal observations, but also the history and the current situation of the places that he travels through. We learn about the people that he sees and encounters, the history and the reasons for their being where they are. For example, the readers learn about the Haitian refugees, displaced by the 2010 earthquake and smuggled across the ocean. Not only does Reel say how these people arrived here, he describes their living conditions and even talks with them. However, most importantly, even when he speaks with these people, and also with all the other people he encounters, Reel seems to purposely fade into the background. This is so that the focus of the reader is one the journey and the people and the places rather than the author himself. In this way, the reader becomes immersed in the writing.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the most interesting parts is when he explains the history of the way that he is taking his journey on. How it was supposed to be this great accomplishment and was instead a terrible disappointment. It seems to go along with the idea in the story that plans don't always go as planned (but it doesn't seem that Reel's journey was a disappointment at all.)
Doris Tolar
so, after a super long interesting discussion in class today, I read Camino Real, just to get more information on what yall were talking about. So... Yes I see a lot of the points that were made, But I still feel the way I did in class. in regards to this being a "real life" trip and this was a story of what really happends on trips. the struggles that you go through and the people that you talk with. The jump between Peru and Brazil is just really a realazation for people that these countries are really growing of socioeconimic status at both the begininng and the end, But for every other town in between is really this road is supposed to promote growth but it has either come and gone or it never came and such. Either way, the way the author wrote about this trip was much like any other thing he more than likely has already written because of the reporter style and him being a reporter.. either way, I didnt like the story, it has good points but it just didnt catch my attention of some thing I found intersting.
ReplyDelete-Cemantha-
In “Camino Real” by Monte Reel we are taken on this cross-country tour but not in the sense that we are being shown all the bright and beautiful parts of each town visited. Instead, the author has chosen to give the audience a deeper look at what one road, a simple road with only two lanes, can do to the surrounding town and people who come into contact with it. For some of the travelers this road signifies a path to unity or change because they are going home to see family or moving to a new home. However, for others this same road is a terrible thing which has brought with it a destruction of simplistic living ideals. I think the author tried to take his personal self out of this piece and input in his place that of the local people. This choice, I think, makes this essay more believable and relatable for the reader because we are seeing the effects through the eyes of the people who live with this road and all its good and bad. If Reel would have made it all about his perspective then the road may have become simply a good thing because of the ease of travel it has brought. Dinty Moore’s piece seems to coincide, somewhat, with Reel’s essay in the sense that a writer needs to portray the persona of the self as true as possible. I like how Moore is able to make a potential writer feel like their story, no matter how small or universal it may seem, could be interesting if it is written from a certain character perspective. It is very common to think of a normal trip to Walmart and realize that everyone goes there but the things we see at Walmart vary and the feelings we have are what can be written in a way that makes ourselves worth writing about.
ReplyDeleteSheryl cavazos
Moore’s “Who Am I Today” chapter was mainly about writing about yourself. It was about not being afraid of doing so since that should be something you are the most qualified to write about. He also mentions persona and I think in the way that this chapter is related to Reel’s “Camino Real” is that he takes the role of a traveler who I guess is observing and applying what he knows from the history of that specific area in Brazil. He gives different perspectives from the people he encounters about the issues with the market and business and the sorts of lives they lead. He doesn’t really assume anything so in this way, he is writing about what he knows as well as what he is learning during his journey. He opens the reader’s eyes to the conditions that these people endure in the encampments that he ended up in. “The men described conditions that were tolerable, but just barely. A few shower stalls stood nearby, but most said they washed with buckets of water. Their meals never varied—rice, beans, a little chicken. Many complained of stomach problems.” (Reel) He conveys the journey that these people have to go through in order to pursue a better life and better employment. Overall I think it was a very interesting travel story.
ReplyDeleteMonica Casanova