Reyes

New York City native // Texas // Dominican // 1992 // Art and Writing

[reyescarolina]

A self-portrait, plus some paintings of friends <3

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Here’s a page of a non-fiction piece I wrote about that crap I pulled when I was a kid! I’m gonna do my darnedest to finish this whole project.

[reyescarolina]

A comic.

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Covid-19 got me like...

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Artists Statement

My name is Carolina Reyes and I am studying to earn a graduate degree in Visual and Performing Arts. I have a focus on Women of Color, perception and the different types of people we become depending on who we are with. I am a multimedia artist with experience in digital painting, drawing, analog painting with oil and acrylic, mural painting, photography, film, video editing, writing and animation.

The types of themes I have noticed that are present throughout my writing are stories that are focused on relationship dynamics and the emotions therein. With my non-fiction stories, they focus on present happenings in my life and dealing with the emotions. Sometimes they also focus on miscommunication and how people think they are discussing one thing when they really have different ideas about the subject and what is being discussed. Toward the end of the non-fiction workshop, I have taken to graphic storytelling and the kind of images one can pair with the text.

I grew up in New York City with a mother from the Dominican Republic. We never seem to agree on any topic, and there were times where we would be talking about the same thing but end up on opposite sides of the opinion spectrum. I have also had conversations where we think we’re talking about the same thing, but as the conversation goes on, we realize we are not talking about the same thing. Word play and miscommunication is a fascinating writing trope for that reason. It feels very true to life.

Since I also grew up in New York City, I had many different people I talked to.  Always find it eye-opening and intriguing to try to understand other people’s perspectives and reasoning. I enjoy the idea of the idea of understanding someone because I was often misunderstood by my peers and my family. I was a hyperactive child and because I did not know how to express my emotions, I fought with my classmates. Because of the darkness I experienced in childhood, it influenced me to try to understand people whose actions are not noble. By connecting and understanding and support, my hope is that people would not have to hold on to anger or spite anymore. It is the reason I decided to pursue the arts and humanities. By understanding others, I am thus able to develop patience and understand myself more.

Pieces of media that have influenced my interest in perspective, empathy and communication can be marked by the books that have influenced me as a child (7 to 23 years old). In middle school, my favorite book was Flipped, by Wendelin Van Draanen. The story was about two neighbors who lived next to each other; a boy and a girl who were also classmates. She liked him; He did not like her. So, drama ensues between the two before the boy realizes he likes her just as she decides she does not like him anymore. What made this book interesting to me is that every other chapter is from either one of the protagonists of the story. One chapter is from the girl and in the next chapter, it switches to the boy’s perspective. It inspired me to write “Miscommunication”. Comic books were also an influence on my style towards the end of my archive. I read Saga, Monstress, Ms. Marvel (2012), and Motor Crossed. Since I love visual storytelling, comic book mode seemed like the next natural step for my writing to go. And various films have influenced my interest in miscommunication. I can’t remember them all, but in my recent viewing of Some Like it Hot, Dir. Billy Wilder, there was wordplay in some of the scenes that I enjoyed watching and listening to. Comedy from miscommunication. We underestimate the complexity and importance of language because it is like the air. It is around us all the time, that we start to see right through it.

Thank you for giving your attention to my archive!

[reyescarolina]

The Relative Pain Scale

22 April 2020

Week 15: The Borrowed Essay

0When I was about 7 or 8 years old, a boy in my class told everyone that I was a lesbian. While I didn’t know what a lesbian was, I still cried surrounded by my group of friends who were all girls. They repeatedly assuaged my worries by hurling insults at the group of boys across the class. “Ya fuckin’ scrubs. Fuckin’ herbs!” It wasn’t my fault I didn’t have any close male friends. They were all usually mean to me, so why should I be the friendly one? Why would I especially be nice to Charles? He pulled my hair and touched my butt! Even in retrospect, it’s alarming behavior.

Jokes on that dude because I AM QUEER. And I’ve never been cooler with the ladies. So, CHEERS.

