The End is Near :')

    Shockingly, this school year is nearing its end. I can vividly recall the first day of 11 AP English, where the curriculum was being read to us and I was fearing for my life at the thought of writing an essay every Monday morning and having 1-2 hours of homework for this class. However, looking back on this year, I realized that I have never learned so much from a class without having this much fun. I cannot take all the credit for the knowledge I have learned - although this year has been quite painful at times, many people and texts helped me get through it.

    I cannot begin this acknowledgment section of my 11 AP English experience without thanking Mrs. Valentino for molding me into a solid writer. In all honesty, I was extremely frightened the first day we met, especially when people were getting yelled at to “gEt hEre oN tiMe!!!”, but little did I know how cheerful, knowledgeable, blatantly humorous, and motivating she is (and how funny it is when people are late). I am also extremely envious of how her necklaces and/or scarves always perfectly match her outfits. She made students comfortable and confident in their unique voice and style of writing. I learned so much about myself as a writer and how to improve thanks to her and I was unaware that I am capable of thinking and analyzing as much as she proved I am.

    I would like to express deep gratitude to Virginia Woolf. I was so happy when I saw that a fraction of my outlook on life was being presented in her beautiful essay, “The Death of a Moth.” Frankly, reading it made me feel insignificant, especially when I realized how similar people are to something as small as a moth (not to downplay moths - those creatures are incredible). However, Woolf’s fascinating yet melancholy and pessimistic view of life was oddly refreshing. I now understand that death is inevitable, so we should make the most of life by spending time around things and people we love while doing things we love and by disregarding anything that brings negativity (although dropping out of school is unfortunately not an option). It also puts into scale how minuscule our slight problems and inconveniences are in the big picture. It pains me that she was wronged by this world in the sense that she did not let death arrive naturally but was molded by this cruel world to enforce it upon herself. I wish she could see how impactful and inspiring her writing is.

    My sincere appreciation goes towards the various criticisms of “The Great Gatsby,” for allowing me to view common situations through different perspectives and lenses. It is eye-awakening to think that Nick’s sexual ambiguity could be a reflection of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s confusion about his sexuality, or that Jordan’s resorting to cheating in golf encourages the stereotype that women cannot succeed in any field without cutting corners. Now, I finally understand to what extent authors can intelligently convey their ideas and opinions in their texts and try my best to do it in my writing.

    I would like to demonstrate my gratitude towards F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author of “The Great Gatsby,” for showing me that hidden symbols are present where you least expect them to be, whether it be in the weather, automobiles, or in Daisy’s name itself. Never would I have thought that a daisy, which has a yellow center, could be assigned as a name to someone who is beautiful on the outside but has a core of gold (a money-driven heart). Now I am constantly on the hunt for symbols and can use them in my writing.

    Thank you to “A Raisin in the Sun'' for demonstrating and educating on the various forms of racism. I used to think that racism was strictly limited to a verbal or physical statement/act of hate against someone for being of a specific race, but reading this has revealed to me how racism can be shown through ideology, institutions, abstract liberalism, etc. When people claimed to not see color and view people for what their character is (like Mr. Lindner in the play), I thought I should respect them, but now I know how close-minded that point of view is and how important it is to be mindful of one’s race instead of disregarding it.

    Last but not least, thank you to my peers for opening my eyes to different perspectives and styles of not only writing but life. I have overheard the funniest and most insightful conversations in room 214. I now know that you can always find a way to utilize capitalism in an essay and approximately how many second graders and Canadian geese a person could take on if they were cornered. I have learned so much from those who sit near me and who I talk to when we are told to turn and talk about a specific idea from a recently-read text, although these people make me feel extremely dumb. These people have made 11 AP English far less stressful and frightening, and I could not have come to this point in the year without them.