Essays and English Portfolio

My English
Portfolio of Original
Essays and Reflective Writings
English 102.02 T/R 8:00 - 10:00

ENG 102.02
09/13/11
Tue-Thurs 8:05-10:05 PM
Essay #1

What if the places we think are safe, were no longer the sacred places of bliss we frequently run to? History has shown us that maybe, perhaps we are never truly safe anywhere. Dudley Randall’s Ballad of Birmingham intricately tells us how quickly are illusions of are false sense of security can be shattered in the blink of an eye. Randall shows us how the things we least expect can creep up on us and leave us bewildered and shocked with the situations we assume we are immune to. We will learn the characteristics of both Randall and the characters in his story. Character is defined as a person depicted in a narrative or drama. Character is revealed by how a character responds to conflict, by his or her dialogue, and through descriptions. Through all this the Ballad of Birmingham teaches us to have constant vigilance, even in places we consider sacred and out of harm 's way. Racism can touch every aspect of our lives; we can assume that we will never escape it in any form until we can overcome its adversities together as a whole. In the poem Randall begins with a young girl asking her mother for permission to attend a freedom march. “Mother dear, may I go downtown instead of out to play, and march the streets of Birmingham in a freedom march today.” (Randall, D. (1964) The Ballad of Birmingham, Madden, F. Exploring Literature P. 17) Many others describe the child brave in the beginning of this poem. She’s not scared to put herself in the obvious danger, or perhaps she envisions none. Many authors think of Randall in the same light. An article mentions the following of him, “Randall’s efforts at Broadside, initially run out of his house and financed largely by his salary as a librarian, inspired the creation of like institutions, notably Third World Press in Chicago and Lotus Press in Detroit.” (Smethurst, J.E. The journal of American History 91. (Mar 2005) 1546) Randall shows the same kind of bravery as the little girl in many ways. He was not afraid to stand up and create a black owned newspaper in dangerous segregated times. Perhaps some of himself is transferred into the little girl he so passionately wrote about. Many others wrote about Randall and the affect, he, as a person, and the poem had on them. One writer stated this, “Dudley Randall was regarded as a man if integrity, dedication, sensitivity, creativity, industry and scholarship. He was a kind, gentle, and wonderful person who shared his imagination and resources to inspire all those who encountered them.” (Memoriam: “Roses and Revolution” Dudley Randall: Poet, publisher, critic, and champion of African American Literature leaves a legacy of immeasurable value, The Black Scholar 31. (Spring 2001): 55-57). This article widely talks about Randall and his accomplishments. Readers learn about how and where he grew up in Washington, DC. Readers also get a chance to learn and explore his home life with his family and siblings. We discover his teen years and how he wrote the Ballad of Birmingham and became the librarian that sparked a movement of black political poetry and news. Randall knew many famous authors such as Margaret Danner, Margaret Walker and the brilliant Robert Hayden. Overall readers discover that Dudley Randall was noted as a man of integrity and dedication. He was viewed as a man who always inspired hope and made the dreams of others realities. The article was very useful. It put Randall in exactly the light I viewed him in when I read The Ballad of Birmingham. It describes him as heroic and spot on with his unique qualities. Melba Joyce Boyd wrote about Randall’s fierceness in the way he chose certain articles for his newspaper. He always wanted to showcase the best of black literature. When you read this article you learn about the type of poems Randall preferred. Boyd wrote, “In turn, although Randall was critical of what he considered some of the more parochial elements in the black arts movement, Broadside became the backbone of black arts book publishing,”(Melba Joyce Boyd. Wrestling with the Muse: Dudley Randall and the Broadside Press. New York: Columbia UP, 2003. Pp. 385). The papers decline is mentioned in the article that was greatly affected by the economy of late 1970’s and 1980’s. The articles adheres to Randall’s struggles and hopes that the Broadside Press would live on, almost like and heirloom passed down to the next generations of authors, poets, and critiques. The article also chronicles Randall’s time at the Broadside Press very efficiently, giving you a sense of his struggles and passion for his paper. These articles help us learn and understand how someone so young was able to write such a powerful poem. He was only thirteen. He puts much of his bravery into the Ballad of Birmingham. When I first read of the little girls’ bravery and eagerness I was taken back. Would I have been so willing? Perhaps, yes, because the cause would be more important that myself. The little girl says to her mother tell her she cannot go and march, “But mother, I won’t be alone other children will go with me, and march the streets of Birmingham to make our country free.”(Randall, D. (1964) Ballad of Birmingham, Madden, F. Exploring literature P. 17). The little girl wants to make a difference by standing with her community. She has no fear of the dangers her mother worries about. We could say this of Randall in many ways also. He was not overcome by the adversity of the world at the time. Melba Boyd wrote this, “Randall’s life was one of pain and suffering, hope and accomplishment, and very often disillusionment.” (African American Review, Volume 39. Number 4 (2005) Thomas Bryant). Randall was the type to go for his dreams, no matter how difficult or unattainable they may have seen to others. Nothing was ever thought as impossible to him. We can assume that Randall’s intentions were always as pure as the little girl dressed in white. The little girl in his poem is an innocent and obedient child to her mother. The poem tells this, “She has combed and brushed her night dark hair and bathed rose petal sweet, and drawn white gloves on her small brown hands and white shoes on her feet.”(Randall, D. (1964) Ballad of Birmingham, Madden, F. Exploring literature P. 18). This explains how the girl puts on her best clothes, and above all obedient to her mother’s wishes. She’s also a picture of innocence in symbolic ways. She’s expressed as being “rose petal sweet” after she bathes, which could suggest perfection. Also her wearing the white gloves and shoes, White is often perceived and presented as a symbol of innocence and purity or even heavenly. The concept of this explains imaginative Randall was in this very short poem. His descriptive phrasing explains a great deal. This could also be said of the mother in the poem also. You feel her anguish and despair when she can’t find her child. The simple fear of losing a child is undoubtedly agonizing to anyone. Randall wrote this in the Ballad, “For when she heard the explosion, her eyes grew wet and wild. She raced through the streets of Birmingham calling for her child. She clawed through bits of glass and brick, then lifted out a shoe. “O, here’s the shoe my baby wore, but, baby, where are you?”(Randall, D. (1964) Ballad of Birmingham, Madden, F. Exploring literature P. 18). The mother is clearly distraught in this quote, she’s digging the rock and glass trying to find her child but she only finds a shoe. Randall captured the despair and hopelessness of that moment; not being able to find your child and the guilt of knowing you sent her there. The anguish, I’m certain, would be difficult to bear. So are we safe now? Over five decades have passed; but are we anymore safe now than we were then? I believe in some aspects, yes, in others not so much. I believe we have become more aware and with that awareness I believe we’ve learned to keep are family secure. Or at least we’ve tried our best. Randall sparked the black community with the will to overcome and discover ideas from the troubles in our past with his poetry and phenomenal contributions to the black community and our literature.

