Alexandra Doyle, Period 7, 9/24/21

Literacy & Learning


Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or non-fiction covered in class.


I was excited to start this year, as I was ready to dive deeper than ever before into different types of literature. What has stood out to me the most so far was reading the different variations of Cinderella. Seeing the interpretations change from culture to culture, while still keeping the same bones as the original story, was definitely different for me, but still very insightful and interesting. I’ve never compared stories like that, and seeing the illustrations and cultural-specific changes to the story that’s been so popularized really inspired me to look into stories from other cultures. It was also really interesting to see a story from my culture, the version titled “Rhodopis”, as I myself am Greek. Usually the only “stories'' associated with my culture are the ones from mythology, which are often misconstrued and just insanely popular nowadays. It was definitely nice to see something more niche. It reminded me of the story my mother used to read to me when I was younger, about a little lamb named Loukoumi. Covering these specific stories touched me, and made me yearn to learn more about them; their origin, and more about the culture they came from. I really enjoyed eating and analyzing these stories.


Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.


A lesson that stood out to me was the one where we discussed the difference between legends, folklore, mythology, fantasy, science fiction and fairy tales. Learning about the differences between different subcategories of fiction and non-fiction definitely gave me a new awareness of how little I actually knew about literature in general. I always lumped mythology, fairy tales, legends, and folklore into one big category, but after reading through the slides and discussing them as a class, I realized how different each one really is, and what they each contribute to our studies of the world. I found it particularly interesting when we also discussed how similar they were, but why they were categorized differently. What sticks out in each piece of writing that categorizes it as science fiction, or a legend, etc. I was hoping that this class could give me more knowledge and new perspectives, and the handful of lessons we’ve done so far have already done that for me.


How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?


I enjoyed the perspective that Mrs. McNeil shared with us through her TEDTalk specifically on folklore. It really opened my eyes to the fact that we as a society contribute daily to the folklore of our time, simply by posting things on the internet. Seeing folklore as a collection of things written by everyday people was definitely new to me, as I mostly associated folklore with just another word for fairy tales. Being exposed to this new definition made me realize that not everyone has to be Shakespeare to write enticing, realistic stories. In fact, folklore does not have to be a story at all. It can just be a thought, or an emotion. I enjoyed the feeling of knowing that folklore is forever changing and adapting with the times, because of how closely it is linked to people and society. People and societies change over time, so folklore and what it looks like/feels like changes as well. This notion also made me realize that by doing an action as simple as sharing a meme, I myself am contributing, therefore making a mark on the folklore of our time. It has made me really value and monitor what I post online, and helps me make sure my mark is a good one. The year has barely begun, and I feel as though I’ve learned so much already.