Blog post 7

One of the reasons why I chose this class over other LHSP classes was because in the course description there was a quote from Alice Fulton's piece that read, "“…let my glance be passional / toward the universe and you.” I was initially drawn to this line because I love the idea of being passionate about something. I love listening to someone talk about their passion and being passionate myself. I think that the intense love that is passion really makes life worth living. As I read on, I learned that the class focused a lot on social identities, something I could honestly say I was not very passionate about. It's not that I didn't have those identities, but rather I didn't feel that they had been a shaping force in my life. With the idea that perhaps this class could strengthen my understanding and appreciation for social identities, I chose to register. Over the course of the semester in Writing and Seeing, I can't say that I developed a passion for exploring social identity. However, I do feel much more knowledgeable on the topic and I am still excited to learn more about identities, whether they be mine or not. I basically went from never writing about social identities (or at least never realizing that I was), to spending an entire semester and 4 substantial essays writing about it, so I can confidently say I've improved my writing regarding identities. It is easier for me to think about how identities are shaped and what effect they have on shaping other things/people, and it is easier for me to articulate this than it has been in the past. One specific reason for this is the multitude of example readings we have been provided each week. Reading numerous other views has helped me to understand what good writing about identity and perspective looks like. I am sure that my writing will continue to grow in the future as I become even more aware of identities and perspectives around me, and I'm glad I got this chance to begin this development in this class.