 1

I think about two years before 0, I was living in another part of NYC called Jamaica, Queens. NO relation to actual nation of Jamaica in the Bahamas although there were a lot of dark-skinned folk living there, so who knows? In the 4th or 5th grade, a dude who I can’t remember punched me in the stomach. WHEN I SAY IT HURT, HOLY HELL DID IT HURT. I could not breathe; rather, it hurt to breathe. I don’t remember what I did or why I would start a fight, but I’ve always been a hot-headed one, so I was probably justified. Probably not. I was a temperamental kid. I’ll never forget about that feeling and since have accustomed to blocking my stomach if I am in some chance feel like I’m going to get punched in the stomach.

I don’t see an opportunity in my adult life where it would happen again.

 2

When I was a child, I had the chronic title of being the bad child. My mother would tell me I was such when I was a kid and even sometimes, when she’s in her really bad moods, she’ll yell that I don’t love her. Which can’t be true, but I’ve internalized it to the point where I have developed a constant simmer of guilt whenever I’m friends with anyone longer than a year.

They should have a better friend than me.

Guilty of being human and not being perfect and making mistakes. Even with self-awareness it is hard to shake the guilt. I am not sure I ever will.

 3

Being away from my friends right now is painful.

 4

I never had an ingrown hair so I did not know it’s Pokémon evolution, called an abscess, would come out of the avoidance of the problem. I was 25 and I thought I was going to die. I thought “this is what cancer feels like”, but no. I was being dramatic. The thing about abscesses is that they must drain them of the trapped pus and blood in order to get rid of it. That didn’t click for me until the nurse told me to pull down my pants and took out a big needle pumped with anesthetic.

I kept apologizing to the nurse for having to drain it.

Her face read like she told me to shut the fuck up.

It still hurt even when it was numb.

It was out and drained, but at what cost?

You may say “it’s better than leaving it alone”

But if I left it alone, I could have died, and I wouldn’t have to remember any of this.

 5

When my family left New York a month before my birthday. That was painful.

 6

I did not know that children could abuse each other just by copying what the adults in their life were doing. In any case when I was in elementary school I was sexually abused by some classmates. They would tell me to do something and I would say no. But they said they would not like me anymore if I did not do it. And I cried. I wanted to be liked. Then I did the same thing to a child younger than me. I do not know how many times I did that. I do not remember much from my childhood.

I almost had a breakdown during Saturday art studio class at my community college.

I am highly vigilant with children.

 7

Like an idiot, I told a best friend that I have only known for 3 months that I liked him. I thought he liked me too, but he did not. I think it was most painful when he said, “you thought wrong”. I was 26 and I never told anyone I liked them romantically. I was an adult and I never experienced anything that painful. I took me a year to get over it.

I do not think I will ever get over the fact that we cannot best friends anymore.

 8

I found out I had a half-sister when I was 12.

My family took a trip to the Dominican Republic to visit my grandparents. I did not understand why my mother didn’t come.

When we went to the pool, a random girl came with us. I was so confused. And then she hugged me. My cousins laughed and said, “that’s your sister”.

I tried to be nice, but I could not help but keep my distance from her. I felt guilty for pretending. But everyone was being so nice to her, so I did not want to get yelled at for not being nice either.

I hated that she looked like me. I hated that my father was taking her on piggyback rides. I hated that my father would look at me and ask, “what wrong with you?” when I did not want a hug or sit next to him.

I hated that they all ignored the pain.

When I watched my half-sister go back home, I was relived. I hope I never have to see her again.

I forget that my father calls me and I forget to call him back.

 9

I was expelled for a year from the community college I got my associates degree from.

I set something on fire in the art gallery.

Hear me out.

I thought of the Assistant Instructor like a friend. It was DADA week. I loved that week. And I had no sense of personal responsibility or self-control. DADA week was in reference to the art movement that erupted from the devastation of The Great War. It was all about nonsense and redefining what the public considered as art.

I told the AI that I wanted to wrap myself in butcher paper and break out dramatically. And that is what I did. But I could not break out the paper at the floor of the gallery, and the AI laughed. I guess I did not like being laughed at. So, I exhausted most of his acrylic paint and spread it all over the paper in a mess. He laughed again, so I took the lighter from the sculpture room and lit the corner of the paper on fire. I put it out with my boots before it got too big.

The police came a little later and escorted me out. Then I was escorted to a room where a man told me I was to be expelled for a year. I lost it and I couldn’t stop crying. I didn’t understand why a little fire was anything to be worried about. I used to think the measures they took were drastic.