Discovering
Dudley Randall
And The Ballad of Birmingham
English 102.02 T/R 8:00 – 10:00
Research Paper #1
Thursday, September 8, 2011

What if the places we think are safe were no longer the sacred places of bliss we frequently run to? History has shown us that maybe we are never truly safe anywhere. Dudley Randall’s Ballad of Birmingham intricately tells us how quickly are illusions or are false sense of security can be shattered in the blink of an eye. Randall shows us how the things we least expect can creep up on us and leave us bewildered and shocked with the situations we assume we were immune to. Through all this the Ballad of Birmingham teaches us to have constant vigilance even in places we consider sacred and out of harm 's way. Racism can touch every aspect of our lives; we can assume that we will never escape it in any form until we can overcome its adversities together as a whole. Dudley Randall understood this concept. In the poem Randall begins with a young girl asking her mother for permission to attend a freedom march. “Mother dear, may I go downtown instead of out to play, and march the streets of Birmingham in a freedom march today.” (Randall [1914] as qtd in Madden 2010) Many others describe the child brave in the beginning of this poem. She’s not scared to put herself in the obvious danger, or perhaps she envisions none. Many authors think of Randall in the same light. An article mentions the following of him, “Randall’s efforts at Broadside, initially run out of his house and financed largely by his salary as a librarian, inspired the creation of like institutions, notably Third World Press in Chicago and Lotus Press in Detroit.” (Smethurst J.E 2005) Randall shows the same kind of bravery as the little girl in many ways. He was not afraid to stand up and create a black owned newspaper in dangerous segregated times. Perhaps some of himself is transferred into the little girl he so passionately wrote about. Many others wrote about Randall and the effect he and the poem had on them. One writer said this, “Dudley Randall was regarded as a man if integrity, dedication, sensitivity, creativity, industry and scholarship. He was a kind, gentle, and wonderful person who shared his imagination and resources to inspire all those who encountered them.” (Memoriam 2001) This article widely talks about Randall and his accomplishments. We learn about how and where he grew up in Washington, DC. We get a chance to learn and explore his home life with his family and siblings. We discover his teen years and how he wrote the Ballad of Birmingham and became the librarian that sparked a movement of black political poetry and news. Randall knew many famous authors such as Margaret Danner, Margaret Walker and the brilliant Robert Hayden. Overall we learn that Dudley Randall was noted as a man of integrity and dedication. He was viewed as a man who always inspired hope and made the dreams of others realities. The article was very useful. It put Randall in exactly the light I viewed him in when I read his piece for the first time. It describes him as heroic and is spot on with his unique qualities. Melba Joyce Boyd wrote about Randall’s fierceness in the way he chose certain articles for his newspaper. He always wanted to showcase the best of black literature. When you read this article you learn about the type of poems Randall preferred. Boyd wrote, “In turn, although Randall was critical of what he considered some of the more parochial elements in the black arts movement, Broadside became the backbone of black arts book publishing,”(Boyd 2003) The papers decline is mentioned in the article. It was greatly affected by the economy of the late 1970’s and 1980’s. The articles adheres to Randall’s struggles and hopes that the Broadside Press would live on, almost like and heirloom passed down to the next generations of authors, poets, and critiques. The article also chronicles Randall’s time at the Broadside Press very efficiently, giving you a sense of his struggles and passion for his paper. These articles help us learn and understand how someone so young was able to write such a powerful poem. He was only thirteen. He puts much of his bravery into the Ballad of Birmingham. When I first read of the little girls’ bravery and eagerness I was taken back. Would I have been so willing? Perhaps, yes, because the cause would be more important than me I would be willing to devote myself. The little girl says to her mother when she’s told she cannot participate in the march, “But mother, I won’t be alone other children will go with me, and march the streets of Birmingham to make our country free.” (Randall [1914] as qtd. in Madden 2010) The little girl wants to make a difference by standing with her community. She has no fear of the dangers her mother worries about. We could say this of Randall in many ways also. He was not overcome by the adversities of the world at the time. Melba Boyd wrote this, “Randall’s life was one of pain and suffering, hope and accomplishment, and very often disillusionment.” (Bryant 2005) Randall was the type to go for his dreams no matter how difficult or unattainable they may have seemed to others, nothing was ever thought as impossible to him. We can assume that Randall’s intentions were always as pure as the little girl dressed in white. The little girl in his poem is an innocent and obedient child to her mother. The poem tells this, “She has combed and brushed her night dark hair and bathed rose petal sweet, and drawn white gloves on her small brown hands and white shoes on her feet.” (Randall [1914] as qtd. in Madden 2010). This explains how the girl puts on her best clothes, and above all is obedient to her mother’s wishes. She’s also portrayed as a picture of innocence in two symbolic ways. She’s expressed as being “rose petal sweet” after she bathes, which could suggest perfection. Also her wearing the white gloves and shoes, White is often perceived and presented as a symbol of innocence and purity or even heavenly. The concept of this explains how imaginative Randall was in this very short poem. His descriptive phrasing explains a great deal of his characters throughout the poem. This could also be said of the mother in the poem also. You feel her anguish and despair when she can’t find her child. The simple fear of losing a child is undoubtedly agonizing to anyone. Randall wrote this in the Ballad, “For when she heard the explosion, her eyes grew wet and wild. She raced through the streets of Birmingham calling for her child. She clawed through bits of glass and brick, then lifted out a shoe. “O, here’s the shoe my baby wore, but, baby, where are you?” (Randall [1914] as qtd. in Madden 2010). The mother is clearly distraught in this quote, she’s digging through rock and glass trying to find her child but she only finds a shoe. Randall captured the despair and hopelessness of that moment; not being able to find your child and the guilt of knowing you sent her there. The anguish, I’m certain, would be difficult to bear. So are we safe now? Over five decades have passed; but are we anymore safe now than we were then? I believe in some aspects yes in others not so much. I believe we have become more aware and with that awareness I believe we’ve learned to keep are family secure. Or at least we’ve tried our best. Randall sparked the black community with the will to overcome and discover ideas from the troubles in our past with his poetry and phenomenal contributions to the black community and our literature.

References
Madden, F. Exploring Literature P. 17, Randall, D. (1964) The Ballad of Birmingham.
Smethurst J.E., The Journal of American History 91. (Mar 2005) 1546)
Memoriam: “Roses and Revolution” Dudley Randall: Poet, publisher, critic, and champion of African American Literature leaves a legacy of immeasurable value, The Black Scholar 31. (Spring 2001): 55-57.
Melba Joyce Boyd. Wrestling with the Muse: Dudley Randall and the Broadside Press. New York: Columbia UP, 2003. Pp. 385
African American Review, Volume 39. Number 4 (2005) Thomas Bryant

Eng 102.02
09/15/11
Reflective Essay #1

The writing draft process has changed my style of writing. It’s made it easier for me to complete and understand the topic in which I was describing. It also helped me learn how to stay on topic and not wavier from the topic at hand. I have trouble before with keeping the central ideal in my writing. I also entered my cited articles in a more efficient way. The draft chart given to us made all this a lot simpler. When I reviewed my own peers’ essays, it reminded me to always go back and check my writing for things such as proper word usage and grammatical errors. I also will remember to not hop back and forth in different tenses. I now will try and remember to proof read my paper at least two times before submitting it for a review. When first researching articles on Dudley Randall I had trouble navigating through websites like Galileo, Google Scholar was easier to use but I would rather learn t adequately use both for maximum coverage in the topic I am researching. However, I do plan on finding other websites to find a bigger selection of scholarly articles to choose from. I discovered a website called Questia.com, but payment is required for the services. The biggest challenge I want to improve on is finding better ways to compare and contrast my researched citations with the subject I’m writing about. If I can conquer that I believe my writing will tremendously improve.

