If I were asked to compile a list of my academic strengths, writing and literary analysis are two concepts that would not be present. In light of this, I am entering this class with simultaneous excitement and nervousness. Despite writing being a weakness of mine, I am excited to see how this class can enhance my skills as well as allow me to explore a connection I didn’t know existed between Ireland and African Americans in the United States. The first couple of classes have been a whirlwind of information. I am not very familiar with history during the period surrounding 1968, so I have learned plenty of new things already. What has stood out to me the most, however, is the theatrical nature surrounding the protests. The public’s perception of a certain group or event may be fairly different than the truth. For example, the civil rights movement is normally associated with peaceful protesting and the Black Panthers with violence. In reality, however, the civil rights movement was more violent and the Black Panthers less violent than the public believed. Perception is just as important in today’s world regarding politics and movements. That being said, along with improving my ability to analyze a literary work, I would like to explore the importance of perception and theatrics throughout the 68 era.
2 Replies to “The Importance of Perception”
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I would have to agree with you that I was very nervous going into this class. I have always struggled with writing and literary analysis and that is why I have held off taking a literature class until this point. After the first couple of classes, I became comfortable with the discussions and the pace of the reading material. I believe that this class will challenge my abilities and make me a better writer. I would also have to agree with you that perception is very essential in life and in a class like this. Each person will come to class with different ideas about the readings and that will be contributed to our discussions.
Although I had to shift my main focus of study from English to Business in this final year of my time at Notre Dame, I have learned many things in my English classes thus far. One of those lessons has resonated with me in the first few meetings of this class: literary analysis and writing are largely based on the perception of the reader. Although you may not feel that your English skills are up to par, recognize that the desire to soak in all of the knowledge that you can regarding this topic and others will make your analysis robust and your writing enjoyable. Taking note of your own perception and subjectivity throughout the learning process will allow you to understand the “why” behind the theatrics of ’68, and will aid you in searching for answers regarding the time period as a whole.
I am in a similar position of ignorance regarding the history of “the Thing” and the international movements of the ’68ers, but I look forward to creating vibrant links between each step of the movement and its subsequent reactions. The give-and-take of this time period seems to be like the tides of the ocean, and it is very fascinating to recognize the effects of each wave. Creating a mental “map” of each movements and the movements or reactions that formed because of them will be a daunting task, but one that will hopefully make this course interesting and delightfully challenging.