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- Reading responses must be AT LEAST 250 words.
- Include your full name at the end of your comments. Unnamed comments will be deleted.
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- Reading responses are due by 10pm on the day PRIOR to our discussion of the required reading
Moore’s “Pursuing Mental Rabbits” gave me a new look on writing a personal essay. When he talks of writing a personal essay reminds him of his dog chasing a rabbit, it makes sense to picture and understand that since when we begin almost any type of essay we are chasing thoughts for some kind of truth for/in our essays. To support it Moore speaks of Scott Russell Sanders comparing essay writing “to the pursuit of mental rabbits, invoking the idea that a successful essay is a hunt, a chase, a ramble through thickets of thought, in pursuit of some brief glimmer of fuzzy truth.” (Moore, 76) He tells us how we should enjoy writing the essay but at the same time not lose the readers in our jumping’s from events. I’ve seen this happen many times not just my essays mostly, but also with some of my peers. When I read the other two readings on how to write a nature or travel essay, it gave me more worry/concern on my future essays for the class. With the nature essay it can be quite difficult to write one here in the valley where I live since there is not much nature aside from the neighborhood park that has only three to six trees, a basketball court, and a playground for the kids. It is possible to write if you put in the effort and research though. When it comes to the Travel essay I’m even more worried about since even Moore says that it’s one of the hardest essays to write. I can talk of two trips that come to mind when I think of this topic but the problem is that both time were with a school event so I couldn’t really explore as much as one could have during a vacation.
ReplyDeleteAdrian Gonzalez
Why chase rabbits, why not chase cute little foxes? Putting it in anyway, pursuing the spectacular idea that motivates us to write is essential. It doesn’t matter how those ideas come up, maybe when you are driving back home with music blasting out of your speakers, half sleeping in the morning and a scene with interesting characters start boggling your mind, or taking a good hot shower that eventually bring up a short story. The portion of “Pursuing Mental Rabbits,” is not just capturing the moment or idea in your mind, but to keep in track of what is being written. Our essays may turn out to be pleasing to us, yet we need know how “simple” and “on-track” our essays should be for our readers. The more zig-zagging we do, the harder it is for our audience to keep track with what’s going on.
ReplyDeleteFor writing the nature and travel essays, there is some challenge doing these two. The nature essay would be slightly easy, since right outside my home is 10 acres of open dried up grass fields, covered in landmines of espinas ready to cling onto your shoes, a miniature forest of leftover mesquite trees spared by my father, and a gray cinder block house still left to burn under the sun while it’s owner is working hard in Houston. Ranch life and the large whirling windmills about 2 miles from home, 2 of them just seen outside the dining room window. There’s more to nature essays though, as Moore puts it, that it is not only about what you’re just seeing in nature, but what is felt emotionally or physically in life. Sadly, it’s isolation from society from the city.
And then the travel essay, which I chuckled seeing that it is easy and very hard to craft Not many people here in the Valley may have not travel as far as past San Antonio or even the outskirts. I was born here in McAllen, but never stayed very long. My travels from Hawaii, New York, Louisiana, and Georgia have faded memories as a child and touching moments when I was a teen. The military lifestyle has a huge chunk of moving back and forth, from one base and setting to the next. The only part I am lacking is that I never interacted with the community in-depth nor understood the area around me. I only knew that I was behind huge barbed wired fences with Military Police soldiers with bayonets and 9 millimeter pistols scouting checkpoints. Yet with each A-to-B travel, I knew how the interior of Fort Polk, Louisiana was along with the base’s buildings and roads. I still remember the walks in the woods in Fort Benning, Georgia and how the murky swamps leading up to the Upatoi Creek. There is probably a different view of how it truly feels to be inside these military bases and they are kind of nice and secluded from the rest of society.
Hector Dimas
This is my response
ReplyDeleteWhen I finished reading “ Pursuing Mental Rabbits” I felt this connection. My mind always goes off into like this other dimension when I write. I like to just stop and think about anything and everything. I get these mental pictures in my head that I don't know what to do with. I get lost and stuck every single time I write because I feel like I can't be myself when I write. To me my writing is never good enough. After this reading I totally have a better understanding of how to write a personal essay or any type of essay to be honest. It’s ok to have these crazy ideas and wander off topic, you just have to get it together and make a story. Now I get that we have to have all these crazy ideas, you have to get stuck, you have to fail, it will all work out in the end.
In the second reading, about nature essays I feel like I might struggle a little with it. I love to take nature photos, I love the dark clouds, skies, the trees. I love nature but it’s hard for me to write what I feel. I am excited as well because I have never written a nature essay before. I like what “Moore” mentions in the reading about how nature can lead you on a journey, there is much more to it. I am excited to see where my thoughts will wander with this essay. I am that type of person to sit outside on a windy day. I will sit there and watch the trees, and my thoughts go off right then and there.