Eng 102.02
09/15/11
Reflective Essay #1

The writing draft process has changed my style of writing. It’s made it easier for me to complete and understand the topics in which I am describing. This particular process has also taught me how to stay on topic and not wavier from the topic at hand. I have had trouble before with keeping the central ideal in my writing. Learning to enter and cite quotations has also been the result of using the writing chart. The draft chart gives us a clear outline of what we need to say and how to say it. When I reviewed my own peers’ essays it reminded me to always go back and check my writing for things such as proper word usage and grammatical errors. I also will remember to not hop back and forth in different tenses. I now will try and remember to proof read my paper at least two times before submitting it for a review. When first researching articles on Dudley Randall I had trouble navigating through websites like Galileo. Google Scholar was easier to use but I would rather learn to adequately use both for maximum coverage in the topic I am researching. However, I do plan on finding other websites to find a bigger selection of scholarly articles to choose from. I discovered a website called Questia.com to help aid me in future research. The biggest challenge I want to improve on would be finding better ways to compare and contrast my researched citations with the subject I’m writing about. If I can conquer that I believe my writing will tremendously improve.

Discovering Asian-American Parents and Their Parenting
Skills

No matter your race, religion, or location the relationship between parent and child has always been complex. It’s an intricate web of feelings that we have to learn to control and wane when they can become negative. I believe this relationship is the most difficult when children are in there preteen and teen years. We get to see this type of relationship from the point of view of the mother and her child in Amy Tan’s Two Kinds. Amy Tan’s Two Kinds describes the highs and lows of the female companionship of a mother and daughter. It describes the wants and hopes of the mother and the woes and rebellion of the daughter. Ultimately we’ll learn that the strain in the relationship is due to misunderstandings and a lack of productive conversation. We’ll understand how the story illuminates on this relationship to explain the feelings of parent and child. As we go in depth to understand what Amy Tan’s story proves, we must first define the Rogerian form or argument. According to Madden (2009), Rogerian argument is a modern rendering approach based on the stages of process terms such as “issue,” “claim,” “reason,” and “assumption” or “warrant” (Madden, 2009, p.165).This type of argument means that, it seeks some form of common ground to gain an understanding of the subject; The argument is not presented to gain a “win.” An internet article wrote this, “A Rogerian essay is among the hardest forms of essays to write. Rather than being aimed at a comprehensive win, it is designed at the creation of a basis for dialogue, convincing a reader with an opposing opinion of entering into a mutually respectful and positive exchange of ideas.” (Demand Media, Inc. (1999-2011) Retrieved from eHow.com). So we now can agree that the Rogerian form of argument is built on compromise and understanding. In the article,” Fix My Children: Working With Strong Minded Asian Parents” Wen-Mei Chou and Harris Ty Leonard (e.g.) explains the views of Asian American parents and how they want their children to be their opinion of ethnically correct, but social and academic prodigies in the United States culture. The article explains their views by (a) explaining the common issues in Asian American families (b) insight into academic failure and the shame, guilt, and threats of the family (c) strategies to promote treatment with parents and children and (d) promoting and encouraging working with the children and emotional reconnections. Wen-Mei Chou and Harris Ty Leonard (e.g.) conclude that since Asian Americans unique cultural background has not been heavily researched, counselors need to take more time in the mental health field to learn how to treat Asian Americans and their children more effectively with the sensitivity and understanding of the populations’ unique culture. This article was useful in explaining that my assumptions of Asian Americans expectations of their children were true. It proves my thoughts on how the parents push their children to succeed because this is how they were brought up in their country of origin. In the article “Do Asian-American Push Their Kids?” Kathy Seal (2011) talks about the social stereotypes dealing with Asian American parents, particularly the mothers. They explain their point of view by (a) acknowledging the stereotypes of Asian American culture, (b) obtaining views and opinions of Asian American children and (c) accessing the differences between Asian American parenting the and white-middle class style of parenting. Kathy Seal (2011) conveys a portrait of a loving parent, perceived as a tyrant in a culture that is not their own or theirs; in all actuality it’s a mixture of the two. This article was useful to me for two reasons. The first reason is favorable to my assumptions that Asian American parents are not pushy, but used to a higher level of standards than we are in the United States. The second reason shows that Asian American children generally understand and approve of their parents ways. This greatly goes against my assumption that Asian-American children feel that too much is expected of them and this also goes against Amy Tan’s reflections in Two Kinds, where the child does not understand. Kathy Seal’s article says the exact opposite and leans more to Amy Tan’s ideal of Asian American home life. When we read Two Kinds we get a clear view of the mother and the type of character she is. We learn how she feels about her home in America and her aspirations for her child. Tan starts the story of with this, “My mother believed you could be anything in you wanted to be in America. You could open up a restaurant. You could work for the government and get good retirement. You could buy a house with almost no money down. You could become rich. You could become instantly famous. ”Of course you can be prodigy, too,” my mother told me when I was nine. “You can be best anything.” (Tan, A. (1989) Two Kinds, Madden, F. Exploring Literature P. 264). This shows me how much the mother believes in the “American Dream,” not only for herself, but her child as well. Is this a bad idea to want to influence your child with? Perhaps, not it’s actually a bit inspiring. Some critics disagree with the mother’s idea of the American Dream. “In many Asian families, shame and guilt are mechanisms used to gain compliance from family members. Asian American children are taught that they have an obligation to maintain their families’ positive image.”