I did not think I was a person who could pose a threat to the community since I never saw myself as that important to my peers.

I lost my job, and I took my final algebra exam at a Buffalo Wild Wings.

It was growing pains. And it’s a story to tell when I’m 80.

 10

Everyone thinks they would be that kid in the Disney movie that stands up to the bullies. In my case, I joined my bullies against my former friend.

I was 8 or 9 years old. My friend and I kept getting bullied. Me because I’m just odd and I had poor self-control skills. We dreaded going to school every day, but since we were together, it made the whole thing less painful.

One day, one of the bullies came up to me and offered a proposition: they would stop bullying me if I told my friend I did not want to be her friend any more in front of the whole class. I accepted and I did it when we went off to lunch. I could not look her in the face.

It hurt me to do so. I could not have imagined how alone she felt.

I was a Disney Channel Original Movie villain.

[reyescarolina]

An Introduction for “The Big Hump” written by Gary Smith

26 February 2020

If you ever wanted insight into Marine Corp life, you are sure to get your fix in Gary Smiths 2020 essay about a drill in the day of a life of an American Marine soldier. Gary’s prose is lax, almost bored when describing his officers, soldiers and things to do. But his sassy quips and textured details is what brings the piece alive. It describes the life of someone who feels so much physically, and suppresses much emotionally. It is the perfect storm of an essay. And without any dilly dally, I will delve into what the essay does and how it works.

The form of the essay is personal. As far as I know, “The Big Hump” is a personal essay which recollects the author’s time serving in the U.S. Marines. The title “The Big Hump” refers to a type of drill Marines are often made to do in order to build up their strength and stamina in the field. Written in first person (because he is recalling a memory), and is written in chronological order as the author lays out the day for the reader. My first thought of the title was its meaning, which I thought had something to do with Wednesday since our creative non-fiction workshop takes place on Wednesday nights and Wednesdays are usually referred to as “hump day”.

The intention of the piece is to let the reader in on the culture of the Marines. (Or any U.S. military faction) The author describes the moods and behaviors of his fellow soldiers and gives his little anecdotes about past behavior in the ranks. “The colonel stops in the road facing us as we file past him. He seems pleased with our enthusiasm, and if you really look close, he might have a smile on his face. Or he’s having a stroke. I’m sure he’ll let someone know if that’s the case” (7). Another anecdote that lets us in the culture is when the author describes the marching activity. “Some teasing will start among the ranks, which is unusually taken well. You get made fun of, you make fun of your buddy, it’s all fair game and not many mean anything by it. Occasionally though, your constant ribbing in the Marine Corps takes a turn for the worse. There have been some pretty bloody fights that started because a guy wasn’t in the mood for someone’s bullshit, or someone didn’t understand when to let it be” (7).

The theme of the piece is about how suffering is bearable depending on what you surround yourself with. The simple things. “I sit in the shower until the hot water runs out, or I run out of beer” (9). Another anecdote is about his drill instructor who “in boot camp sang his cadence to the melody of Pink Floyd songs. It was very impressive as the guy could sing, but not one thing he sang was an actual word” (3).

The tone of the author sounds tired, but a little bit smartassy. There are little comments that the author throws in that make an annoying person or statement be more funny or acceptable to the reader. Like when the author describes the Ops officer. “Captain What’s-his-Name from Operations is going over there now to kiss ass or whatever it is that Ops officers do. He approaches, salutes and seems to want to join in on the joke.  He looks like someone’s sad kid brother; if sad kid brother were assholes and everyone hated them” (2).

The intended audience of this essay seems to be people who have served sometime in any military faction in America. I don’t know what an “Osprey or a nice REI pack” (4) is, so I think those who have served in the military will be able to grasp onto the language.

There you have it. A collection of my thoughts of “The Big Hump” all packed up and read to march off into a hump with. As you read the essay, think: have io really been lumping all military factions together as if they do not separately have their own cultures to navigate?

Carolina Reyes

[reyescarolina]

An Introduction into “Teaching but Not Believing” written by Jesus Lopez

26 February 2020

Lopez has condensed the complicated situations and heartwarming tales of his first semesters of teaching at Colin County College in his charming 2020 essay, “Teaching but Not Believing”. Despite his title saying otherwise, he has deep belief in the seriousness of the stories he reads that are written by his students. But without spoilers, let’s delve into what makes this essay what it is.

