Terrell David

Professor Ashley Marcum

UWRT 1103 065
January 22, 2015

Writing Inventory
Over the course of my academic career Ive written Narratives,
argumentative essays, research papers, and various forms of poetry.
Growing up and having a natural love for literature writing always was
second nature to me. I love creating and documenting so writing was a
natural hobby for me. I remember being younger and keeping a journal
of dreams and memories that stood out to me. Being a millennial
writing is essential to everyday life. Though we may not practice
cursive our writing is put into technological uses such as email and
word documents.
The writing I produce is primarily for academic purposes. All
seniors in CMS Schools are required to do a senior exit project, which
requires the student to write a lengthy research paper. Being in AP
literature classes Im used to rhetorical analysis essays and
argumentative papers. In my AP classes we would write timed essays
almost every time we met.
Ive discovered that though I enjoy writing I can vastly improve at
it. My use of syntax can be elevated greatly to create more complex

sentences. I aim to become a writer that uses a wide array of

vocabulary that captures the readers attention and efficiently proves a
point.
My favorite writing experience did not take place until my first
semester of college. During my first semester I was enrolled in a liberal
studies course that explored gender and sexuality in Shakespearean
text, titled Sexing Shakespeare. The class was beneficial in engaging
critical thinking and eloquent discussion amongst students. During the
course I was introduced to theorist such as Freud and Bataille allowing
me to gain a broader perspective on behavior and philosophy. One of
the first writing assignments the course presented was a Sexual
Autobiography. Upon reading the title I was confused and concerned
about the content of this paper but after its completion I made several
self-realizations. My Sexual Autobiography is important to me because
it contains an internal dialogue Ive been having with myself over the
course of my life. Writing this piece allowed me to document my
thoughts and moments that defined who I am today. Im grateful for
this course and opportunity to create such special writing.
When I began writing this piece I had a rough start. Being fresh
out of high school and beginning my first semester of college I had no
idea how to answer the questions the prompt proposed. I had still felt
like a child and I was supposed to craft an entire paper on the history
of my sexuality up until now. Prior to receiving the assignment it hadnt

ever crossed my mind. One of the reasons I love this piece is because
it required me to reflect and to think about the things Ive done up until
now. In my paper I wrote about my thoughts on sexuality and how it
works in relation to me. I also wrote about sexuality in society and
sexuality in literature.
Many would think that a Sexual Autobiography isnt something
that would be written in schools but it was very helpful in terms of
critical thinking and analysis. I was ecstatic to receive a prompt that
was different from the usual historic and scientific text. I realized that
once you reach a certain academic level youre treated with the
respect and intellect of an adult. The things you write about in college
are intellectually engaging rather than pacifying and standardizing.
The way youre allowed to speak personally and add anecdotes from
your own life allows for an enriching writing experience. This
experience has continued to influence me by continuing to think
critically and apply my learnings to my everyday life. If I hadnt wrote
my sexual autobiography I would still have many unanswered
questions.
In retrospect Ive always favored reading more than writing
because of the places books could take you. When Im reading Im able
to visualize the words on the page and immerse myself fully in the
book. While reading Ive had experiences that stimulated my senses
and sparked an interest for books that wont even decay with age.

When I think about reading it brings me joy. I remember being a

little boy and my father reading me childrens books as I dozed off in
bed. My love for reading has followed me through the years and has
created an unbreakable bond between books and me. Not only do I
enjoy books but also I enjoy other forms of literature such as
Magazines and blogs. I started reading at an early age and I believe
this is what incited my love for books and literature that burns till this
day.
Growing up I was assigned various books to read in school, some
peaked an interest while others I couldnt wait to throw out. I generally
have a positive attitude toward reading but when I get assigned text it
takes the fun out of reading for me. I like reading for leisure at my own
pace so I can take time to understand and appreciate the book. When
Im assigned books at school I have to read at a designated pace and
look for one hundred symbols and motifs things while trying to
comprehend the book.
The only time Ive harbored negative thoughts about reading was
when I read scientific articles. I felt these negative feelings because
the articles werent enjoyable pieces of literature but rather blocks of
information used to Asses comprehension. To me thats not what
reading for enjoyment is. Reading for enjoyment is nail biting, page-topage non-stop reading till you find out what happens. I know a book is
boring if I fall asleep when Im reading it. School hasnt altered my