(Wen-Mei Chow and Harris Ty Leonard (e.g.) fix My Children: Working with strong-Minded Asian Parents. Article 17, P. 81). This is what authors Chow and Leonard believe. They believe that Asian American parents force their opinions and wishes on their children. Or try to live through the children. An Asian American teenager, Amy Chua, speaks out in Kathy Seals article, saying that parents are doing the right thing. She believes in high expectations and encouraging children to work hard by achieving competence. Overall all we can say that both articles believe in encouraging education and excelling. However, the activity that parent and child want to do is where the conflict arises. We can conclude that the common ground exists in the wanting to succeed. However, there are other common Asian American Family issues. One of the main issues in Asian American families is the need to succeed academically and the woes, when or if, they fall short. Tan express this in her story a lot. She writes the emotional trauma the little girl depicts when she thinks her mother feels she isn’t good enough. “One night I had to look at a page from the Bible for three minutes and then report everything I could remember. “Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance… and that’s all I can remember, Ma,” I said. And after seeing my mother’s disappointed face once again, something inside me began to die.” (Tan, A. (1989) Two Kinds, Madden, F. Exploring Literature P. 265). This shows how the mothers constant badgering of tests is making her feel like she’s not good enough. Like she can’t please and make her mother proud. Authors Chou and Leonard believe that the long term affect of situations like this can be detrimental. They say this of Asian American children. “They may be reluctant to search for help and choose to keep their personal struggles secret due to their loyalty to the family image and their fear of abandonment. This self imposed isolation may increase their risk of self-harming behaviors and increases their risks of victimization by others.” (Wen-Mei Chow and Harris Ty Leonard (e.g.) fix my children: Working with strong-minded Asian parents. Article 17, P. 81). Chou and Leonard are arguing that since the children are brought up to not share their emotions or go against the grain, they are more at risk of bullying or hurting themselves. However, Kathy Seal doesn’t think of it in those terms. She interviewed a teen explaining, “Westerners who don’t see Asian-American parents hugging and kissing their children or praise them cold, but as a child she felt strongly sure of her father’s love without such clues, because he showed hid warmth through guan- devotion, sacrifice, and thoughtfulness.”(Kathy Seal (2011) Do Asian American Parents Push Their Kids? Article. Article, miller-mccune.com”). I believe that Asian American children mirror the behavior of their parents. Both articles depict the same behaviors of the parent and child. In my opinion, I can conclude that both parent and child are emotionally closed off to themselves and each other because of the same behaviors repeated in the text and both articles. We can see that in each reference the style of Asian American parenting greatly differs from the white middle-class style of parenting. Asian American parents have always been textually written as, harsh and strict authoritarians. Amy Tan shows this in her story. She shows that disobedience is neither accepted nor tolerated. She writes the climax of her story showing this between the mother and her child in the heat of an argument. “I’ll never be the kind of daughter you want me to be!” “Only two kinds of daughters,” she shouted in Chinese. “Those who are obedient and those who follow their own mind! Only one kind of daughter can live in this house. Obedient daughter!” (Tan, A. (1989) Two Kinds, Madden, F. Exploring Literature P. 270). This quotation from the reading shows the daughter attempting to rebel and the mother trying to stop her in her tracks. Many researchers agree with this depiction of the attitudes of many Asian American parents. “A common expectation by Asian American parents is that their children will automatically be happy and grateful to have a comfortable life.” Wen-Mei Chow and Harris Ty Leonard (e.g.) fix my children: Working with strong-Minded Asian Parents. Article 17, P. 81). This is Chou and Leonard opinion of how Asian American parents feel. I believe that Asian American parents assume this because of how they were raised. However, their children are westernized because they’re being raised here. Kathy Seal thinks the reason Asian American parenting differs from white middle-class parenting behavior is because of the highly different cultural values. Americans view individuality and independence very highly. Asian children do not view this as such, they see it as rejection. One style favors independence the other is clearly focused on a family based unification. However, we can conclude that both parenting styles, overall, want obedient children. The social norms for both culture is where the differentiation comes into play. The children are the main priority for all. No matter the race or culture, all parents want the best for their children. Most parents want to reiterate the parenting styles from their own parents and incorporate those together. All relationships between parent and child will always be struggle and learning practice for all involved. The opinions of the parent and child or teenager will always be different, but also connected with a common interest of love for one another. It is important to remember that the parent has the best interest of their children at hand. Even if we don’t agree with how they go about it.

