There are numerous aspects of this course that have contributed to my learning

throughout this semester. This course has provided me with new skills that enhance both my
writing ability as well as the ability to analyze a film. The two goals that stood out most were to
learn to analyze and critically evaluate ideas, arguments, and points of view and to continue to
develop skills in expressing oneself in writing. I benefited from these goals because I now have a
deeper knowledge of different film genres and can correctly revise my essays.
In order to display the progress made in my writing abilities throughout this semester I
chose to revise and analyze Take Me Out to the Ball Game. This class introduced a new aspect of
writing for me because I have never been required to analyze the scenes and themes of a film
prior to taking this class. The film, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, is a musical comedy about a
baseball team. My initial instinct was to classify this film as a simple sports film. However, after
analyzing the film it was clear that there was more to it than just a sports perspective. The film
had several other themes besides sports, two of which included patriotism and acceptance. It was
very interesting to analyze the different relationships among the characters in this sport musical.
Despite the different personalities of each character, I found it fascinating that they were so
intertwined through their love for baseball and their country.
Despite the decrease in the usage of the peer editing process this semester from last
semester, it still played a crucial role in the final product of my essays. When choosing an essay
topic on each film, no two students were alike because each student had their own unique
opinion as to how the film should be portrayed. I found this to be beneficial because I was able to
view the films through different perspectives and then apply what I learned to my essays. For
example, I may have disliked a certain character for a number of reasons, while another student
may have liked the character and presented valid points which could have ultimately resulted in a

change in my opinion of that character. Through peer discussion I have had the privilege of
hearing different opinions before writing my reflection on each film which, in some cases,
resulted in me changing my opinion due to the insight I gained from another students
observations.
A strong thesis paints a picture for the reader by giving them insight as to what the
following paper will be about. At the start of the semester we received a set of rules that were
designed to guide us in the revision of our essays. These guidelines include rules that informed
us to avoid weak verbs as well as not to leave this hanging without a noun following. Weak
verbs should not be found in a papers opening sentence or thesis statement. Although this rule is
difficult to follow, it can significantly improve the quality of the paper. In the first draft of my
paper I wrote, It is often said that opposites attract and this is displayed through the OBrien and
Ryan friendship. This sentence is a topic sentence and should not include weak verbs. I made
corrections to the sentence and it now reads, The phrase opposites attract can be displayed
through OBrien and Ryan friendship. Changing the weak verbs and removing this enhances
the sentence and strengthens the introduction of the paragraph.
My ability to analyze and evaluate ideas as well as my ability to express myself in my
writing has significantly improved throughout the semester. I now feel confident that I can watch
a film and properly perform an in-depth analysis of a theme, character, or scene. I have been
introduced to a wide array of films including a silent film, College, a foreign film, The Lagaan,
and Take Me Out To The Ball Game, a patriotic musical. Analyzing and understanding the
numerous aspects imbedded within each of these films was a new and challenging experience. I
believe that I successfully expressed myself in each of my essays throughout the semester and

that the learning goals provided me with a helpful guideline to properly apply my opinions in my
essays.