The form or format of the essay is written in first person. The essay is about Lopez’s first year or semesters teaching at a community college. The first couple paragraphs talk about him arriving to Dallas and getting a teaching job at Colin. And then there are about twenty-one paragraphs, and each paragraph describing each of his student’s stories. Then the remaining three paragraphs are sequestered for the author’s concluding statements about teaching and his personal experiences dealing with students.

The intention of the author is to find something interesting in the stories of ordinary people. Even if you think you know someone, you don’t really know until they’re able to tell their story. “She immediately stated: “I want to write about managing a prison”… “I don’t want [to make the prison system] better. I plan to make the prisoners suffer!” The whole class was shocked and wide-eyed as they heard the words come out of her mouth…I was not sure where nor why this writing came from Rhonda, she left me impressed” (12). Every story the author tells in the essay is pretty shocking sometimes and there are stories one would never expect from a student who decides to pursue education despite all of their suffering. “I emailed [my student] and he responded that his parents would rather let him fail the class than give him a flu shot” (10).

The theme of the essay is about stories. “I treated my composition courses as a non-fiction creative writing course as I find in much more interesting to read about the lives of my students rather than a social or political issue essay” (3).

The tone of the essay sounds neutral. Like the author is recalling through memory lane. There aren’t any cynical quips that make me believe it is a cynical worldview he has of teaching. “I look forward to the years of teaching that await me and I can’t wait to do it full-time” (14). The only sting of cynicism I get is from the title, which is confusing in regard to the content of the essay.

The intended audience are probably teachers, as they will resonate more deeply with what is being discussed, but I think moist of anyone who reads the essay will enjoy it.

And there you have it. All of the themes of the essay all wrapped up for you neatly. As you read the essay, reflect on all these aspects, and think to yourself: what is your story?

Carolina Reyes

[reyescarolina]

An Introduction into Just Another Voice in the Chorus, written by Sunshine Williams

19 February 2020

Williams’ personal essay on Celebrity Obsession culture takes a charming turn as her 2020 essay lays of the trials and tribulations of being a fan of a band on the road. Without any further exposition, let me jump right into the analysis.

The form and format of the essay is personal essay; I believe she is talking events from her own life and retelling them in the essay. Admitting “I’m not doing anything that matters. It doesn’t even matter to them. And yet I cannot cease this behavior” (12). It feels very personal, like something one can only admit in one’s head. Written in first person. There are ten sections in the essay, each herald by a date or a Hanson band member or a quote. Chronological storytelling is what the author employs in their narrative.

The intention from the author is to parlay a feeling pf love of what have you, to something that is made fun of or trivial in our general culture. “Because there are thousands of Fansons, just like me. And who knows how many people are worshipping the Kardashians right now. Ultimately, its not that abnormal anymore. We’re all mad here” (13).

The theme of the piece is celebrity obsession or infatuation with the idea of unrequited love. “I sometimes think he’s the only man I’ve ever loved, because his happiness in more important than me getting to have him” (9). And the dedication and actions she does is in the piece throughout. And more than that, is the things than Hanson hand members do to keep her so hooked onto them.

The tone of the author feels earnest. There isn’t any notes or comment throughout that could make it come off as cynical. “I speak of [Taylor] as Byron or Keats or god willing, Shelley, and he is my muse and we all know that the Romantics perhaps had a tinge of melancholia that brought them to these sentiments” (9).

The intended audience for this essay is for people who DO NOT experience celebrity obsession. The author defines celebrity obsession on page 13. She also says “some of us are consumed by other people, and it devours our souls, or our time, our health. I’m convinced this is just a part of my innate being” (12).

I just have a random comment though: the Christmas concert when the Hanson members mention baby Jesus being born on Christmas, I thought of the Hanson members as the Three Kings. If you didn’t think about it, now you have the idea in your head.

And there you have it, an analysis of William’s 2020 essay. If anything, this essay has offered a great opportunity to experience Celebrity Obsession if you have not already! Highly recommend the experience of loving the idea of someone!