References

Chou, W., Leonard, H. T., (e.g.). Fix my children: Working with strong-minded Asian parents. Article 17, 81.
Demand Media, Inc (1999-2011) How to define a Rogerian argument. Ehow.com. http://www.ehow.com/how_5128252_write-rogerian-essay.html#ixzz1YzYZwlHo
Madden (2009). Exploring Literature. Rogerian Arguments, 165.
Seal, K. (2011). Do Asian-American parents push their kids?. Miller-McCune.com
Tan, A. (1952). Two Kinds. Exploring Literature. 263-271

Discovering Asian-American Parents and Their Parenting
Skills
English 102.02 T/R 8:00 - 10:00
Research Paper #2

No matter your race, religion, or location the relationship between parent and child has always been complex. It’s an intricate web of feelings that we have to learn to control and reduce hen they can become negative. I believe this relationship is the most difficult when children are in their preteen and teen years. We get to see this type of relationship from the point of view of the mother and her child in Amy Tan’s Two Kinds which describes the highs and lows of the female companionship of a mother and daughter. It describes the wants and hopes of the mother and the woes and rebellion of the daughter. Ultimately we’ll learn that the strain in the relationship is due to misunderstandings and a lack of productive conversation. We’ll understand how the story illuminates on this relationship to explain the feelings of parent and child. As we go in depth to understand what Amy Tan’s story proves, we must first define the Rogerian form or argument. According to Madden (2009), The Rogerian argument is a modern rendering approach based on the stages of process terms such as “issue,” “claim,” “reason,” and “assumption” or “warrant” (Madden 2009).This type of argument means that it seeks some form of common ground to gain an understanding of the subject. The argument is not presented to gain a “win.” (ehow.com 2011) “A Rogerian essay is among the hardest forms of essays to write. Rather than being aimed at a comprehensive win, it is designed at the creation of a basis for dialogue, convincing a reader with an opposing opinion of entering into a mutually respectful and positive exchange of ideas.” (Demand Media, Inc. (1999-2011) So we now can agree that the Rogerian form of argument is built on compromise and understanding. Will now apply and explain the Rogerian theme to articles and Amy Tan’s story. In the article,” Fix My Children: Working With Strong Minded Asian Parents” Wen-Mei Chou and Harris Ty Leonard (e.g.) explain the views of Asian American parents and how they want their children to be their opinion of ethnically correct, but social and academic prodigies in the United States culture. The article explains their views by (a) explaining the common issues in Asian American families (b) providing insight into academic failure and the shame, guilt, and threats of the family (c) strategies to promote treatment with parents and children and (d) promoting and encouraging working with the children and emotional reconnections. Wen-Mei Chou and Harris Ty Leonard (e.g.) conclude that since Asian Americans unique cultural background has not been heavily researched, counselors need to take more time in the mental health field to learn how to treat Asian Americans and their children more effectively with the sensitivity and understanding of the populations’ unique culture. This article was useful in explaining that my assumptions of Asian Americans expectations of their children were true. It proves my thoughts on how the parents push their children to succeed because this is how they were brought up in their country of origin. The next article says the exact opposite. In the article “Do Asian-American Push Their Kids?” Kathy Seal (2011) talks about the social stereotypes dealing with Asian American parents, particularly the mothers. They explain their point of view by (a) acknowledging the stereotypes of Asian American culture, (b) obtaining views and opinions of Asian American children and (c) accessing the differences between Asian American parenting the and white-middle class style of parenting. Kathy Seal (2011) conveys a portrait of a loving parent, perceived as a tyrant in a culture that is not their own or theirs; in all actuality it’s a mixture of the two. This article was useful to me for two reasons. The first reason is favorable to my assumptions that Asian American parents are not pushy, but used to a higher level of standards than we are in the United States. The second reason shows that Asian American children generally understand and approve of their parents ways. This greatly goes against my assumption that Asian-American children feel that too much is expected of them and this also goes against Amy Tan’s reflections in Two Kinds, where the child does not understand. Kathy Seal’s article says the exact opposite and leans more to Amy Tan’s ideal of Asian American home life. When we read Two Kinds we get a clear view of the mother and the type of character she is. We learn how she feels about her home in America and her aspirations for her child. Tan starts the story of with this; “My mother believed you could be anything in you wanted to be in America. You could open up a restaurant. You could work for the government and get good retirement. You could buy a house with almost no money down. You could become rich. You could become instantly famous. ‘Of course you can be prodigy, too,’ my mother told me when I was nine. “You can be best anything.” (Tan, A. [1989] as qtd. in Madden 2010.) This shows me how much the mother believes in the “American Dream,” not only for herself, but her child as well. Is this a bad idea to want to influence your child with? Perhaps not; it’s actually a bit inspiring. Some critics disagree with the mother’s idea of the American Dream. “In many Asian families, shame and guilt are mechanisms used to gain compliance from family members. Asian American children are taught that they have an obligation to maintain their families’ positive image.”(Wen-Mei Chow and Harris Ty Leonard (e.g.). This is what authors Chow and Leonard believe. They believe that Asian American parents force their opinions and wishes on their children or try to live through the children. An Asian American teenager, Amy Chua, speaks out in Kathy Seals article, saying that parents are doing the right thing. She believes in high expectations and encouraging children to work hard by achieving competence (Seal 2011). Overall all we can say that both articles believe in encouraging education and excelling. However, the activity that parent and child want to do is where the conflict arises. We can conclude that the common ground exists in the wanting to succeed. However, there are other common Asian American Family issues. One of the main issues in Asian American families is the need to succeed academically and the woes, when or if, they fall short. Tan express this in her story a lot. She writes the emotional trauma the little girl depicts when she thinks her mother feels she isn’t good enough. The girl says this, “One night I had to look at a page from the Bible for three minutes and then report everything I could remember. ‘Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance… and that’s all I can remember, Ma,’ I said. And after seeing my mother’s disappointed face once again, something inside me began to die.” (Tan, A. [1989] as qtd. in Madden 2010.). This shows how the mothers constant badgering of tests is making her feel like she’s not good enough. Like she can’t please and make her mother proud. Authors Chou and Leonard believe that the long term affect of situations like this can be detrimental. They say this of Asian American children. “They may be reluctant to search for help and choose to keep their personal struggles secret due to their loyalty to the family image and their fear of abandonment. This self imposed isolation may increase their risk of self-harming behaviors and increases their risks of victimization by others.” (Wen-Mei Chow and Harris Ty Leonard (e.g.). Chou and Leonard are arguing that since the children are brought up to not share their emotions or go against the grain, they are more at risk of bullying or hurting themselves. However, Kathy Seal doesn’t think of it in those terms. She interviewed a teen explaining, “Westerners who don’t see Asian-American parents hugging and kissing their children or praise them cold, but as a child she felt strongly sure of her father’s love without such clues, because he showed hid warmth through guan- devotion, sacrifice, and thoughtfulness.”(Kathy Seal (2011). I believe that Asian American children mirror the behavior of their parents. Both articles depict the same behaviors of the parent and child. In my opinion, I can conclude that both parent and child are emotionally closed off to themselves and each other because of the same behaviors repeated in the text and both articles. We can see that in each reference the style of Asian American parenting greatly differs from the white middle-class style of parenting. Asian American parents have always been textually written as, harsh and strict authoritarians. Amy Tan shows this in her story. She shows that disobedience is neither accepted nor tolerated. She writes the climax of her story showing this between the mother and her child in the heat of an argument. “I’ll never be the kind of daughter you want me to be! Only two kinds of daughters, she shouted in Chinese. Those who are obedient and those who follow their own mind! Only one kind of daughter can live in this house. Obedient daughter!” (Tan, A. [1989] as qtd. in Madden 2010.) This quotation from the reading shows the daughter attempting to rebel and the mother trying to stop her in her tracks. Many researchers agree with this depiction of the attitudes of many Asian American parents. “A common expectation by Asian American parents is that their children will automatically be happy and grateful to have a comfortable life.” Wen-Mei Chow and Harris Ty Leonard (e.g.) fix my children: Working with strong-Minded Asian Parents. Article 17, P. 81). This is Chou and Leonard opinion of how Asian American parents feel. I believe that Asian American parents assume this because of how they were raised. However, their children are westernized because they’re being raised here. Kathy Seal thinks the reason Asian American parenting differs from white middle-class parenting behavior is because of the highly different cultural values. Americans view individuality and independence very highly. Asian children do not view this as such, they see it as rejection. One style favors independence the other is clearly focused on a family based unification. However, we can conclude that both parenting styles, overall, want obedient children. The social norms for both culture is where the differentiation comes into play. The children are the main priority for all. No matter the race or culture, all parents want the best for their children. Most parents want to reiterate the parenting styles from their own parents and incorporate those together. All relationships between parent and child will always be struggle and learning practice for all involved. The opinions of the parent and child or teenager will always be different, but also connected with a common interest of love for one another. It is important to remember that the parent has the best interest of their children at hand. Even if we don’t agree with how they go about it.

References
Chou, W., Leonard, H. T., (e.g.). Fix my children: Working with strong-minded Asian parents. Article 17.
Demand Media, Inc (1999-2011) How to define a Rogerian argument. Ehow.com. http://www.ehow.com/how_5128252_write-rogerian essay.html#ixzz1YzYZwlHo
Madden (2009). Exploring Literature. Rogerian Arguments, 165.
Seal, K. (2011). Do Asian-American parents push their kids?. Miller-McCune.com
Tan, A. (1952). Two Kinds. Exploring Literature. 263-271

UNDERSTANDING
REACTIONS TO LOVE IN ADOLESCENTS AND TEENS
English 102.02 T/R 8:00 - 10:00
Research Paper # 3

