Essay Writing Reflection

This year, we read two books, ‘Alchemist’ and ‘Julius Caesar’. Base on these two books, we wrote essay about examine the characterization of a main character and support the ideas with quotations from the story.

Strong ideas and contents help to support my reasoning and show my knowledge and understanding of the story. For Alchemist essay, I need greater knowledge of topic because there was a gap apparent and it was too general. In addition, I didn’t provide enough and strong evidence to support my topic sentences to convince the audiences. ‘After a while, he realized that he could have same freedom as the wind and there was nothing to hold back him except himself.’ As you can see in this sentence, it dose not explain how did he co

me to the realization. Therefore, readers might confuse with my thoughts or the flow of the story. However, in Julius Caesar essay, I showed the deep understanding of the story by giving more specific topic sentence and clear explanation of the quote, which relate to the main idea and include interesting and relevant details than the past essay.

My essay organization was fairly good for both essays. “Set honour in one eye, and death i’th other, and I will look on both indifferently; for let the gods so speed me as I love the name of honour more than I fear death.” (Julius Caesar, Act one Scene2) in order to grab my reader’s attention and have a clear topic/thesis statement, I begin my essay with an interesting hook by using quote form the actual text. My body paragraphs were well organized with clear topic sentences and interesting quotation which provide a strong evidence. However, I’m keep repeating what I mention before or spent too much time to explain what reader already knows. Therefore I need to reduce reputation to make well-organized essay.

Personally, I think the improvement between Alchemist and Julius Caesar essay was finding evidence for each topic. For Alchemist essay, my supporting sentence was not strong enough to notify my thoughts about Santiago’s journey. In addition, my texts were undeveloped and have a weak grip on the main idea. Therefore, readers might get confuse or did not understand the message that I want to sent through this essay. However, in Julius Caesar essay, I showed deeper understanding by focus on topic topic and write the in broad terms. Also, I wrote well-developed content with significant quotes to support claims.

Throughout crafting these two essays, I access SRL ‘Communicate Effectively’ in order to communicate my thought clearly with audiences. To achieve this goal, I tried to give significant and well-supported details to prove my ideas and topics. I hope I improve my writing skill to communicate effectively with readers and write better essay.

Justify the Means

Justify the means

“Set honour in one eye, and death i’th other, and I will look on both indifferently; for let the gods so speed me as I love the name of honour more than I fear death.” (Julius Caesar, Act one Scene2). Brutus is great noble from Rome who always puts his country before him. Therefore, all his people respect him. He will do whatever he needs to do to prevent Rome from being destroyed. As Brutus knows Caesar very well, he becomes worried when he notices that Caesar becomes powerful. He knew that he have to do something in order to save Rome from Caesar’s dictatorship. Hence, he decided to stop Caesar from became a dictator. Patriotism and honour were the motivating factors for Brutus, as he be lieves Caesar’s death will save Rome from dictatorship and giving freedom to the people.

Patriotism was one of the biggest influence for Brutus to join in the conspiracy. He was worried that if Caesar becomes a king, he will misuse his power and rule over the Rome and destroy the freedom that Romans are enjoying now. Brutus is patriotic man, as he would rather die than to see the country being ravage by Caesar. Therefore, he decided to join with the conspirators to bring down Caesar. “Brutus had rather be a villager than to repute himself a son of Rome under these hard conditions as this time is like to lay upon us.” Brutus says that he would go down to the level of villager rather than endure the dictatorship of Caesar. This shows how much Brutus loves his county and the desire that he want to save Rome from the tyrant of Caesar. However, he was a good friend with Caesar therefore, he could not decided whether he want to get ride of Caesar or not. “I know no personal cause to spurn at him, but for the general.” The quote shows that he doesn’t have any personal reason or emotion to kill Caesar however, for Roman’s good, in order to save Rome from tyranny, he determine to kill Caesar. Brutus describe Caesar as a ‘serpent’s egg’ as Brutus thinks Caesar is hungry for power. This thought make him decided to kill Caesar before he get too much power. He is a ‘noble’ man who caring for the peace of Rome and the citizens of Rome therefore, in order to keep honour of Rome, he make his mind to kill Caesar and save Rome from dictatorship.

Even though Brutus thinks Caesar was an ambitious man, he wants to make his death honorable. Since Caesar was a general of Rome and good friend of Brutus, he wants to make his death sublime. “Let’s be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius. … Let’s kill him boldly, but not wrathfully; Let’s carve him as a dish fit for the gods, not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds.” Brutus suggests killing Caesar as a sacrifice for god but not kill him too awful. Before Caesar was dictator, he was Brutus’s friend and respected by people of Rome. Even after Brutus killed Caesar, he still has a feeling that Caesar is his friend. Thus, Brutus wants to show respect to Caesar and make his death honourable. Beside that, Brutus also thinks this will help conspirators to control the citizens because it will reduce the chaos among the people. After Caesar’s death, conspirators are at the crisis and they run away from outrageous of people. While they are plan about their military operations, Cassius and Brutus had a quarrel. “Did not great Julius bleed for justice’ sake? What villain touch’s his body that did stab and not for justice?” Brutus remind Cassius again about the reason of Caesar’s death was for Roman’s good not for their own good. This shows the purpose of Brutus to kill Caesar was to fight in the cause of justice. Not like other conspirators, Brutus was not greedy to get the power or wants to get ride of Caesar to take off his position but for his country.