Carolina Reyes

[reyescarolina]

An Introduction to A Quick Guide for Teaching Mythology in Middle School, written by Sam Rasbury

19 February 2020

What Rasbury has laid out for the audience in his 2020 essay is a blatant sense of resentment with his school board supervisors. However, to maintain a level of detachment, he has structured his justifiable complaints into an instructional essay for any other instructors who butt heads with their local administrator. But without giving away spoilers just in my intro alone, let’s delve into the mechanics of this essay.

The format or form of the essay is based on the “how to” or instructional essay. The essay addresses the audience with “you”, which is the second person. The essay’s title is just what the essay does: it is a quick guide for teaching mythology in public middle schools. The essay is split up into five sections: and Introduction, Greek Mythology, Norse Mythology, Native American, African, Egyptian, Celtic, Chinese, Japanese, ect., Mythology, and then a Conclusion.

The intention of the author is to bring awareness of the difficulty of teaching mythology the way it needs to be taught to children. It delves into the administrations barriers into making learning effective for students. “But you shouldn’t explain to the students the importance of keeping one’s promise in case they repeat that information to anyone on the school board” (2). Because of the constant threat of being fired by the administration, teachers are under obligation to teach in a way that does not make learning about real cultures effective.

The theme of this essay is about education and the barriers within the system. “You will never be able to justify to your administrator why you spent an extra month and a half teaching students about the great cultural diversity of the world in which they live” (11).

The tone the author employs is one of great sarcasm and snark. “You will not have the time to provide students cosmologies for each of the non-Greek or Norse mythos. Instead, simply pick your favorite stories from each and frantically attempt to organize them by theme or purpose. This will create a number of problems with explaining chronology, cultural impact and the power of legends, but will provide an excellent opportunity for a writing assignment which will be of the utmost importance to your administrator” (12).

The intended audience are for teachers or educators who teach public school from elementary to high school grade. “If you are uncertain how to successfully incorporate mythology into your curriculum, do not speak to your administrator and figure it out for yourself” (12).

This essay is in talks with Binyavanga Wainaina’s essay, How To Write About Africa. She employs the same kind of sarcasm in her essay about the egregious stereotypes of Africa in western writers.

There you have it, a collection of separate pieces all working together in one snarky essay. I hope you enjoyed the analysis and please, under any circumstance, do not mention this in your PTA meetings.

Carolina Reyes

[reyescarolina]

An Introduction to Chester, written by Jay Griffin

19 February 2020

Griffin has laid out to us in poetics about their love for their cat, and the subsequent reflections on one’s life after you learn to love another living being. It is both a heartwarming piece and a diary the audience doesn’t feel privy to. Let’s get into the heart of the essay,

The format of the essay is based on a personal essay. The authors uses first person language because they are writing about their cat, Chester and how he connects to the authors life or make the author reflect on their own life. I have identified six sections of this essay that talks about a topic. The 1st section talks about Chester, his looks, and behavior; 2nd section talks about Chester’s health status; 3rd section discusses with how Chester relates to others in the household; the 4th section deals with the results of Chester’s diagnosis; the 5th section deals with dreams the author has of Chester internet famous; the 6th and final section deals with the authors mortality and how Chester has been an influence in their journey to self realization.

The intention of the author is to express the love they have for this cat and how significant they are in their life. “At this point in the narrative, wondering why I would become so emotionally compromised over a cat. This is because Chester is more than just a cat. Chester is my son” (3).

The theme of the essay is about love for a cat. “Today is the day in which I have to live life to the fullest. Laugh as much as I damn well please. Be proud of who I am. And if I can’t do it for myself, I’ll do it for Chester” (6-7).

The tone if the essay is a loving tone coming from the author. There aren’t places in the text that insults Chester in a hateful way, but more playful. “I love him even when he starts to get frisky with my arm. Seriously, Chester, that’s gross” (1). And the author declares their love for the cat multiple times throughout the essay, which makes me think there is so much love for their cat.

The intended audience for this essay would be for people who aren’t cat or animal lovers. Because the author says, “you may be wondering why I would become so emotionally compromised over a cat” (3), it makes me think the author is assuming the audience has never loved an animal or cat like that.

My favorite passage of this essay is when the author says, “I can already see fine lines forming under my eyes. I know that laugh lines are coming, because despite the trauma I’ve been through, I’ve somehow been able to laugh my way through it” (6).

And that’s what I have for this marvelous essay. Do me a favor; go home and kiss the thing you really love. Because you probably do not love it as much as Jay loves Chester.

