Outside Reading Reflection

It is hard to believe that freshman year is coming to an end.  It feels like it was just yesterday that the class of 2015 gathered in the chapel on orientation day to be welcomed into high school.  This year, I have learned a lot about myself as a reader, and my perspective on reading has definitely changed.  I had never really enjoyed reading that much because I never had the time/patience to make myself sit down and read.  I don't know what it was, but reading and I just didn't "click."  However, over the course of the year, I have read a variety of new and different kinds of books that have made me think differently about reading in general.

One thing that I have really developed and improved on as a reader this year is my ability to analyze writing.  I was introduced to this concept last year when we read Romeo and Juliet, but my skills have advanced so much further this year.  We analyzed 3 books this year: Lord of the Flies, Nervous Conditions, and Macbeth.  We had to annotate each of these, and identify specific things that stood out such as characterization, plot, setting, theme, etc...Doing this allowed me to look at the writing in a whole new way, and really read between the lines.  It was so interesting to me how in Lord of the Flies, everything symbolized something.  Now after so much practice, annotating comes naturally to me; it's like I know exactly what to look for.  I have enjoyed outside and class reading this year and can't wait to see what books are in store for sophomore year!

Outside Reading:

Macbeth: 1 hour

Short Story book in Dr. D's classroom: 30-40 min.