In order to stop Caesar from rule over the Rome, Brutus has to kill Caesar. Two motivating factors, patriotism and honour helped Brutus to make a decision to join in the conspiracy. His goal was to save Rome from the dictatorship of Caesar. However, his goal was senseless even though he success to assassinate Caesar. By misunderstanding of citizens’ thought, he brings chaos and destruction to Rome. Brutus was very patriotic and honourable man who always cares about his county and loves it so much. However, his goal was not worthy because it brings more disaster to Rome and torn it apart.

Void Question (Band)

1. What would you call this sotry? (Title) Why?
- The title for this story can be 'A Black Box' because the focus of this story is the 'black box'. This story keeps tellling about the black box and makes audience curious aobut that box therefore, I think the main focus of this stroy is that box and it can be the title of the story.

2. Explain the power of the woid in this experience.
a) No title/Author information
b) No ending
c) text clues and foreshadowing throughout
d) Mystery paper
e) Delayed ending
- The first time, when we get the story, it doesn't have any title or author's name on it. Therefore, I can't guess what is going to be happen in the story or author's mind. However, throughout the story, there are some clues and foreshadowing which tell us about the title and the story line. This helps us to understand better and make the story more interesting. Also, the story doesn't have any ending at the end which made us think and curious about it. After we finish reading the story, teachers gave us a mystery paper which has black dot on it and says "Do not open untill 9PM". This paper create tension and make us to open it to read the ending part of the story. By reading this story, I could understand more clearly about the concept of the void, and learn how to create void in many different way.

3. Why did the author leave these voids in the story?
- The author leaves these voids in the story to make it more interesting so the readers can attach to it.

4.What would have helped you to make a better predicion?
- The foreshadowing and the clues in the story help to make a better predicion of the story.

5.How did you feel about the black box and the black spot/blank paper? Explain.
- I feel tension and anxiousness about the black box and the black spot because in the story, black box and black dot symbolize bad things/happen. Also, normally, color 'black' represent unfortunate.

Void Question (Band)

[ The International School of Kuala Lumpur provides an exceptional education (pose) that challenges each student to develop the attitudes, skills, knowledge and understanding to become (pose) a highly successful, spirited, socially responsible global citizen. ]

- PART 1 -

In order to create void in our mission statement, I put some ‘poses’ between word and phrases. The ‘pose’ before the main sentence of the mission statement can grab audience or reader’s attention and make them concentrate to the mission statement. In addition, the pose before the last sentence create tension and make audience curious and ask question about whether this statement will lead student of ISKL to good path or not. By putting some poses in between the word create a void and attracts people to listen to the ISKL mission statement.

- PART 2 -

In order to create void in music pieces, composers use variety of way to make tension in their music. Composers purposely put some silence during a piece, which leaves a question, and make audience to think what is going to happen next. Another way is mixing all the music and makes audience confuse. This also creates curiosity and question to audiences in order to grab their attention and make the music more interesting.

By creating void in the music, listeners can effect. The void can make listeners to think about the music, which can make them to have interest in music or grab their attention to focus on the music.

Lost Boys Collage - Lost boys, lost hope. Who's fault?

Recently, in humanities, we learnt about the conflicts and the “lost boys of Sudan”. Lost boys were children who lost their parent due to a war in Sudan and sent to refugee camp. In order to understand more about lost boys and create empathy to audience, we made a collage based on this topic.

Lost boys, lost hope. Who’s fault? This 6 word memoir is telling the hard conditions of Sudan remind and make people think again about the reason why young Sudanese children have to suffer. As I make this memoir, I want people to imagine how tragic Sudan is and realize who causes to make this happen.

I place the word ‘Lost Boys’ on the top right hand corner where the picture of children in Sudan had. These images give basic thoughts or information about who are lost boys and helps to understand about the pathetic situation of Sudan. Right next to word ‘Lost Hope’, in order to show their hopeless feeling, I used lots of despair photos or pessimistic faced children. This creates sympathy for the lost boys and remind again about the pain that they have to suffer because of the war. I used hopeful voice text to tell even though they had disaster in their country, they still have hope and overcome the problem that they have.

I make my collage as a shape of Africa and in side the Africa, I put the shape of Sudan. I made Sudan with black color, with a hard texture to give a feeling that Sudan is suffering, hopeless, despair and destroyed. On the top left hand corner, there is a picture of girls, which breaks in to apart. As you know, Sudan had a civil war for 21years and the conditions of Sudan are very

pathetic. Thus children are suffering with disasters in Sudan. I tear up the picture of young girls, in order to express hopeless feeling of Sudanese children. Another picture that I choose was a famine babies. Sudan doesn’t have enough supply for food or water to feed all the people which lead people to die from hunger. Therefore, a lot of babies are dying due to the unbalanced nutrition. This picture demonstrate dreadful situation which create empathy for Sudan.