Carolina Reyes

[reyescarolina]

Introduction to Observations of a Body in Decomposition, written by Shannon Schaffer

12 February 2020

There is much to say about Schaffer’s 2020 essay about power and control over human bodies. First, I will guide you through the form or format of the essay, then I will lead you through her intention, her themes, her tone, her intended audience, and the literary works this piece in in conversation with. Before we doze off to sleep, let us begin.

The form or format written in this essay is from the first person “I” form. There is an introduction, like the essay is part of an experiment (see: essay title and “these are observations of a body in decomposition” (1); “Our form inevitably decompose, leaving our once plump skin as contaminants of dirt or ash” (9).) The author is coming to terms abut what happened to their body when it was no longer in their control at the psychiatric hospital. “The reminder of the scar on my lower back is left on a piece of paper hidden within a stack I purposefully attempt to forget where I’ve left each time it’s found” (9).

The intention of the author is to make the reader aware that the body will decompose without us knowing how or when it started. “Our bodies have been known to rebel against us, leaving us in the service of our brains and organs and making us increasingly vulnerable to the horrors surrounding it” (1). The essay also strives to show how easily manipulated our bodies are to people you thought you could trust. “Humanity exists within an inescapable structure of power that, at times, seeks to take advantage of those most aware of their own rot and decay” (1).

The theme of the essay is trauma and control. “Whenever I look back at this block of writing now, I can only think of all the horrors I left out because the memories were too close, too impactful during such a fragile period of my life” (2). “I remember the nurse in charge of the procedure wondering aloud why they were making a patient who was so young do this test for no clear reason… that was never clarified to me what purpose it served after” (3).

The tone of the essay is somber, like she is mourning what has been done to her. “I know my body is dying. I hope I am the only one to watch it rot” (9).

The intended audience for the essay is for people who enjoy psychological thrillers or even mysteries, because this essay reveals to us one by one clues into her memory. “The memories soon flooded back to me” (3).

This essay is in talks with Between the World and Me, an essay written by Ta-Nehisi Coates. They both talk about the violence their bodies have taken against a pervasive enemy and the trauma that comes with realizing this lack of control over one’s body. “He had already leaned the lesson he would teach me that day: that his body was in constant jeopardy” (18 Coates).

I hope now you have the context to move forward through this intimate essay. Enjoy reader!

Sincerely,

Carolina Reyes

[reyescarolina]

Introduction for Why I Hate Children’s Literature, written by Becca Goodwin

12 February 2020

Hello, reader. I would like to introduce you to Becca Goodwin’s 2020 short essay, Why I Hate Children’s Literature. I will guide you through the essay’s format, the intention behind the essay, the theme, tone and intended audience. So, without any further adieu, let’s dip in.

There are common ways to write an essay, and one common way is to write an opinion piece. Goodwin decided to employ the “Why I..” kind of essay, where she will explain why she hates children’s literature. The essay is written in first person, as it is an opinion piece. The essay is not so much about her actually hating Children’s literature, as is the disgust from adults around adults reading stories who’s audience in mind is children. “What I hate is the idea that a text declared as ‘children’s literature’ might dissuade adults from opening up a beautiful, well thought out piece of literature that could, quite possibly, change their life” (6). There is an “intro” into the essay that starts with J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, and then leads the author into recalling her first graduate course.

The intention behind the essay is to call to attention the great stories present in children’s literature and how scholars and academics should not dismiss these kinds of stories. “Some readers—fewer academics—will peruse the children’s section at the bookstore, finding the colors too bright or the patrons too sticky. This does many a great story a disservice” (6).

The theme the author implores in this essay is to keep an open mind with literature genres. “I love great stories—stories of fantasy and friendship, love and luck. It should not matter where these stories come from or how old their main characters are” (6).

The tone in which this essay is delivered in is declarative. The author is disappointed in the general behavior towards children’s literature. “Although Alice is typically the only piece of Children’s literature one will see on a college syllabus, countless other stories deserve to be studied, analyzed, and appreciated in Academia” (6).

The intended audience of this piece are for any book reader, and perhaps those who hate children’s literature is tricked into reading an essay that advocates for Children’s literature to be elevated to heights that general adult fiction and non-fiction literature does. It seems to me that many an academic agree with her misleading title. “Pretension has no place in literature and certainly not in academics” (6).

