Emily Waite

How It Happened That I Became An English Major In The Early Years Of The Twenty-First Century

            In my tenth grade English class I wrote a paper on the works of Edgar Allan Poe and his personal life. My teacher stressed so much on the importance of spending enough time to conduct the research, write the paper and edit it, I actually did. Before that point in my life I’d never been challenged by a teacher to actually spend a sufficient amount of time on a paper. The hard work paid off and I began to find myself interested in the different genres of literature, thus ultimately leading me towards becoming an English major.

            Literature has always challenged my opinions and beliefs, making me question why I believe and think the way I do. In his essay Danadio points out that going to college is like four years of freedom for the student to form his or her own ideas and opinions away from family influence. I have always found in all of my literature classes whether it be a piece written by a woman, ethnic group, or someone like Shakespeare that I am able to view things through a different perspective, therefore allowing me to formulate my own thoughts and ideals based on how I see them

            I have read many books where, after finishing a section or chapter, I find myself questioning the relevance of the chapter to the entirety of the work. As Gopnik points out in his article, abridged works create a clearer, more precise story without anyone knowing anything has been taken out. While on one hand I feel an abridged version takes away how the author truly intended for their work to be read, I also feel sometimes certain things which are taken out allow for the main point or story line to be read and interpreted the way it was intended- intact and full.

            Literature has always allowed me to step outside of my comfort zone and view things from a completely different perspective. To me, it is important to be able to understand the way others think and why, allowing my personal thoughts to expand and grow as well as develop the skills to properly express my ideas and opinions.