Our first loves never become illusive to us. We can all remember the way our hearts raced and palms sweated when we saw the object of our affections. Judith Ortiz Cofer understood this. She explains vividly the sensations she felt for her first crush and also the lesson of wearing ones heart on their sleeve. (“The object is not always to win, but most times simply to keep your opponent (synonymous at times with “the loved one”) guessing.” (J. O. Ortiz Madden 2010). This paper will show how much people will fight for the ones they love. Throughout this paper you’ll understand our actions to young love, the chase, the grief, the conquering and the disappointment of learning that, perhaps, what we wanted isn’t that important because we were never meant to have it. My paper will help you understand how the same subject can change meaning and significance when written by two different authors in two different ways. Therefore, this is why we have the need for comparative essays. However, we must first understand what a comparative essay is. Madden describes comparative literature as, “The objective of a comparison is not just to list the similarities and differences but to reveal something important of whatever is being compared.” (Madden (2010) Exploring Literature, P. 163). This explains to us that it’s important to give the reader something important to uncover when reading about the subjects compared. A literature website gives a more in depth definition of comparative literature. It states, “In a comparative essay, you are expected to discuss the similarities between or among two or more works. For example, in literature, writers typically address universal themes of the human condition; in the social sciences, academics often find common ground for analysis; in business, similar best practices emerge as profitable. In a comparative essay, your professor expects that you will grasp the key concepts in your field of study by examining the works of more than one writer or scholar in an academic discipline.” (Unknown (e.g.) retrieved Oct. 5, 2011 from, comparative-essay.com). This explains different ways and subjects that can be used in comparison literature. When writing a comparative essay the writer has to have a clear understanding of the literature they’re using and this technique of writhing. Judith Ortiz Cofer’s “I Fell In Love, Or My Hormones Awakened” and Jane Austin’s “Persuasion” are two interesting pieces of literature to compare. Both stories revolve around forbidden love and the unreachable conquests for them. The next article gives us a clear understanding of young love and what it is to be love. TeensHealth.org (2011) explains in their article “Love and Romance” how we react to our first loves and why. It explains the different qualities we are attracted in our love as, “magical ingredients” that experts consistently study. They explain the thesis of their article by (a) elaborating on the main reasons of the attraction, (b) why we fall in love, (c) understanding the difference between lasting love and a fling, (d) the qualities that make a good relationship, (e) the reasons relationships end and (f) learning how to move on even though we are in pain. TeensHealth.org (2011) concludes by explaining that loving relationships teach us self-respect as well as respect for others. They also interpret love as being one of the most fulfilling things we can have in our lives and it’s worth the wait of finding that right person for ourselves. This article was helpful because it helped the reader to understand the feelings and emotions we get from our first loves and love in general. This article was also useful in stating the effects on not only teens, but preteens and young adults as well. The next article will help us to breakdown and understand comparative literature on a broader scale. The Trustees of Princeton Univ. (2011), in their article “What is Comparative Lit?” define comparative literature from a variety of points of views, ranging from their own to highly respect literary scholars. They develop their thesis by (a) pointing out the relationships of comparative literature, (b) understanding how comparative literature sets the “tone” for other styles of writing, (c) how it compares other literatures as whole, (d) underscoring the importance of language, literature, and culture, (e) how to include the study of texts across languages and (f) how to develop greater emphases on postcolonial and interdisciplinary studies. The Trustees of Princeton Univ. (2011) conclude by stating, "Any two texts can be compared, but a comparison works when there is a sufficient basis for comparison; that is, a strong number of similarities, which allow us to isolate particular striking, revealing, informing, epiphanic and ultimately untranslatable differences. … These untranslatable differences which are the product of language, culture, history and environment as well as the semi-autonomous evolution of art forms and the talents and experiences of individual artists invariably pronounce themselves in what is called style." This article was extremely helpful in breaking down comparative literature from different perspectives. It shows how different scholars have different definitions and usage of the term itself. As we now know and understand, with comparative literature you take two different pieces of literature and you compare them with authors, writing styles, and many more themes. We’ve all for the most part have had our first experiences with love. People will do crazy, even sometimes extreme things for love. Life and mere consciousness can sometimes seem like a hazy fog when we are in love. Judith Ortiz Cofer describes this in her story from the point of view of a love struck teenage girl. “My mother could not understand why I became so eager to be the one sent out on her endless errands. I pounced on every opportunity from Friday to late Saturday afternoon to go after eggs, cigarettes, milk (I tried to drink as much of it as possible, although I hated the stuff) the staples items the she would order from the “American” store. Week after week I wandered up and down the aisles, taking furtive glances at the stock room in the back, breathlessly hoping to see my prince. Not that I had a plan. I felt like a pilgrim waiting for Mecca.” (Ortiz [1952] in Madden 2010). This shows the incredible length the girl goes to see her “prince”. We learn how much she adores him. We begin to understand how important her first love is to her. Many others agree with her reactions in the story. KidsHealth.org states, “Attraction is the "chemistry" part of love. It 's all about the physical — even sexual — interest that two people have in each other. Attraction is responsible for the desire we feel to kiss and hold the object of our affection. Attraction is also what 's behind the flushed, nervous-but-excited way we feel when that person is near.” (KidsHealth.org 2011). They explain and define how love and the overall attraction can be. How and why she acts like this when she is in his presence. They also understand the feeling and importance of love especially when it’s being discovered for the first time. Both examples agree in my thoughts of first love although they express it in different ways. Using the comparative literature helps us grasp the common points and find common ground between them. The story I will use to compare to Cofer’s , “I Fell In Love, Or My Hormones Awakened” is Jane Austen’s “Persuasion.” Both stories explain the feelings that come with first love although time, setting, age of characters and authors are different. Perhaps because of age or maybe the time of Jane Austen’s story, which was published in 1818, the showing of one’s interest in love was not regarded or allowed in the same manner. In persuasion we learn of a girl, a very beautiful young girl known as Anne Elliot and discover how she’s brought up and taught to act. “How eloquent could Anne Elliot have been! How eloquent, at least, were her wishes on the side of early warm attachment, and a cheerful confidence in futurity, against that over-anxious caution which seems to insult exertion and distrust Providence! She had been forced into prudence in her youth, she learned romance as she grew older: the natural sequel of an unnatural beginning.” (Austen 1818). This tells us the behavior of the girl and how she has learned to act. Although later in the book we learn that Anne Elliot is faced with the same feelings as the young girl in Cofer’s story. In other words Anne is taught to be discreet and practical with her feelings and behavior. KidsHealth.org tells us that Jane Austen perhaps had the right idea about her character in the book because of her, although still young, slightly older than Cofer’s character. The site states, “In our late teens, though, relationships are less about going out to have fun and fitting in. Closeness, sharing, and confiding become more important to both guys and girls. By the time they reach their twenties, most girls and guys value support, closeness, and communication, as well as passion. This is the time when people start thinking about finding someone they can commit to in the long run — a love that will last.” I believe they are stating that with age comes a bit of maturity and refinement. We can also understand that the time periods would not allow Anne Elliot to follow around her love interest like a love sick puppy. Both articles understand the different ways age groups handle their first love experiences. Do these feelings and actions change with gender? Can we look at them from a different stand point when comparing love from a male point of view. Jane Austen, unlike Cofer, goes in depth into describing first love from a female and male point of view. We read how hurt and painful the loss of a first love can be from a male stand point. “A man like him, in his situation! With a heart pierced, wounded, and almost broken! Fanny Harville was a very superior creature, and his attachment to her was indeed attachment. A man does not recover from such a devotion of the heart to such a woman. He ought not; he does not.”(TeenHealth.org 2011).This quote shows his love and attachment to a young girl named Fanny. How he’s utterly devoted to every sense of the word. So can we assume that perhaps the old saying is true, that boys fall in love harder than girls. According to a recent study mean actually fall in love a lot quicker than females do. “The first stage of "falling in love" for a man is instant: fast and furious. Unknown to a majority of women, men fall in love at first sight even more frequently than do women. Research shows that within the first fifteen seconds, a woman will have decided (sub-consciously) if she will give a guy a chance to try to “make her fall in love’ or not. In the same amount of time, a man will have decided if he is “turned’ on by how a woman looks or not.”(askville.com 2011). This basically tell us that yes men do fall in love harder and quicker than women, however for different reasons. In the story and the article we can understand the seriousness in which love is perceived from a male point of view. The man in Austen’s story talks about how and why he falls in love with Fanny. Even Austen talks of her beauty. The story and article both have common ground. Love is interpertaed in many ways. No matter your gender love is always considered a powerful thing, almost like a drug to some. We can all remember the feeling we got when we found our first loves. The excitement of the chase, the butterflies and the pain of losing them. The most important thing the reader should understand is that no matter the cost, sacrifice, or pain lost discovering our first loves, we have loved. We should be forever grateful that we find it. Even if for a second. Imagine leaving the world and never feeling the sensation and exhilaration of your heart racing and palms sweating while watching your love from afar. What pain could be worse than that?

