Critical Thinking Strategy

The sky is clear as the deep blue sea. The main focal point was the bright orange full moon, which is accented by the glitzing stars. The reflection of the moon stretched across the lake in the country pasture to my left. The wavy water caused the moon to move as if it was a boat in the middle of the lake. I strolled along the wooden bridge as the moderate, meek breeze brushed the hairs on my skin and my nose. There was a continuous melody of insects singing, while the owls, frogs, crickets, and other night creatures blended in like background singers. The planes soared through the sky, displaying an array of lights, which appeared to be shooting stars. The deer and foxes, as well as other wildlife, welcomed themselves to their playground as they ran, jumped, crept, and played
hide-and-go seek in the grass and shrubbery. The aroma of the flowers journeyed through the breeze, as the huge oak trees danced to the beat of the airstream.
The further I toured the country pasture even further; the stench of garbage began to reap throughout the warm, breezy night. The humidity made my skin sticky and slimy, as if I ran a marathon and sweated honey perfidiously out of my pores. My clothing began to stick to me and the mosquito bites caused my skin to itch and burn, as I fought to scratch every surface area affected. Fear overcame me, as a group of young men wearing white wife-beaters, sagging pants, and rags on their heads, walked passed using the most explicit, ostentatious, and ill-mannered language known to man. The odor of their funny cigarettes lingered in the air, even as they were miles away. This country pasture looked as if to be their hide-away and I was the trespasser. My eyes watered and I sneezed in extreme agony. When I decided to about-face and reverse my stride, I chose my movements very carefully. The street was covered with fragmented, shattered pieces of glass. When I finally made it to my vehicle, I heard a loud, “Pop, Pop, Pop,” which sounded like fireworks. However, as I drove out of the park, I saw people running and screaming, followed by the echoes of emergency vehicles’ sirens. The blue, red, and white lights lit up the dark night. Yet I continued to drive away slowly as the police and ambulance sped by me traveling in the opposite direction.
As I analyze my two differing impressions, my strategies for creating an angle of vision were created with careful consideration.
I visited several different locations and observed each location, by making notes and using all five of my senses. I decided that in order for me to completely remain unbiased, I did not make my decision on which location to write about until the next day. The next night I examined each destination, taking into consideration which location provided more details. Once I made my decision, I used strategy number two – “Select details that support your intentions; omit or de-emphasize others.” I decided that in order for me to effectively create two differing impressions, it was in my best interest to separate the positive features from the negative features. For example, the positive statement “The aroma of the flowers journeyed through the breeze, as the huge oak trees danced to the beat of the airstream” could not be in the same negative paragraph as “The further I toured the country pasture even further; the stench of garbage began to reap throughout the warm, breezy night.” Each statement described the air in the pasture in two different
fashions.
Also, I realized that strategy number three was portrayed throughout my paragraphs as well. Choosing words that are picture-perfect seems to make the audience visualize what you have seen. This is one of the many examples that set the scene, “The reflection of the moon stretched across the lake in the country pasture to my left. The wavy water caused the moon to move as if it was a boat in the middle of the lake.” However, strategy number four is depicted in the following sentence, “The humidity made my skin sticky and slimy, as if I ran a marathon and sweated honey perfidiously out of my pores.” This statement’s intent was to persuade the readers against visiting. Yet the following statement focused more on convincing the readers to indulge in nature: “I strolled along the wooden bridge as the moderate, meek breeze brushed the hairs on my skin and my nose.”
As a writer, I have learned the importance of why it is necessary to know what angle you want to reveal based on the audience you choose. The position allows the writer the opportunity to develop organizationally, by thinking rhetorically. I can honestly say that I have never brainstormed by using all of my senses. I am convinced that writing from this point of view will only make me a better writer.