“God is in the details,” —architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
A lot can be said for scrutinizing every jot, bit, speck, and iota. You may not find spiritual enlightenment in doing this, but you’re sure to find out something about context. The smallest details about ourselves—our choice of clothing, the items we “must” have in our rooms, the color of our car, or even our favorite place to “hangout”—can tell someone else volumes about who we are, what we value, and where we come from. For example, by examining a hammer and a fistful of nails, a writer who works in the construction industry can probably discuss her/his cultural context, aspirations, thrills, gripes, etc. Or maybe one’s choice in shoelaces can reveal greater truths about his/her personality or upbringing. The possibilities are limitless. In the Unit One essay, students will examine their context by examining a seemingly small detail in their lives. No matter the size or nature of the detail chosen, students should use the essay as an opportunity to think about their relation to macro issues such as societal trends, identity groups, and human nature, to name only a few.
Specific goals of the unit are to help students:
- Become familiar with the drafting process
- Think about context, purpose, and audience
- Use writing to discover new insights about themselves and their experience
- Get into the habit of thoughtful, unstinting analysis
- Play with language
To accomplish the above, students will be expected to write a 1,000-word essay drawn from personal experience. Generative writing will be assigned in class to help spur ideas, and peer reviews will be conducted to hone each student’s composition. Final drafts will be published in a booklet and will be distributed to the entire class.
