Final Project Evaluation

To start off, I would first like to say that I am very thankful that we were able to have a hand in selecting the material for the next English 110 course. I have truly enjoyed this class and would like to essentially 'put my mark' on the next course. My group selected the novel My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger. While I'm sure a lot of students will pick their novel as the winner because they are after the extra credit, I simply would choose this novel because of its content. I think the strong characters, literary elements, and creative use of various forms of communication would help this novel fit into the course very well.

I also think that as a group, we did an excellent job presenting the novel without giving away too much of the plot line. For me, this is key because I was instantly uninterested in novels in which a group's presentation ruined the ending because I personally do not like having the ending spoiled for me. I think that a few groups spent far too much time discussing the plot and not enough time discussing how it was a critique of society or comparable to other pieces of literature we had read (something that would have helped associate the book with something else we enjoyed, therefore making it more appealing). I think that our group worked very efficiently and, while we touched on things each other said, we did not keep repeating the same points over and over again. We were very cohesive and knew precisely what each other member was going to say, making it a clear and concise presentation. Also, our incorporation of a playbill, in which we cast the play, was something that made our presentation stand out from the others. Since casting novels seemed to be one of our class's favorite activities, I think that it was very wise for us to do so, helping everyone to visualize the story even without reading it on their own. I definitely think that My Most Excellent Year should be included in the next curriculum.

To be fair and make it clear that I wasn't just selecting my group's novel, I would like to say that I think My Sister's Keeper would be an excellent novel to include in the course. The storyline is very interesting, and the use of multiple points-of-view is a very important literary element that would be sure to keep the reader engaged. I also think that readers would be able to relate to the characters and, in turn, be very involved in discussions.

I think that of all of the novels, either this or My Most Excellent Year would be nice additions to the course.

My Most Excellent Year

While some may be instantly put off with the seemingly stereotypical portrayal of high school students, My Most Excellent Year was a very interesting story. For starters, the novel doesn't just use one form of writing, but rather encompasses a lot. By including instant messages, emails, diary entries, and various other forms of communication, the author easily relates the novel to a young audience, much like that found in our English 110 classroom. The various points-of-view shown keep the reader intrigued throughout the novel and make it a very quick read. The use of more than point of view also makes the novel comparable to My Year of Meats. With the use of this literary element, the reader is always kept active in trying to keep track of different lives. It ensures that the story is interesting and fresh.

Also, the themes addressed in the novel are ones that many students deal with in today's world and would find easy to relate to. Throughout the novel, the author uses a variety of literary elements, such as symbolism, tone, theme, and point-of-view. Mary Poppins is a symbol for comfort and compassion, seen by many characters as someone who would take care of them. Since most people can understand who Mary Poppins is, this is an easy symbol to relate to. The tone of the novel is also very inviting and positive, with a few somber moments here and there. Overall, the storyline is very strong and enjoyable to a variety of readers. By containing various forms of writing, the novel will be found pleasurable by a variety of readers. The writing is very easy to understand. However, this does not mean that it isn't complex. There is a great deal to be taken from the novel, but as it goes on, it is easy to dissect due to the fact that each character writes and speaks in a different manner, allowing the reader to keep track of who is saying what. I truly think this novel would be a great starter for the course. It is upbeat, interesting, and would be a nice transition from high school reading to college reading. I think My Most Excellent Year would be an excellent addition to the curriculum for next semester.

Our Great War.

I am absolutely in love with Fight Club. When I was in the 9th grade, I read the book for the first time. Probably not quite appropriate for a 14-year-old, but I couldn't bring myself to put it down, even for a minute. I was just so surprised by the realness of the message and my intrigue with the characters. Of course, my brother "accidentally" ruined the ending for me, but even that didn't stop me from reading it. Having read the book and loved it so much, I was even more surprised by how in love I was with in the film! I have seen it countless times and was THRILLED when I discovered we would be watching it in class. Every time you watch it, you can find something new, little hints that Tyler is not really there, and little flickers of Edward Norton's face when Tyler is speaking (and vise versa). I think I enjoyed it even more this time, however, because I was able to sit back and watch everyone else go through the motions of the film only to be caught completely off guard at the end.

While many might not see how "two" men making bombs out of soap can be something the average American can relate to, Tyler provides so much insight into life that it is near impossible to walk away from the film (or novel) without taking a great deal out of it. He hit the nail right on the head when he said "Our Great War is a spiritual war. Our Great Depression is our lives." I truly believe that one of the largest struggles we can face is a spiritual one, with all of the conflicting religious and scientific beliefs. However, I also think that there is a way to balance both worlds, and hold true to spiritual beliefs and scientific fact at the same time. The fact that we constantly battle with ourselves and our own beliefs definitely causes the largest 'war'--and make sure not to forget that conflicting beliefs are often the instigators of physical wars. On the same level, we can never be more depressed than to the extent that we often leave ourselves. Just take into consideration our conflicting beliefs (on top of all of the other problems and personal issues we face on a daily basis), and there is no doubt that depression is often rooted at our own individual cores.

Let's face it. Regardless of the fact that Tyler Dourdan himself did not exist, he was a genius. It is clear to me that Chuck Palahniuk is a genius, too.

Non-Required Reading

While I am not fully sure how calling something a Non-Required Reading would instantly make someone want to read it—at least not to the same extent as a banned book—I did enjoy a lot of the readings in the book. I liked the combination of short essays, top ten lists, and graphic novels. Overall, the entire book felt fresh and hooked me from the start simply because it contained a variety of forms of writing. After a while, it becomes boring to read the same thing, one after the other, and this was a nice change—especially for the time of the semester. It was nice to have fairly light reading as a sort of break from novels. The short graphic novel was also a nice transition into In the Shadow of No Towers, even though they were very different graphic novels. Having never read a graphic novel before, it was nice to get a little taste of the style before tackling a considerably more daunting one. It was definitely a quick read, and much more lighthearted than the Best American Short Stories. I grew more attached to the characters in the novels, and became more absorbed in the stories, but I was still able to fully enjoy the short stories and selected readings in the Non-Required Reading book. It was a very nice change of pace that came at the perfect time!