feelings of reading but rather has created a slight aversion to assigned

text.
During AP Literature my senior year we read the novel Invisible
Man by Ralph Ellison. This novel was one of my favorites due to the
multiple insights and lessons it gives. In retrospect I would name this
as one of my favorite reading experiences. The book is famous for
addressing social and intellectual issues faced by African Americans
during the time of segregation and the Harlem renaissance. This novel
is special to me because it chronicles the issues of a young black man
during his time much like the issues many black men face today. The
book is filled with evidence of prejudice and obstacles that the main
character faces but he is strong enough to overcome them all in the
end.
I read this book slowly and carefully as to not miss any figurative
language or colloquialism that I wouldnt understand. This book is
written in a southern dialect at parts so its important to analyze to
understand what the speaker is trying to say. Other might find this
book boring but its a truly enriching tale that offers a lot to whomever
reads it. After reading this novel Ive been influenced to combat
prejudice in todays society and fight for the equal opportunity of
minorities. Reading this book created conversations about race
relations and opportunities for those who are born less fortunate. This
book was an eye opener for me and for several others in my class.

Reading Invisible Man helped me place importance on oral

literacy and the way I present myself as a young African American
man. In my family Oral Literacy is a big deal. I was raised in a middle
class African American family who migrated from New York City to
suburban Charlotte, North Carolina. From a young age my parents
placed a heavy importance on my oral literacy. The way I spoke and
spoke to others mattered. I was always told to use my manners and
say thank you whenever someone did something for me. Yes mam, No
mam were an essential part of my vocabulary. Being black in America
its important to present yourself in a certain fashion. In order to be
presentable that meant speaking correctly and acting the part. Literacy
meant being able to read and write and do both well. It also meant
being able to comprehend what I read and to write and speak on both
efficiently.
The Literacy in my family doesnt strictly pertain to vernacular it
also alludes to the stories and conversations that are passed down
from generations. My grandmother would tell me stories about growing
up in rural North Carolina and moving to New York when it had just
become a bustling center for commerce. These stories were centered
on my birthplace Harlem specifically I remember growing up hearing
stories of black excellence in Harlem from my mom and grandmother
both with different variations. Depending on whose telling the story
you would get a different feel due to the difference in syntax and

jargon. The generational gaps make for a better story because theres
always a minor tweak from generation to generation. These stories
create a sense of community and allow for certain lexis to be created
between specific groups of people. These stories are passed down and
shared between discourse communities for ages.
Working in the field of retail I have been apart of several
different discourse communities depending on the stores Ive worked
in. The field of retail is a general discourse community that is broken
down into more specific sects according to store and region. After
being in the field for three years Ive acquired knowledge on terms and
processes I wouldnt be familiar with otherwise. Specific phrases like
Go Backs and watching out for Noras would sound foreign to the
average ear but are common phrases for me. Reflecting on my time
spent in the field I now understand that specific phrases and processes
are used to ensure a smooth journey towards the common goals set by
community leaders.
In my discourse community at PacSun there are specific
words used to addresses situations and task. For example if someone
is shop lifting in the store we use Nora as a code to alert other
associates. The word Nora can be slipped into casual conversation to
mask the topic of discussion to the average ear, only those in our
discourse community will understand.

Members of the community at my store exercise speaking

everyday while handling customer concerns, and selling merchandise.
The leader of the community is the store manager who exercises their
speaking and writing skills often in emails sent to district managers
and corporate staff. The leader of the community has the most
experience, which enables the flow of information from the top of chain
to the bottom. The leaders job is to train new members on lexis and
ideologies so that they can adequately converse and be useful
additions to the community. Joining benefits the store and increases
our potential to sell. Potential members can join the community
through an application and interview process. A bad work ethic is the
only thing that will bar entry from a potential member, as this is true
amongst most discourse communities.