In the reading about travel essays “Moore” mentions how hard it is to write a travel essay. Well I am not so excited about this essay I can tell you that. First of all I don’t travel much. I have been out of the state before when I was a migrant. But it was such a long time ago. Travel essays do not catch my attention, so how can I write a good travel essay. Although I am down for the challenge.
Lizette
For “pursuing mental rabbits”, I have to agree with the author that just like Smokey chases rabbits in a zig zag way, we as writers sometimes follow in the same steps. If we have an idea we will more than often stick to that idea no matter where it might lead just because it feels “right”. Is it right all the time? Probably not, might lead to an angry cat (disaster) or to a new smell (idea). When I write I like to think that I do, do follow a rabbit in my head. If it seems right and I like where my ideas are flowing I’ll go towards that direction and see to what new idea it leads me to. In a way, I feel like that’s how part of my life is. Just following trails and see where they lead.
ReplyDeleteFor writing the nature essay I feel like it would come easier to me than the travel essay. I love being outdoors and rolling in mud. Yes that’s right rolling in mud and being covered in mud. I like to explore the outdoors and see where the trails take me. It’s almost like writing an essay for me, just following it and see where it takes me. I love to do obstacle course racing, the race distance varies and in between the trails there’s obstacles that you have to accomplish. While you’re out there in the middle of nowhere going up 2,000 feet of elevation feeling as your legs are about to fall, off there’s a moment when you stop, turn around, and see how beautiful the mountain actually is. I appreciate nature for what it is, how beautiful it is no matter how bad my arms or legs feel. Nature has a way of making people see the beauty in life.
Stephanie Cisneros
Dinty Moore's "Pursuing Mental Rabbits," "Writing the Nature Essay," and "Writing the Travel Essay" gives the reader the opportunity to see firsthand what writing a personal, nature and travel essay would look like. The three essays tackle what motivates us, while creating something in which will fulfill the entertaining qualities in which readers look for, while also having the potential to motivate them to explore the world as well. This is where a middle ground in writing may arise. As a writer, one much enjoy what we doing and write what interests us, whether it be going to exotic areas or exploring nature or something as simple as depicting the events of a rather nice day, but we must also understand that it is our job to entertain the reader. As writers, we must be able to exist on a middle ground of love and respect; love what we are writing about and writing it, as well as well respect that out readers were not there and it is our job to make them feel as though they are.
ReplyDeleteFor me, writing essays in general is difficult for me; I do not live an exciting life nor do I travel or explore very often beyond what is outside the window of my car working for my grandparents. We may travel far and wide over areas from Zapata to Falfurrias to Allis to Orange Grove, but that is to spend ten minutes at a construction site. It is my hope that this course will help me find something I have yet to unlock as a writer, an experience that have my talent as a writer grow.
- Patrick Diehl -
I must say the author Dinty W. Moore, tackles every aspect of what writing is. In the reading of chapter 7, Pursuing Mental Rabbits is about how easily we can distracted and not keeping track on on writing a good piece. I thought I was the only one that did that. Every time I would write an essay my eyes would start to wonder and after that came the distraction. I would end upon with a not such a great piece. I would turn in the paper without any revisions. In the chapter he also talkes about good writers revise and revise and revise until paragraphs seem to fall into place. This really makes a lot a sense especially when he gives us the example of the juggler that practices for years and drops thousands of balls to master his effort.
ReplyDeleteIt is very easy for me writing a nature essay. I think when someone writes about nature, one needs to go beyond what you see. If you write about a mountains, then other things come to mind; a mountain has “seen” so many things for centuries or what a mountain really is. There is so many thoughts of that “nature” to write about. Travel is more of our own experiences. What we see, what we experience or encounter. It could be a little more difficult writing a travel essay because it not so much of thinking but what we see.
-Luis Rodriguez
Pursuing Mental Rabbits
ReplyDeleteExploring one’s curiosity leads to inspiration. I think to get the best out of any direction your mind decides to wanderlust to, you should always go on and flow with it. By doing so, you expose yourself to new trains of thought, and just like a road not taken, you’ll be surprised with what curiosities may bring into light. Moore really gets you thinking about “mental rabbits”. The example of Smokey chasing after a rabbit, then wandering off and fulfilling his curious mind really sets the tone of adventure. Our mind is a chamber of so many memories, those “fuzzy truths” are so easy to disregard, but it is up to us to try and fetch them. Our thoughts are so easily distracted nowadays, it would be great to get lost and found in our thoughts every once in a while.
