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ASSIGNMENTS
Writing Tasks (Academic & Transactional)
Speaking Activities
Close reading and annotation activities
Homework & Classwork
Academic Writing Task & Transacitonal Writing Tasks
ACADEMIC WRITING TASK
TRANSACTIONAL WRITING TASK
Academic Writing Task: Literary Analysis Essay
Academic Writing Task: Literary Analysis Essay
The prompt of this essay was something along the lines of writing an analysis essay on how the portrayal of privilege and prejudice influences the broader themes of justic and mercy in The Merhcant of Venice. Writing this literary analysis essay has been an insightful process that challenged me to examine both the story and my own perspective on complex themes like justice, mercy, privilege, and prejudice. At the start, I knew I wanted to explore the central conflict between justice and mercy, but as I analyzed the play more deeply, I realized how connected these concepts are with concepts of privilege and prejudice, especially in the context of a Venetian society.
One of the most difficult aspects of writing this essay was understanding the characters, particularly Shylock, Antonio and Portia. Initially, I viewed Shylock’s justice as somewhat justified, but as I explored the way mercy was developed in the play, I had to reconsider how both mercy and justice can be violated in a system marked by cultural prejudice. This shift in perspective helped me see the play not just as a story about individual characters but as an analysis of the social systems of the time, which gave me a better understanding of the text.
Another challenge was ensuring I supported my claims with concrete evidence from the play. The trial scene, in particular, offered a lot of evidence, but I had to be careful not to simplify the relationship between the characters. It was important for me to show how Shakespeare’s use of both dialogue and plot structure creates a space where justice and mercy differentiate in characters.
In reflecting on the process, I also noticed that my writing became more focused as I delved deeper into the themes of privilege and prejudice. These ideas were less immediately obvious in the text, but as I connected them with the characters' behaviors and social standing, it became clearer how Shakespeare’s perception shape the meaning of justice and mercy. I feel proud of how I was able to synthesize these ideas and make connections between the themes and the characters' actions.
In conclusion, this essay has not only helped me improve my analytical skills but also deepened my appreciation for how literature can explore complex moral and social issues. I’ve learned that writing an analytical essay requires not just a careful reading of the text, but also the ability to step back and reflect on the broader themes of the plots, characters and their relevance to both the play's background and our modern world. Overall, I am glad that I was able to get a full mark on this essay adn furthermore develop beneficial skills.
Transactional Writing Task: Informal Letter 1:
Transactional Writing Task: Informal Letter 1:
For my first writing task in Unit 3, I wrote a first-person letter as a character from The Merchant of Venice, addressing another character while expressing deep emotions, sharing past or upcoming events, and using Shakespearean language. This assignment challenged me to step into the mindset of the character, considering their motivations, relationships, and historical context.
Through this process, I developed several key skills. First, I improved my creative writing and perspective-taking, as I had to embody the character’s voice and emotions convincingly. Additionally, I strengthened my understanding of Shakespearean language, learning how to incorporate his style, vocabulary, and sentence structure into my own writing. This also helped enhance my interpretation of the text, as I had to analyze character dynamics and key events closely.
Overall, this task deepened my appreciation for Shakespeare’s writing and improved my ability to think critically, write persuasively, and express ideas in a historical literary style. It furthermore also got me to get a better understanding of characters and their motives - especially because I chose the character Bassanio, I was able to express my romantic feelings to another character and add figurative, rhetorical devices to possess the character's feelings and determination.
To conclude, I was glad to get a full mark on this essay, and I felt quite proud since I had put a lot of effort into incorporating my feelings and the character's feelings into words, especially in my extra poem added to the letter. Although there will always still be room to improve my use of Shakespearean language and add more in-depth goals of characters.
Transactional Writing Task: Informal Letter 2:
Transactional Writing Task: Informal Letter 2:
For my second writing task in Unit 3, I wrote a letter in my own perspective to a friend, expressing my thoughts and feelings about The Merchant of Venice. Unlike my first task, this letter did not require Shakespearean language, allowing me to write in a more personal and natural way. I shared my opinions on the play’s themes, characters, and messages, reflecting on how it explores justice, mercy, and prejudice.
I was proud to receive a full mark on this assignment, which gave me confidence in my ability to analyze literature and express my thoughts clearly. Through this task, I strengthened my critical thinking skills, as I had to deeply reflect on the play rather than just summarizing it. Writing in a conversational tone also improved my communication and self-expression, helping me articulate my thoughts in a meaningful way.
Overall, this assignment connected to me personally because it allowed me to express my unique perspective on literature while reinforcing my ability to analyze and communicate ideas effectively. Achieving a full mark also motivated me to continue refining my writing and critical thinking skills, making me more confident in my literary interpretations. Although I still believe that there is room for me to improve my information-organizing skills and talking in a more friendly tone rather that listing out pieces of information.
Analysing Bassanio's request and how Antonio reacted
Analysing Bassanio's request and how Antonio reacted
Going in-depth on the true meaning of each casket and Portia's intentions
Going in-depth on the true meaning of each casket and Portia's intentions
Understanding Shylock's despair, anger, and vengeance
Understanding Shylock's despair, anger, and vengeance
Speaking activities
Throughout our study of The Merchant of Venice, we had many class discussions and presentations where my team and I shared our ideas, interpretations, and paraphrased sections from the play. These discussions were an important part of our learning, as they gave us a chance to share our thoughts, listen to classmates, and engage with Mr. Jordan. We often focused on themes like justice, mercy, and revenge, and discussed the motivations of the characters.