References
Madden, F. (2009). Exploring Literature: I fell in love, or My Hormones Awakened, [1952] Judith Ortiz Cofer P. 482
Austen, J. (1818) Persuasion
E.G. (2011) Kidshealth.org, Love and Romance
E.G. (2011) TeensHealth.org, Love and Romance
The Trustees of Princeton Univ. (2011) What is Comparative lit.? E.G. Retrieved Oct. 5, 2011 from, comparative-essay.com

UNDERSTANDING
REACTIONS TO LOVE IN ADOLESCENTS AND TEENS
English 102.02 T/R 8:00 - 10:00
Research Paper # 3

Our first loves never become illusive to us. We can all remember the way our hearts raced and palms sweated when we saw the object of our affections. Judith Ortiz Cofer understood this. She explains vividly the sensations she felt for her first crush and also the lesson of wearing ones heart on their sleeve. (“The object is not always to win, but most times simply to keep your opponent (synonymous at times with ‘the loved one’) guessing.” (Cofer [1952] as qtd. in Madden 2010). This paper will show how much people will fight for the ones they love. Throughout this paper you’ll understand our actions to young love, the chase, the grief, the conquering and the disappointment of learning that, perhaps, what we wanted isn’t that important because we were never meant to have it. My paper will help you understand how the same subject can change meaning and significance when written by two different authors in two different ways. Therefore, this is why we have the need for comparative essays. However, we must first understand what a comparative essay is. Madden describes comparative literature as, “The objective of a comparison is not just to list the similarities and differences but to reveal something important of whatever is being compared.” (Madden (2010). This explains to us that it’s important to give the reader something important to uncover when reading about the subjects compared. A literature website gives a more in depth definition of comparative literature. It states, “In a comparative essay, you are expected to discuss the similarities between or among two or more works. For example, in literature, writers typically address universal themes of the human condition; in the social sciences, academics often find common ground for analysis; in business, similar best practices emerge as profitable. In a comparative essay, your professor expects that you will grasp the key concepts in your field of study by examining the works of more than one writer or scholar in an academic discipline.” (Unknown (e.g.). This explains different ways and subjects that can be used in comparison literature. When writing a comparative essay the writer has to have a clear understanding of the literature they’re using and this technique of writhing. Judith Ortiz Cofer’s “I Fell In Love, Or My Hormones Awakened” and Jane Austin’s “Persuasion” are two interesting pieces of literature to compare. Both stories revolve around forbidden love and the unreachable conquests for them. The next article gives us a clear understanding of young love and what it is to be love. TeensHealth.org (2011) explains in their article “Love and Romance” how we react to our first loves and why. It explains the different qualities we are attracted in our love as, “magical ingredients” that experts consistently study. They explain the thesis of their article by (a) elaborating on the main reasons of the attraction, (b) why we fall in love, (c) understanding the difference between lasting love and a fling, (d) the qualities that make a good relationship, (e) the reasons relationships end and (f) learning how to move on even though we are in pain. TeensHealth.org (2011) concludes by explaining that loving relationships teach us self-respect as well as respect for others. They also interpret love as being one of the most fulfilling things we can have in our lives and it’s worth the wait of finding that right person for ourselves. This article was helpful because it helped the reader to understand the feelings and emotions we get from our first loves and love in general. This article was also useful in stating the effects on not only teens, but preteens and young adults as well. The next article will help us to breakdown and understand comparative literature on a broader scale. The Trustees of Princeton Univ. (2011), in their article “What is Comparative Lit?” define comparative literature from a variety of points of views, ranging from their own to highly respect literary scholars. They develop their thesis by (a) pointing out the relationships of comparative literature, (b) understanding how comparative literature sets the “tone” for other styles of writing, (c) how it compares other literatures as whole, (d) underscoring the importance of language, literature, and culture, (e) how to include the study of texts across languages and (f) how to develop greater emphases on postcolonial and interdisciplinary studies. The Trustees of Princeton Univ. (2011) conclude by stating, "Any two texts can be compared, but a comparison works when there is a sufficient basis for comparison; that is, a strong number of similarities, which allow us to isolate particular striking, revealing, informing, epiphanic and ultimately untranslatable differences. … These untranslatable differences which are the product of language, culture, history and environment as well as the semi-autonomous evolution of art forms and the talents and experiences of individual artists invariably pronounce themselves in what is called style." This article was extremely helpful in breaking down comparative literature from different perspectives. It shows how different scholars have different definitions and usage of the term itself. As we now know and understand, with comparative literature you take two different pieces of literature and you compare them with authors, writing styles, and many more themes. We’ve all for the most part have had our first experiences with love. People will do crazy, even sometimes extreme things for love. Life and mere consciousness can sometimes seem like a hazy fog when we are in love. Judith Ortiz Cofer describes this in her story from the point of view of a love struck teenage girl. “My mother could not understand why I became so eager to be the one sent out on her endless errands. I pounced on every opportunity from Friday to late Saturday afternoon to go after eggs, cigarettes, milk (I tried to drink as much of it as possible, although I hated the stuff) the staples items the she would order from the ‘American’ store. Week after week I wandered up and down the aisles, taking furtive glances at the stock room in the back, breathlessly hoping to see my prince. Not that I had a plan. I felt like a pilgrim waiting for Mecca.” (Ortiz [1952] as qtd in Madden 2010). This shows the incredible length the girl goes to see her “prince”. We learn how much she adores him. We begin to understand how important her first love is to her. Many others agree with her reactions in the story. KidsHealth.org states, “Attraction is the "chemistry" part of love. It 's all about the physical — even sexual — interest that two people have in each other. Attraction is responsible for the desire we feel to kiss and hold the object of our affection. Attraction is also what 's behind the flushed, nervous-but-excited way we feel when that person is near.” (KidsHealth.org 2011). They explain and define how love and the overall attraction can be. How and why she acts like this when she is in his presence. They also understand the feeling and importance of love especially when it’s being discovered for the first time. Both examples agree in my thoughts of first love although they express it in different ways. Using the comparative literature helps us grasp the common points and find common ground between them. The story I will use to compare to Cofer’s, “I Fell In Love, Or My Hormones Awakened” is Jane Austen’s “Persuasion.” Both stories explain the feelings that come with first love although time, setting, age of characters and authors are different. Perhaps because of age or maybe the time of Jane Austen’s story, which was published in 1818, the showing of one’s interest in love was not regarded or allowed in the same manner. In persuasion we learn of a girl, a very beautiful young girl known as Anne Elliot and discover how she’s brought up and taught to act. “How eloquent could Anne Elliot have been! How eloquent, at least, were her wishes on the side of early warm attachment, and a cheerful confidence in futurity, against that over-anxious caution which seems to insult exertion and distrust Providence! She had been forced into prudence in her youth; she learned romance as she grew older: the natural sequel of an unnatural beginning.” (Austen 1818). This tells us the behavior of the girl and how she has learned to act. Although later in the book we learn that Anne Elliot is faced with the same feelings as the young girl in Cofer’s story. In other words Anne is taught to be discreet and practical with her feelings and behavior. KidsHealth.org tells us that Jane Austen perhaps had the right idea about her character in the book because of her, although still young, slightly older than Cofer’s character. The site states, “In our late teens, though, relationships are less about going out to have fun and fitting in. Closeness, sharing, and confiding become more important to both guys and girls. By the time they reach their twenties, most girls and guys value support, closeness, and communication, as well as passion. This is the time when people start thinking about finding someone they can commit to in the long run — a love that will last.” I believe they are stating that with age comes a bit of maturity and refinement. We can also understand that the time periods would not allow Anne Elliot to follow around her love interest like a love sick puppy. Both articles understand the different ways age groups handle their first love experiences. Do these feelings and actions change with gender? Can we look at them from a different stand point when comparing love from a male point of view? Jane Austen, unlike Cofer, goes in depth into describing first love from a female and male point of view. We read how hurt and painful the loss of a first love can be from a male stand point. “A man like him, in his situation! With a heart pierced, wounded, and almost broken! Fanny Harville was a very superior creature, and his attachment to her was indeed attachment. A man does not recover from such a devotion of the heart to such a woman. He ought not; he does not.”(TeenHealth.org 2011).This quote shows his love and attachment to a young girl named Fanny. How he’s utterly devoted to every sense of the word. So can we assume that perhaps the old saying is true, that boys fall in love harder than girls? According to a recent study mean actually fall in love a lot quicker than females do. “The first stage of "falling in love" for a man is instant: fast and furious. Unknown to a majority of women, men fall in love at first sight even more frequently than do women. Research shows that within the first fifteen seconds, a woman will have decided (sub-consciously) if she will give a guy a chance to try to ‘make her fall in love’ or not. In the same amount of time, a man will have decided if he is ‘turned’ on by how a woman looks or not.”(askville.com 2011). This basically tell us that yes men do fall in love harder and quicker than women, however for different reasons. In the story and the article we can understand the seriousness in which love is perceived from a male point of view. The man in Austen’s story talks about how and why he falls in love with Fanny. Even Austen talks of her beauty. The story and article both have common ground. Love is interpreted in many ways. No matter your gender love is always considered a powerful thing, almost like a drug to some. We can all remember the feeling we got when we found our first loves. The excitement of the chase, the butterflies, and the pain of losing them. The most important thing the reader should understand is that no matter the cost, sacrifice, or pain lost discovering our first loves, we have loved. We should be forever grateful that we find it. Even if for a second. Imagine leaving the world and never feeling the sensation and exhilaration of your heart racing and palms sweating while watching your love from afar. What pain could be worse than that?