Nature Essay
I have always admired the beauty of the world around me. I get a great sensation from soaking up the sun, admiring the vivid hues that paint the sky so uniquely every single day. The Nature Essay is that, and so much more. It is scratching beyond the surface, yes, even literally. Finding an unconventional angle would be the best way to experience new things, and let others know about them. From the well-known mesquite tree to the neighborhood flamboyant bougainvillea, there is a plenty of unheeded nature life around us. A studious eye and a willingness to get in touch with the wilderness is required to capture the beauty and truth to the nature around you. I believe nature to be a parallel to humanity in a symbolic manner. To express these ideas on paper using the combination of both knowledge and beauty would bring the result of a great nature essay.
Travel Essay
It is difficult being the person who doesn’t fit in, but it is also an exciting experience that sometimes exposes you to things you’d possibly never imagine. Despite there being so much richness in each unique culture, we can find many parallels between them and our own culture, and that’s where we can begin to understand what other cultures are like. I think Moore’s advice is very useful for keeping the purpose of the essay in mind during your travels, it also makes sure we get a genuine and intimate experience with traveling to different destinations. Although the travel essay does seem a little overwhelming to accomplish, I think it’s a great opportunity for us to bask in the allure of the unusual, find inspiration, and translate that in our essay.
-Damaris Cantu
In chapter 7 of Crafting the Personal Essay, Pursuing Mental Rabbits, Moore talks about a lot of very important points. A line that definitely stood out to me the most was when he stated, " Successful writers revise and revise and revise." I remember in high school, I had a teacher who would constantly make us rewrite a story. At that time, I hated it. I never understood why she would make us make write rough draft after rough draft. Now, I thank her for instilling that practice in me. There is always room for improvement, which is why revision is one of the key essentials to writing. In chapter 17, Writing the Nature Essay, Moore stresses the importance of incorporating nature within one’s writing. I really like when moore said that “nature essayist [find] the unexpected angle.” The reason is because nature essayist learn to take the time to actually experience their surroundings. Thus allowing them a different and more detailed approach when it comes to writing. I never really incorporated nature into any of my writings but after reading this chapter i’m going to practice observing “very closely, and with not just a patient eye but an informed eye.” I’m not going to lie, I laughed pretty hard in chapter 18, Writing the Travel Essay. Moore talks about his frustrations with travel essays when they mention that an exotic location was “different.” Moore responded by saying, “well of course it was different!” I feel like when I write a journal entry about any new location i’ve been to, my first go to description is that “it’s different.” In this chapter, it helped me realize that there is more to a new place other than it’s souvenirs and what pamphlets say. I’ll be traveling in Europe this summer and I will definitely keep this chapter in mind while I document my stay over there.
ReplyDelete[Raychelle Altamirano]
In “Perusing Mental Rabbits” I agree with Scott Russell’s statement of how “when it comes to writing an essay it’s a hunt” you have to go through many guesses of trying to remember what happened from long ago. I like how they compared a juggler to a graceful writer because they say that it takes years and years of practice to make whatever you’re doing seem easy. Which is true many of these writers have had years of practice to get to where they are now. I find it interesting how Lia Purpura does the transaction from snow and all the garbage left behind to gracefully making it transform into her emotions. I always wondered how people could write about nature without describing the setting how we would most likely picture it. They describe it in other ways that gets you thinking how could they say so many thing over just one tree or how could they get all of that just by looking at the sky, on page 189 it says “it comes in the ability to see what is not commonly seen”. Its more understandable now that the setting they describe there’s more than what meets the eye you have to dig deep into it and explain what type of emotions were brought when you observed it. What is being mentioned about travel essays is that it’s difficult to write because after years your emotions to it is different to the one you had at the time. However to my understanding it’s also easy because you know what you saw what you got to explore making it easier to write about and easier for the reader to understand.
ReplyDeleteMonika Gonzalez
Mental rabbits are a part of us, most notably since infancy. We seem to lose our curious nature as we grow older. I feel as though this is mainly because we are told or often assume that curiosity leads to unwanted consequences. However, when Moore brings up Smokey I am reminded of the positives of wondering through my thoughts and ideas. An adventurous writer will see and explore unseen parts of themselves when writing a personal essay. I think that to challenge a personal essay can be a risk because it can bring a new and uncomfortable feeling. Yet it is only outside of one's comfort zone were we truly discover ourselves and make an essay that much more personal because the one person who knows us best is opening up and becoming that much more personal. In respects to the nature essay I find it be a vivid raw truth, an honest compilation of the mother that surrounds us with life and unchangeable truth. We can be that much more vivid than just a personal essay because we tend to have all five sense in play, we have an opportunity to add more life into that of the natural world. I think still here truth should be found because it is not only on experience as is a travel essay, in nature we must not leave out the open truth. In a travel essay we find that it is plainly on emotions and experiences with a little mix of nature if applied. I find travel to be a bit more challenging for myself because my emotions aren't realized as they happen nor or they the say days after. It can be challenging to be truthful of emotions and experiences. I have found in my personal writing that I journal something and then journal about it again with a different meaning. I find new meaning to the same experience because of either acquired knowledge or because of a current experience.
