Monday, January 23, 2012

PA#3: Definition/ Division Paragraph

PA#3: Definition/ Division Paragraph

You will be meeting with a class member on Monday, January 23, to write a descriptive paragraph about that class member. Interview each other. Try to find an important characteristic of that person and write a paragraph about her or him and it.

Post that paragraph ASAP -- as soon as you can get to a computer and keyboard it in -- but certainly by Friday, 1/27/2012 at 5 PM, so we can talk about it in class.

Important: You cannot possibly capture the entire person in one paragraph. As I hope you learned from the previous assignment, you must think of the paragraph you are writing as part of a whole essay. Isolate one defining characteristic and write a paragraph about it. Think about that one characteristic as part of a larger essay about the person, but don't try to write the entire essay. Write about that one characteristic that might be part of the larger essay.

We'll talk in class about how to organize the paragraph. However, please note that you'll be looking for a defining characteristic for the topic sentence, and you'll be isolating a PARALLEL set of sub-characteristics that subdivide and develop the main characteristic.



14 comments:

  1. Those who are acquainted with William E. Mcnamara may view him as a carefree person who just likes to have fun, but those who truly know him understand that he has an enormous desire to be able to feel proud of himself and be respected by others. Wills defining moment in life was getting into the great school of Ohio Wesleyan University. Reflecting back on the experience, Will stated, ”It was something to be respected for, to be proud of…I felt like a man.” One of the ways Will accomplishes his goal of earning respect and feeling proud of himself is participating in community service. He spent the past year living with an albino and blind nun while delivering furniture to unprivileged areas. It was not fun work, but Will said it is something he is proud of and it definitely, at least, earns my respect.

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  2. When interviewing Gabby, I got the impression that she can be very shy. She answered all of my questions very willingly, but she didn’t give much more than that. In high school she was in the band and played percussion. I find this very odd because the percussion section is usually and easily the loudest section in the band and everyone can always hear them. But with her being shy, I wouldn’t picture her playing an instrument that so much attention is paid.

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  3. Katie’s defining characteristic is her love of medicine and science; her passion for science is the motivation behind many of the things she does. Katie is ambitious and kind and her work ethic and desire to volunteer are reflections of these characteristics. Katie is extremely ambitious because she is majoring in a very difficult subject: Biology/Pre-Med. Her love of science motivates her to work hard and try her best in all of her classes. Katie’s love of medicine as well as her kindness is also the driving force behind her desire to volunteer at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital this summer.

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  4. Brendan Heaney is ever the optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He is a unique individual who takes time to see the best in people. One time he went to a party in the summer just after graduating high school and ended up making a new best friend because he took the time to get to know her. Brendan would never have guessed she could have been his friend since they were mere acquaintances that traveled in different social circles throughout their years at school together. However, they in reality hit it off at the party and actually got to know each other so well they became best friends. Therefore since Brendan kept an open mind at the party he was able to get to know someone he would never have met if he stuck with his preconceived notions of her. Also Brendan believes in taking hold of a potentially negative situation and prefers to view it positively. Once he was attending a mission trip in South Dakota, far from his home in Massachusetts, and did not want to go but he felt a duty to attend anyways. So, Brendan did go on the mission trip unsure as he was, but ended up having an amazing time all because he kept an open mind and thus met some fun new people. Overall Brendon tries his best to maintain his optimist outlook and focus on the good in life.

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  5. Kevin Herman is known for his big heart in all sense of the phrase. Kevin has an astounding love for the things, places, and people around him. He’s very passionate for the things he loves such as sports, more specifically football (he plays for OWU). His dream job is to one day be a director of player personnel for a pro team( whatever that is). But, Kevin’s not always this rough and tumble, love of the game football player. Kevin has a softer side like his intense passion for Saturdays, he expressed this to me when I talked to him. “It’s just a stress free day” where him and his lovely turtles can hang out with his “not imaginary” girlfriend. Kevin’s love for the world around him doesn’t only extend to people if you haven’t noticed Kevin is also a veritable turtle fiend.

