The realm of World Literature in creating avenues for understanding human social conditions, culture, thought, philosophy, religion and more has presented a rubric for writing and expression in communications. What is important in life? To answer this question, I might recommend reading and perusing the various forms of literature across the time and space of various civilizations and cultures in the world. However the purpose and scope of this paper focuses upon responding to several questions pertaining to the areas of: (a) Essay writing improvement, (b) Essay writing strength, (c) Essay writing weaknesses, and (d) Other noteworthy observations.
The first inquiry of my self-assessment seeks to answer the following question. How has your essay writing improved over the span of the writing course, if indeed so you have seen a measure of improvement? I think I am still learning. My essay writing has improved in one sense, in the factor that I have endeavored to think better and more clearly. In the course and process of reading and mentally digesting the various world literary texts, I have found that my writing has improved in starting out my projects by trying to think better. I am not an expert on any number of fields, and I have not traveled as widely as I had the time and money for, but I realize a plethora of cultures and ideas exist on the world from the viewpoints of other people. My writing has improved in the sense of trying to build linguistic clarity. What do I mean by that?
For example, one article by Kaitlin Hawkins (2014) in ‘World Literature Today’ one renowned literary organization put out a call for global solidarity against censorship. According to this article, PEN International the global association comprised of many perspectives and voices among writers in the literary community felt that it was a good idea to make the stand. So what does taking this stance mean? It must have some kind of constructive significance. Therefore as I consider these ideas, my writing has the potential to improve while simultaneously recognizing my areas of weakness.
The second set of questions in this self-assessment analysis asks: In your opinion, what are your strengths as a writer? And, what do you do well in essay writing? I think part of my strengths as a writer have been partially addressed in the first question. To expand on the answer in terms of my strengths as a writer, I think it is important to try and understand a concept or situation from all different angles. The first thing in being a strong writer, in my opinion, is to be able to assess and understand the concepts or ideas being presented in the first place. In the global economy of today, a myriad of cultures, languages, and political styles are converging into a singularity of sorts. Also, another strength of my writing in my opinion, is that I have an open mind. Writing is preceded by thought. Thoughts take some time to develop, especially if you wish to be constructive in your efforts.
For example, language and argument – especially written or spoken words – can be used for any purpose whether good or bad. People who are highly educated or in positions of political and economic power are able to write history books that tell a biased view. Certain people in high positions are able to propagate concepts that are not true, or are detrimental in terms of mistreating or misrepresenting entire groups of people. So one of my strengths is to recognize the potential power of writing and words have. In the ‘Dictionary Of World Literature Criticism Forms Technique’ the abbreviations, definitions, and aesthetics of words help one to understand the logic of what people say, or write. I realize that one thing I do well in writing is to attack a situation by having courage. In other words, one difference in my opinion of what can make good writing great, is taking a firm position (which requires courage) in whatever it is that is attempting to be said or explained. I make mistakes, but I try and correct my mistakes as I go along in life.
In my opinion, what are my weaknesses in essay writing, and what do I need to work on in the future? Well, my efforts are not perfect, which I think I have already acknowledged. But I am here. And I am here on this planet for a reason. One weakness in my writing, in terms of the failures in my essay writing, is when my mind becomes too jumbled up with too many thoughts. Sometimes I struggle to stay on track, and guide my thoughts to a linear train of destination – so to speak. Elizabeth Boquet (2008) analyzes the purpose of writing centers as places for the development of scholarship level, both in the “contexts for teaching or learning” (p. 170). Obviously this says something to everyone, or every writer about continuing to work towards the future in improving these skills. Obviously, once again, writing must be important enough for anyone interacting in the world to have any kind of useful or constructive exchange of ideas. One of my weaknesses too, is that sometimes my emotions may cloud my clarity of thought. The mistake of getting side-tracked from clearly written ideas fosters wrong thinking, and derails productive or constructive efforts of building decent essays.
The last question asks, is there anything else you have noticed? Yes of course, I have noticed a lot of things. For example, great writers often master language and the world of ideas represented in essays by using their second language. A native Japanese speaker may write a terrific novel in English, his or her second language. I have often noticed that true words rightly placed and constructively disseminated, have power. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X all understood the danger that profound essays (or speech) could have. They died because of the power of words. Another situation I have noticed is that there are many valid veins of expression in each language. British English is different from American English, and Ning (2010) noted that the “Queen’s English has gradually been deconstructed” along with notions of Chinese as a “newly emergent international language” (p. 159). I have also noticed that literary texts and basically, the stage of world literature across the centuries, fosters a wider participation of different voices. This world of exchanging ideas, poetry, religious and political understandings, opens up opportunities for everyone to engage if they so choose. When you think of the broad literary styles, it is sort of like a matrix. Querido (2013) has described a kind of reader engagement and “empowering” through response (p. 88). I understand this concept to mean that each literate person has a duty to critically analyze written words, and even if a person is not the best of writers he or she can improve.
References
Archive.org. (2014). Dictionary of world literature criticism forms technique (1953)
[Data file]. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofworl008978mbp
Boquet, E.H., & Lerner, N. (2008). After “The Idea of a Writing Center.” [Abstract].
Ning, W. (2010). Global English(es) and global Chinese(s): toward rewriting a new literacy
history in Chinese. Journal of Contemporary China, 19(63), 159-174.
doi:10.1080/10670560903335884
Querido, P. (2013). A theoretical matrix to approach literary texts in the foreign language
classroom. E-Teals: An E-Journal of Teacher Education & Applied Language Studies,
(4), 85-103.
World Literature Today. (2014). Building linguistic worlds, inclement weather responses, and
more [Data file]. Retrieved from http://www.worldliteraturetoday.org/blog/building-linguistic-worlds-inclement-weather-resources-and-more#.VHzYkPldWpx
