...Kristina Presbitero Professor Bush English Composition II September 13, 2012 Young Adulthood: The Fitting Room for Identities Just as we use a fitting room to try clothing on before we purchase it, young adulthood can be seen as a fitting room for the many identities that we are familiar with, along with the ones we are still discovering. As we grow older, we try to fit ourselves into one particular group that seems familiar to us. While reading “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, we see Dee’s world revolving around this premise. The article “Stylish vs Sacred in ‘Everyday Use’” written by Houston Baker provides great evidence for this idea. Dee’s arrival home brings an unwelcome surprise as they notice she has altered her physical appearance, and attitude alike. This leads to her betrayal of family values. Dee’s arrival home makes a strong impression on her family. Walker writes, “A dress down to the ground, in this hot weather. A dress so loud it hurts my eyes. There are yellows and oranges enough to throw back the light of the sun” (Walker 365). This gives the impression that Dee wants to stand out above all others. Along with the flashy dress, she pairs huge bangles and hoop earrings, as if the outfit needed an extra pop of color. This dress may have made sense if not for its impracticality. Even though Dee finds the dress hot and cumbersome, she still wears it to sport her newfound identity for her family. She accomplishes her goal of standing out when compared to her...
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...C h a p t e r 1 Prewriting GETTING STARTED (OR SOUP-CAN LABELS CAN BE FASCINATING) For many writers, getting started is the hardest part. You may have noticed that when it is time to begin a writing assignment, you suddenly develop an enormous desire to straighten your books, water your plants, or sharpen your pencils for the fifth time. If this situation sounds familiar, you may find it reassuring to know that many professionals undergo these same strange compulsions before they begin writing. Jean Kerr, author of Please Don’t Eat the Daisies, admits that she often finds herself in the kitchen reading soup-can labels—or anything—in order to prolong the moments before taking pen in hand. John C. Calhoun, vice president under Andrew Jackson, insisted he had to plow his fields before he could write, and Joseph Conrad, author of Lord Jim and other novels, is said to have cried on occasion from the sheer dread of sitting down to compose his stories. To spare you as much hand-wringing as possible, this chapter presents some practical suggestions on how to begin writing your short essay. Although all writers must find the methods that work best for them, you may find some of the following ideas helpful. But no matter how you actually begin putting words on paper, it is absolutely essential to maintain two basic ideas concerning your writing task. Before you write a single sentence, you should always remind yourself that 1. You have some valuable ideas to tell your reader,...
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