Thank you for following me though the mechanics of this piece, and I hope you enjoy an essay that defends the rights of all of us adults who enjoy a bit of childishness in our lives.

Sincerely,

Carolina Reyes

[reyescarolina]

Introduction for Disney in a Day, written by Caitlin Goheen

12 February 2020

Hello reader! I will be introducing you Goheen’s 2020 essay, Disney in a Day. First I will guide you though the format of the essay, then I will introduce to you the author’s intention, theme, tone and intended audience. Without anymore hoopla, let us dive in.

The form or format of the essay is derived from the “How to” essay. Although the title doesn’t say “how to”, the author vows to the reader to help them through the Disney World park in a way that you are able to see the best attractions there are without wasting the while day on attractions or places in the park that are not as exciting or magical. The audience is addressed in a “you” form. “RESIST THE URGE TO ENTER THE SHOPS” (2). The essay is divided into twelve sections: an intro, a walkthrough of the ten best attractions in the magic kingdom, and a closing paragraph. Opening: “The guide is designed to provide maximum umph! To the Disney go-er on the go while still getting to experience the most magical pieces of what the House of Mouse has to offer” (1). Closing: “Congratulations. You have completed a day at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom” (11).

The author’s intention is to help people get to the best parts of Disney’s Magic Kingdom without having the reader spend a lot of time and money on a specific attraction. “Many have tried and failed to experience all that the Walt Disney World parks have to offer… it’s not possible to see it all so let that dream go before it even has the chance to take root in your heart” (1).

The author’s theme is to help the reader be economical in their time at Disney World. “Unfortunately, most guests don’t live in Florida, let alone Orlando, and don’t have the time to spend more than a few days at most traipsing through the parks on their PTO hours” (1).

The author’s tone is sassy and sarcastic. “At this point, the day has barely begun. Your feet are still fresh, no sweat stains yet coat the undersides of your arms or dribble down your back, and, most importantly, the lines are still relatively short. So, avert your gaze! There will be plenty of time to come back and browse for gifts and souvenirs for the entire family and your fur baby later in the day” (2).

The author’s intended audience are people who plan on attending Disney World. They would find this guide helpful. I sure wish my mom had this guide when our family went when I was 12.

And there you have it. All of the integral pieces of Goheen’s essay all smoothly running together like baby oil on a slip-slide. Enjoy the reading, and keep these tips in mind if you ever visit Disney World.

Sincerely,

Carolina Reyes

[reyescarolina]

Introduction for “The Art of Cooking”, written by Mona Salman

11 March 2020

Introduction for “The Art of Cooking”, written by Mona Salman

What Salman has given to the class is a personal touch to the general art of cooking. Of course, there is an art to cooking. To assume there never was is either because you have never cooked (what, are you rich or something?) or you do not care about cooking enough to learn about the art behind it. Salman’s 2020 essay focuses on the Art of Cooking middle eastern dishes, and can be a universal experience if your ethnic background also emphasizes food as community. And my ethnic community does. Her charming essay is a meditation on the history of cooking (specifically Egyptian, Mediterranean and middle eastern cooking) from Humanity’s hunter-gatherer period to modern day society, and how the techniques developed reminds her of home, family and community.

The form or format of the essay is created by the type of way the author addresses the audience. Sometimes the essay is written in 3rd person. “[Food] may have even shaped our brains and body structure” (1) And sometimes the essay is written in 1st person. “As much as I do not comprehend the reason behind soaking birds or animals in a solution, watching her stuffing the pigeons in a very precise and artistic strategy… is one of the happiest moments of my childhood that continues to be carved in my memory to this day” (5). Because of the shift of focus, this essay is both informative and personal. I like the intertwining between informative and personal, it gives the subject discussed a weight of breath. She connects the larger food culture of middle eastern and Mediterranean nations like Turkey, Israel, Lebanon and Egypt. The essay also holds all this information within nine paragraphs.

The intention of the piece is to show to the reader how much food plays into cultures and social aspects of the cultures. That food = family = love. “In the middle eastern culture, food is regarded as a social activity that is inextricably linked to celebrations, occasions, and memories. It is a way of defining relationships within the community” (3). This idea of food is in sharp contrast to the wider American media narrative that middle eastern culture is violent, abusive and oppressive (see: any movie after 1970’s or 9/11/01).

