Hannah's Essay

Hannah Staley
Mr. Salsich
English 9
May 27, 2009

Influences:
An Essay on a Poem by William Wordsworth and My Life

OP: Discovering yourself and making the right decisions is quite a journey. Some of the things you do may be influenced by nature, family, and friends. In William Wordsworth’s case, nature inspires and brings out the best in him. In my case, my seventh grade year really caused me to break open my shell and out of my comfort zone.

TS: How could William Wordsworth have known as he first stood on the banks of the river Wye that in five years he would identify the river and the nature around it as a metaphor for many of life’s experiences? SD: In his poem, “Tintern Abbey,” he consistently returns to how his decisions and character have been influenced by nature. CM: Wordsworth refers to nature as being “the anchor of my purest thoughts, the nurse, the guide, the guardian of my heart, and soul of all my moral being.” CM: This quote is strongly stating the power and influence that nature can have over and on ones life. SD: Upon returning to Tintern Abbey, he compares how the river and its surroundings have aged and matured as he has. CM: He states “though changed, no doubt, from what I was when first I came among these hills; when I bounded o’er the mountains…” CM: He is saying that the landscape has changed, perhaps not as much has he has, but his view of the landscape has changed a great deal. CS: “Tintern Abbey” is a reflection on how Wordsworth’s assessment of his past changes over five years.

TS: “Five years have past,” and for those five years Pine Point School has been my home base. SD: If I were to come back in five years I would love to come and sit in one of the sofas in the seventh grade classroom. CM: In seventh grade I learned a lot and developed my character. CM: I learned to make smart decisions regarding my social life and academic life. CM: I learned that it’s good to voice your opinion and stand up for what you believe is right. SD: Finally, I learned (purposeful repetition) to be my own person. CM: I can remember my classmates and teachers showing me “acts of kindness and love” that only made my transition easier. CM: I often think that if these people never came into my life I would still be the shy girl I was before. CS: From fifth grade to ninth grade, I have had my fair share of ups and downs but I find that my seventh grade year was my breakthrough year.

Old memories are what keep us smiling and old pieces of history are what keep us learning. Even though we may not have seen Tintern Abbey, it is an astonishing (FAST) piece of architecture that has influenced some of the greatest writers. The seventh grade, a time that everyone goes through, may not be an influencing time as well (participle). Maybe, when we really find a place we enjoy, we should try to hold on to it. Try to keep the memories and learning experiences close to our hearts because “that time has passed” and you can never go back.

Self- Assessment:
1) What issues are you working on? I am still working on eliminating unnecessary words. I have made some progress over the past couple of month but there is always room for improvement.
2) What do you like best about this essay? I really like the opening paragraph and the first body paragraph. They are strong pieces of writing and they flow nicely.
3) A possible weakness? A weakness in this paper would be my closing paragraph. I feel as though I could enhance it more and make it more complete.