English 1102 Reflection

As a second semester freshman a Georgia College and State University who is currently in an English 1102 class, I have read and formulated opinions of each book throughout the course. After conducting an analysis of each reading I have come up with 3 golden rules of what makes a good book for an English 1102 course. There are many things that make a good book, for me, if it relates to my life in any way, inspires me, or helps me gain insight then it is a good book. A good book for English 1102 is more than just a well-written story. A good book is one that makes the reader feel. It takes the reader on a captivating journey and the reader can put themselves in the character’s position. Calling a book “good” is an opinion that can be applied
In Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley, it states, “That was why so many Jews back then understood the American Negro; in Europe the Jew had been a Negro for more than a thousand years” (P. 121, Mosley). This specific quote is only one of many examples throughout Devil in a Blue Dress where race is a large factor. I loved reading this novel and strongly believe it is the perfect read for any English 1102 course because its purpose is to give insight to close minded college students who are most likely unaware of what is going on outside the little bubble created on every college
A good book for an English 1102 class is one that you can put yourself in the positon of any character and feel what they are feeling to a certain extent. If the author has made you feel something he has done something right, but if the author plants a thought in your head that you continue to think about even after you are done reading the novel, he has written a good book for an 1102 course. As I read, News of the World by Paulette Jiles I started off with the mindset of “how in the world is this book going to relate to me?”. I genuinely thought I was not going to be able to get through the book because I felt I had little to nothing in common with the plot, but quickly I realized I was wrong. The key to relating to a novel is interpreting it in your own way, after all you can never really know the right or wrong answer to the reason for an author incorporating certain aspects. Johanna, the main Character in News of the World by Paulette Jiles was a little girl lost in the chaos of the world. She was lost and needed help finding her way, which is where the captain came in. Throughout their journey they discover themselves and their purpose in life. I believe this is a really important quality in any English 1102 book because every single person can relate to searching for themselves and finding purpose through