The general message that I want to send through the collage is the destruction of Sudan. Many people don’t know about Sudan or didn’t realize how terrible they are. Therefore, as I made this collage, I want to move people’s mind and make feel empathy about them which could make people to help or support the lost boys.

[ Crossing the River Gillo painted by Mac Anyat ]

Think Creatively!

I used variety type of technique to make my collage more creative and interesting. To show how tragic is Sudan, I used dark color and thic

k texture to express the depression. In addition, I tear the pictures or make it as puzzle, in order to show that destroyed continent and they are hopeless. Also, I choose a lot of lost boys of famine or a abandon child to create empathy from the audience.

Reason Critically!
I didn’t use lots of text in my collage however; I used hopeful voice text such as love or hope. This shows the strong characteristic of lost boys because even though they suffer from the war and hunger, they still have a hope to live in better life. This also demonstrates that they are cheerful and hopeful.

Communicate Effectively!
By using people who are suffering from hunger and young refugees, I create awareness of the situation of Sudan. This helps people to remind about how danger and tragic is Sudan.

Live Ethically!
The pictures and my 6word memoir demonstrated empathy for lost boys. I think my collage make people to realize the seriousness of Sudan’s problem. I hope this moves peoples’ mind to research more about Sudan to help them.

Lost Boys of Sudan

Sudan is in crisis due to the 21 years civil war and the conflict that Sudan faced. As a result, many young Dinka boys have to escape from their country. They were suffering under unfavorable conditions while they were escaping. After spend years fighting with these conditions, they finally make to reach Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. Few years later, some of the boys are chosen to migrate to America where they think like a heaven and get better life. Peter was one of the boys who get to chance to go to America

and achieve his ‘American Dream’. However, life in America was not easy as he thought. He faced difficulties while assimilating into the American culture and had a culture shock about the country that they had never been.

When lost boys were first came to America, they experienced a culture shock, as Africa and America were totally different country. Lost boys were living in the refugee camp, they lived in their traditional way to survive therefore, they were very uncivilized. However, America was different. It was a country with full of things that they never experience, heard or look. First, they shock at abundance of food such as supermarket since they were suffering with hunger in Africa. Furthermore, they learn how to use transportation and new laws or rules in order to live easier life. Because of huge gap in their culture, Peter had a problem with adapting to the culture of America. In addition, these leads Peter to faced difficulties when he assimilating into America.

People in America seem to understand the situation of lost boys and accept them; they still have some stereotypes just because they have different color skin and background. These stereotypes naturally lead them to racism. As Peter has darker color skin than everyone else, people judge Peter as they want and just one to have artificial relationship with him. When he was working in Wal Market, his boss command him to work in outside because he thought Peter can endure heat more than others because he is from Africa and his skin is darker. In addition, even the school counselor who supposes to encourage students to study, looked down on Peter as he thought he is from refugee and ‘black’ who never had a chance to get proper education. However, by showing the letter from National Honor Society, he proved that even though person like Peter can be smart and can achieve their goal.

After he graduated high school, he went to university and gets the scholarship. This shows that Peter achieve his dream and successfully adapt to new culture even though he had to suffered and had with a lot of problem as he living in America.

Renaissance Art

Art can be the mirror of society because it reflects the view of the artist. Most artists, at that time like to paint pictures of real people, who are important for the society. For example, the paintings of powerful noble family like the Medichi Family. Besides that, artists also tend to paint their own impression of their society. Sometimes, their paintings are based on myth, natural environment or religious topic. Basically, artist at the era paint what they see and felt about their society. The painting ‘The school of Athens’ is a clear example of the effect of the Renaissance. Previously, paintings were only about Christian religion. However, during the Renaissance, artist began to move away from religious topic and to draw more on what they see from the society. I can see lot of scientist and mathematician from this painting and this shows that people start to think in a new and more scientific way to prove their knowledge. Therefore, during the Renaissance era, we can see the reflection of the society from the paintings.



If I were part of the painting ‘The school of Athens’ I would like to be Hypatia of Alexandria. Hypatia of Alexandria was the first educated woman, who has contributed to the development of math, astronomy and philosophy. I chose her because she represents the strength of the women, who was as intelligent and courageous as men. Until today, woman have to prove their intelligent of skills to men therefore, it is feel proud to see a woman amongst other men scholars. Like Alexandria, I like to challenge men in my society and try to beat them especially to show them that women also can be as intelligent as men. She encourage people especially women to express their opinion freely as “Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all.” In the past traditional Korean society, women have to respect and look up to men. Therefore, women didn’t get much chance to speak up. By this factor, I like to speak up for the women and shear my opinion with others. I want to develop these skills more and become a woman like Alexandria who can recognize by everyone.