ReplyDelete-Elizabeth Diaz
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI really liked when Moore compares the essay to the rabbit by saying, “a successful essay is a hunt, a chase, a ramble through thickets of thought, in pursuit of some brief glimmer of fuzzy truth.” I feel like this quote is something a lot of writers can relate to, especially with all the editing, rewriting things over, making deadlines, etc. its all something we experience. I also love how Moore talks about the essayist being free, I feel like that’s something a lot of good writers my age haven’t experienced yet because we all have prompts to write about and so on. I feel that you don’t see a writers true potential until they have been given the free will to write what they please and how they please. Another part of this reading that I could really relate to is when he talks about writers editing and editing and editing their work to make it seem effortless for the reader, I could really relate this to the sport I play here at the university I put so much effort in sitting there and critiquing my swing for hours and hours a day, hitting thousands of balls just terrible but its all to make it perfect and look effortless. Another part I really liked is when they talk about being discouraged and take a break from your writing, put it away and come back to it. That is something that has always helped me. Ill get stuck half way thru an essay and frustrated at that so ill come back to it and I always feel much better.
ReplyDeleteJessica Young
Dinty’s “Pursuing Mental Rabbits” gives me a new perspective on the structure of essay writing. I enjoyed the example he used when recalling the memory of his beagle who was constantly on the move for something, I was able to use that as a mental image as I continued to read the chapter and was able to understand it better. I especially enjoyed Scott Russell Sanders’ use of diction to create beautiful imagery and metaphors, and admire his ability to take two seemingly irrelevant subjects and just stitch them together so that the reader would not bother to question how two different topics could go hand in hand with one another. I enjoy the idea of the use of the abecedarium as a form of structure for the personal essay, I feel like this would be a fun way to tackle the memoir and I look forward to getting feedback on it once I have it typed out. Overall, this was a very helpful chapter, and “Writing the Nature Essay” and “Writing the Travel Essay” has given me a few ideas on how to tackle the assignments given to us for the portfolios, though I would hope to have a better understanding of the concept since this would be the first for me to type such essays, I look forward to the lectures regarding the topics in hopes of have a much better understanding of the concepts as well as inspiration for the topics as well.
ReplyDelete-Iggy Perez
“Pursuing Mental Rabbits”, allowed me to understand that not every writer knows exactly what they are going to write about. Sometimes we might have our mind set on one specific topic, but once it comes down to jotting down ideas for an introduction we go blank, having to choose another topic, or just simply choosing another topic. Also we can keep changing our mind over and over again until we come across a very good idea, one that we like and will enjoy writing about. He also talks about curiosity, something every writer should have. Curiosity is good because it allows us to try out different ideas. Maybe we want to write the story a certain way, but then we try out a different way. So we keep on changing the chronology of the story until we decide on one particular way. When Moore says “Successful writers revise and revise and revise until the words and the sentences and the paragraph and the orders in which the paragraphs appear seem to fall naturally into place” pg78. It made me realize that hardly anybody is satisfied with their essays at the end of their first written draft. Or if they are, once an outside person revises, and makes some adjustments, the writer can then go back and see that he or she was not fully finished with their essay. Therefore, it doesn’t matter how many changes our essays have to go through as long as we are truly satisfied with the ends work.
ReplyDeleteCelica Chavez
In “Pursuing Mental Rabbits” Dinty Moore invites us, writers, to explore the curiosities, of our own being. It is then that our soul and brain finds new ways of thinking. An old writing teacher of mine once told me that in art, it is important to not shy away from showing your madness, but to instead, yield it proudly and pour it out in words. A main point I got from the reading was that when you start writing, it is okay to not have a clear outlook on where your piece is going to end up. But it is in the process of starting that really gets things flowing. For example, you might have thought about writing about a childhood memory, but in the process of remembering, that leads to a different story, and that leads you to a different, and so on.
ReplyDeleteMy brother always admired Thoreau and Emerson, so when I let him know that I was going to write a nature or travel essay, he couldn’t help but give me pointers and different ways to get mine started. But to be honest, though I find nature beautiful and all, I’ve never had an interest in writing about it. Beautiful, but mundane, at least at a surface. Though, it might be a good challenge for me to go on and write about nature. The travel essay is what I am actually very excited about, it’s an opportunity for writers to write about a time that we went somewhere and grew from a simple trip.
Jesus Garcia