My Reading ProcessI started this semester a bit rebelliously. I went against the grain. I missed out on some of the opportunities that others who grew up in Quincy had, but I was eventually able to get them back. I recently realized how much this course has benefited me as a person. Now I can state my opinions clearly. I know what to say, when to say it and how to say it. This course has changed my perspective on writing for the better. My writing skills aren't the only things that have changed. I also learned to read closely. After taking this course, when I approach reading, I tend to take an assertive approach. I like to look for words that stand out and listen to the syntax of a sentence; diction in a speech. This helps me fully understand the text. Now, when I read, I gain some of the author's background to understand their culture and experiences. This information allows me to use one of the best strategies a person can possess when reading, namely empathy. Empathy allows me to put myself in their state of mind at the moment he or she wrote the piece. Another strategy I use is diction detection. I seem to be able to know which words the author intended to underline and leave unaccented, like an internal pentameter. My main weakness, as a reader, is my attention span. I tend to oscillate in and out of focus. One moment I feel like I'm part of the story, and the next I feel like the press isn't speaking to me, which can make me lose interest in the work. To eliminate this weakness, I must begin to take my reading, not just as an experience, but as a life in my own hands. The text on the paper represents someone else's thoughts and opinions; this is something I should pay more attention and respect to. Ends...... half of the paper ...... section between the speaker and the reader, on a conscious level. Beneath the surface, it helps the speaker connect with his audience. It makes the audience feel like they are just a normal person, or a conduit of wisdom and notoriety. It's hard to master something like this, but I'm confident that my tree will continue to grow. Any skill can grow, but my real question is: how big, how high can my skills reach? I have seen a great improvement not only in my writing, but in myself. Rhetoric nourished me completely. I have changed as a person, for the betterment of myself and anyone I need to prove myself to in the future. There's more room for me to grow, without a doubt. In the next 5 months I hope to discover more about myself and writing. I hope to realize my dream as a writer. I hope to realize my goal of being successful. I hope to realize my goal of growing infinitely.