These discussions helped me better understand the play, especially when it came to interpreting Shakespeare’s difficult language. Each conversation encouraged me to think more deeply about the characters, themes, and events, which improved my ability to analyze literature. By presenting my ideas and paraphrasing parts of the play, I learned how to explain complex concepts clearly. Listening to my classmates’ opinions also challenged my own ideas and helped me think in new ways. Working together in these discussions gave us all a deeper understanding of the play as we pieced together its meanings.
Personally, these discussions made me more confident in speaking in front of others. At first, I was nervous about sharing my thoughts, especially on such a challenging play. However, the more I participated, the more comfortable I became with expressing my ideas and asking questions. This shift helped me build my public speaking skills and taught me how to listen carefully to others. I also learned to be more open to new perspectives, which made the discussions richer. It became easier to respectfully disagree and build on others’ ideas.
Through these discussions, I developed important skills like critical thinking, collaboration, active listening, and the ability to communicate my ideas clearly. The process of working with different viewpoints also helped me improve my problem-solving skills, as I learned to think through complex ideas and come to better conclusions.
Close reading and annotation activities
In Unit 3 of ELA this year, our main focus was on reading and annotating The Merchant of Venice. This task was both challenging and rewarding, as it allowed me to engage with the text and build various academic and personal skills. Throughout the unit, we worked through the play in sections, marking important quotes, identifying key themes, and analyzing the characters' motivations. This reflection will discuss how the reading and annotation process helped me grow both academically and personally, and the skills I developed as a result.
At first, Shakespeare's language was difficult to understand. His old-fashioned English made it hard to grasp many passages, and I struggled to connect the words with the overall plot. However, as we worked through the play and annotated the text, I started to break down each passage more carefully. Annotating helped me focus on key words and phrases, making it easier to understand the deeper meanings behind the language. By identifying important quotes and taking notes on them, I gained a better understanding of themes like justice, mercy, and revenge. This process taught me how to critically analyze literature, which will help me with future reading assignments.
Personally, the process of reading and annotating The Merchant of Venice helped me develop patience and persistence. In the beginning, I felt overwhelmed by the difficult language. However, as I continued annotating and revisiting the text, I started to appreciate its deeper meanings. I realized that I needed to slow down and carefully analyze each part of the text, which helped me understand it better. This experience taught me that patience and persistence can help me overcome challenges and gain a clearer understanding of difficult material.
One of the most valuable skills I developed through annotating was the ability to think critically and pay attention to detail. By carefully examining the text, I was able to explore the characters' motivations and moral dilemmas, such as in Shylock's well-known speech "Hath not a Jew eyes?" speech. I also became more aware of small details, like the shifts in Antonio’s tone, which revealed much about his relationships and internal struggles. Noticing these details helped me connect them to broader themes, improving my overall reading comprehension and understanding of the play.
Most importantly, annotating The Merchant of Venice helped me build confidence in my ability to engage with challenging texts. At first, I was hesitant to share my ideas in discussions because I wasn't sure if I fully understood the play. But as I became more comfortable with annotating and interpreting the text, I grew more confident in my abilities. I started participating more in class discussions, offering my ideas and listening to my classmates’ perspectives. It's only now that I realize how beneficial these skills are to empower me in future courses.
Homework & Classwork
Lastly within this Unit, we focused on reading and annotating The Merchant of Venice, along with grammar exercises and in-class writing. Though there weren’t many formal homework assignments, the time spent practicing at home certainly helped reinforce what I learned in class. This unit provided me with a chance to deepen my understanding of Shakespeare’s play while also improving my grammar, writing, and time management skills.
At the beginning of the unit, I found Shakespeare’s language challenging, and it was hard to connect the words to the overall plot. However, as we worked through the play and annotated the text in class, I became more comfortable with the language. Annotating helped me focus on key quotes and explore deeper meanings, which made it easier to understand the themes, such as justice and mercy. For example, by analyzing Shylock's “Hath not a Jew eyes?” speech, I gained a better understanding of his character and the moral issues in the play. This experience taught me to think critically while reading and gave me skills that will help with future literature assignments.
In addition to reading and annotating, we worked on grammar topics like reflexive pronouns, reported speech, and sentence structure. These exercises helped me improve my overall grammar, making my writing clearer and more effective. By practicing these grammar concepts, I learned how to structure sentences better, which made my writing stronger and easier to follow. We also worked on in-class essays, which challenged me to write quickly and organize my thoughts clearly. At first, writing under time pressure was difficult, but it helped me develop the ability to express my ideas clearly and stay focused on the most important points. These skills are useful for writing essays in any subject, especially when time is limited. Ultimately, the additional last classwork I did in class was Hexagonal thinking, which was a greatw ay for me to summarize and reflect on all the broader topics in this Unit, furthermore allwoing me to connect these vivid themes to my own, personal life.
Although there weren’t many formal homework assignments, I found that the time spent practicing at home was essential. It gave me a chance to reflect on the material and reinforce my understanding. The balance between classwork and home practice helped me stay on track and build confidence in my abilities. Over time, I became more disciplined in my approach to studying and felt more prepared for class discussions and assignments.
Most importantly, the activities in this unit helped me build confidence in my writing and critical thinking skills. Initially, I was nervous about writing essays under time constraints, but with practice, I became more comfortable. I learned how to organize my thoughts quickly and express them clearly, which made me feel more confident in my writing. Additionally, participating in class discussions and sharing my ideas gave me a sense of accomplishment and improved my public speaking skills.
Through this unit, I developed several key skills that will help me both academically and personally. I improved my ability to think critically while reading, enhanced my grammar and writing, and gained confidence in working under pressure. These skills will be valuable in future academic challenges and in other areas of my life.
Contact me at parveen.jahangir.18228@wellspringsaigon.edu.vn
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