The theme on the surface is about food, but in the deeper read, it is about family. It also informs of the interconnectedness of people of the nations that surround Egypt. “In the modern world, [Ful] is classified as a traditional breakfast in Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, and Israel…[The art of cooking] conjures up memories and opens up possibilities of the interrelation between history, culture and society” (5, 6).

The tone of the author is loving as she recalls her childhood watching her grandma cook (3, 4, 5) and nostalgic for those traditional recipes again.

The intended audience is for foodies who are unaware of the food culture in Egypt and other nations surrounding it. “[Ful Medammes] belongs to the Ottoman Empire, Islamic traditions and even goes back to the time of the Pharaohs. It is one of the highly nutritious beans that protects the ancient Mediterranean world from malaria and it was even found inside the tombs of Pharaoh kings” (6).

In learning the origins of what we eat, we can feel more gratitude of our origins and what contributed to the meals we consume.

[reyescarolina]

Introduction for “The First Book of the Materialist” and its supplemental essay, written by Thomas Rocha.

11 March 2020

For the most part, Rocha’s 2020 essay is hard to read. Not because of its occasionally incomprehensible philosophical musings, but because it’s always hard for me to translate the accuracy of the human experience into words. In short, this essay gave me brain damage. I mostly deal in visual stimuli and some concepts cannot be quantified by language. It’s not something that can be comprehended when read, but something that is to be felt. And I felt many a thing while reading “The First Book of the Materialist”. There is so much to say about the essay, but to keep myself mentally sane and focused, I’ll stick with the how the essay works in form, intention, theme, tone and intended audience.

The form or format this essay take from is the Hermit Crab or Borrowed Form essay. Familiar patterns of relaying information in Elementary or High School textbooks are also used in Rocha’s essay. For example, the graphic charts and the erratums. The essay is written in 2nd person (addresses audience as “You”); “You must possess something in order to lose something” (1). But Footnotes have a more personal voice (written in “I” statements); “10. A short list of things I have been hit with in discipline: belts, paddles, switches, wooden spoons, brushes, coat hangers, blind opener rods, extension cords, walls, the open hand of my mom, the open hand of my dad” (12). The essay holds three graphic charts that take abstract ideas and give it a grounding in a familiar graphic. There are 6 erratums that have supplemental information to the philosophical questions of the piece that are definition or idioms. (how to lost your religion; call and response; evil; absence; feet of clay) These definitions are looked at figuratively and literally. “To lose your religion is to lose a locus of belief, to lose an overarching sense of from and to, to be unmoored from metaphysical foundations” (1). “Next, the figurative translation: in the southern colloquial sense, to lose ones religion is to lose their temper, to lose control over the faith practices which were, before that moment, preventing some possible outpouring of violence and rage” (2). The essay also comes with a booklet called “The First Book of the Materialist” that has five possible origin stories for Humanity as a species, and each origin story has 3, 7, or 10 subpoints.

The intention of the piece is to get the audience to assess familiar or cultural language. Taking familiar concepts and to observe or question them from a distance makes the cultural norms seem absurd. A very cultural Marxist thing to do, but mostly tied to philosophy and religion. “The problem of evil is thus: God is said to be good, along with being omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. A good god would desire to stop evil and suffering. There is evil and suffering” (5).

The theme is existentialism. Questioning the behavior and beliefs of one culture. “Life is usually either good or only full of the sort of low-grade bureaucratic nonsense that can only loosely be considered evil. The problem of evil is Someone Else’s Problem. Someone Else’s Problem isn’t generally much of a motivating force for losing control over the restriction of violence” (6).

The tone of the author sounds detached, or clinical. Because this is about reflections of human behavior and society + religion. The footnotes offer more personal insight, but tone still signifies detachment. Perhaps because the memories are still so painful. “In this house that anger builds are many rooms. More than enough to put everyone you meet. Sissy. Whimp. Pussy. Wuss. Crybaby” (9).

The intended audience is for any cultural Marxist, like me, or philosopher. Anyone could theoretically enjoy it, but I’ve met too many people who do not have a grand old time contemplating why they do or believe the things they do.

In conclusion, life if strange. That’s what makes it cool.

[reyescarolina]

Workshop Story #2