References
Madden, F. (2009). Exploring Literature: I fell in love, or My Hormones Awakened, [1952] Judith Ortiz Cofer P. 482
Austen, J. (1818) Persuasion
E.G. (2011) Kidshealth.org, Love and Romance
E.G. (2011) TeensHealth.org, Love and Romance
The Trustees of Princeton Univ. (2011) What is Comparative lit.? E.G. Retrieved Oct. 5, 2011 from, comparative-essay.com

Eng 102.02
Reflective writing #3
TR 8:05-10:05

The most difficult part of essay three was making sure I stayed on topic. The topic is very broad in a sense, so it was difficult to not fan out in different directions. I also had to go back and exclude quotes and references I wanted to make because they got off subject.
When I do another comparison essay I will sit down before the prewriting and specify the two clear subjects that I would be using throughout and show how I will use them before actually beginning to write.
I believe I understood write off hand the research that needed to be done and the format that I would be using. Also the theme was easier to grasp because of the type of subjects I was comparing. I knew what I wanted to use, what to look, and how to incorporate it.
In the future I think I will attempt to compare more than one or two subjects and themes. To write about subjects on a grander scale such as the story itself, the background of the authors and the actual writing style of authors.
Writing this paper showed me the similarities of female and male behavior even though the stories differ in time periods about century and half. It also showed the similar personalities of both writers.
I learned over all how to write them properly as far as the concept goes. That’s something I’ve been doing wrong for a long time and it was never pointed out to me before. I had no idea I was doing it. Also I’ve been learning how to cite papers correctly. Well I’m still learning, but I have a better understanding of how to go about them. That’s something too that had never been pointed out to me. I assumed I was doing it the correct way.

Eng 102.02
Reflective writing #3
TR 8:05-10:05

The most difficult part of essay three was making sure I stayed on topic. The topic is very broad in a sense, so it was difficult to not fan out in different directions. I also had to go back and exclude quotes and references I wanted to make because they got off subject.
When I do another comparison essay I will sit down before the prewriting and specify the two clear subjects that I would be using throughout and show how I will use them before actually beginning to write.
I believe I understood write off hand the research that needed to be done and the format that I would be using. Also the theme was easier to grasp because of the type of subjects I was comparing. I knew what I wanted to use, what to look, and how to incorporate it.
In the future I think I will attempt to compare more than one or two subjects and themes. To write about subjects on a grander scale such as the story itself, the background of the authors and the actual writing style of authors.
Writing this paper showed me the similarities of female and male behavior even though the stories differ in time periods about century and half. It also showed the similar personalities of both writers.
I learned over all how to write them properly as far as the concept goes. That’s something I’ve been doing wrong for a long time and it was never pointed out to me before. I had no idea I was doing it. Also, I’ve been learning how to cite papers correctly; well I’m still learning, but I have a better understanding of how to go about them. That’s something too that had never been pointed out to me. I assumed I was doing it the correct way.

References: Madden, F. (2009). Exploring Literature: I fell in love, or My Hormones Awakened, [1952] Judith Ortiz Cofer P Austen, J. (1818) Persuasion E.G E.G. (2011) TeensHealth.org, Love and Romance The Trustees of Princeton Univ E.G. Retrieved Oct. 5, 2011 from, comparative-essay.com Eng 102.02