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  6. Passion mixed with relaxing and hanging out. From just a short talk, I think understand Katie Reid’s blend of these things. Specifically, passion and bliss are embodied by Katie’s love of running. She is on the track team, which is the peak of competitive running. In order to be at this level of competition, the passion to better herself is essential. Running also shows captures Katie’s personality of simply relaxing and hanging out too. In cross country, Katie’s favorite type of running, even the physical act of a fluid long run depicts relaxation. In fact, a good distance runner knows relaxation and passion are good since tense muscles and a lack of drive is a recipe for disaster. This is what makes Katie’s a good, balanced runner as well as a great person.

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  7. Megan Tossey is a very athletic individual. One of her favorite things to do is to play basketball. "Basketball is my one true love," she said to me during the interview process. She played on the team in her home town of Arlington, Ohio, and came to Ohio Wesleyan University to do the same. She now plays here on the women's varsity team. To help keep herself in shape for the sport, Megan is taking a physical education class this semester.

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  8. From getting to know Sam, it seems she is interested in culture and diversity. She is from Vermont and has changed schools before college, so it was no big deal coming to a school where her dorm mate is foreign. Her South Korean roommate and she get along and have both influenced each other’s lifestyle. While she is here at Ohio Wesleyan University, she plans on joining a fraternity to branch out from her soccer friends and also study abroad. By traveling, she will be able to learn about other country’s political systems and about a Medicare appropriate for them.

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  9. Upon a first meeting with Sarah one immediately notices her enthusiasm for science. With this enthusiasm she wants to pursue a career in the field of medicine . Specifically, she plans on becoming a dermatologist. Becoming a dermatologist is a long and hard path. With an acceptance into Ohio Wesleyan it not only was one of her defining life moments, but it also helped to jumpstart her desire to become a dermatologist. Previous to her acceptance to Ohio Wesleyan, Sarah was the vice president of her school’s Key Club and helped plan events related to medical help. She approached that the same way as she does with learning science; with enthusiasm. Being willing and enthusiastic to help others is a quality that Sarah possesses that will help in the field of dermatology.

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  10. One characteristic about Trevor Forsyth is that he happens to be a balanced person. That is because he maintains a balance by constantly switching between his personal interests and responsibilities. For example, while he enjoys playing Lacrosse at Ohio Wesleyan, in order to do so he has to keep up with the fitness schedule by lifting weights regularly and making it to those 6 am practices consistently. Furthermore, while Lacrosse and academics give him little room to find any downtime, Trevor makes it a point to conclude everyday with a movie. It is his way of reflecting on his day and relaxing. His favorite types of movies are those that make him think such as inception.

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  11. When one tries to develop a complete picture of Rachel Trilling of Lewis Center, Ohio several defining characteristics come to mind. One may think of her Ohio upbringing, her family of two parents and a younger sister and her love of Columbus’ shopping hub, but one of her most fundamental traits is her constant striving to be a good student. Because of that desire she applied to and now attends Ohio Wesleyan University. Rachel applied to Ohio Wesleyan University because of its prestigious reputation and she has returned to Ohio Wesleyan for a second semester because she has grown fond of it and its liberal arts nature. Rachel grew interested in classes that involve the humanities during high school. Because of this interest she takes history and politics & government classes and wishes to double major in those subject areas during her career at Ohio Wesleyan. Rachel loves to study, collaborate with and learn from her friends. It is obvious that Rachel, because of her determination and hard-work, will be successful in whatever she does in the future and that Ohio Wesleyan will, one day, proudly look at her as an alumnus of this institution.

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  12. When Joe discusses things that make him happy, new adventures are always brought up. Whether it’s a new band he’s listening to or a new store he visits, change gives him a thrill. Before attending OWU, Joe had never lived anywhere but Pennsylvania. The new state alone was reason for him to choose OWU. Because Joe loves change and original possessions, OWU seems like the perfect fit for him. OWU has numerous clubs, study abroad programs, and unlimited majors, all contributing to Joe’s love for new adventures.

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  13. Ibs Saeed is the type of person that will always shine with passion. Whatever the circumstance, he will tread through any problems with ease. When attempting to choose a university, Ibs “searched desperately.” He looked at a countless number of schools in the US and Abroad before settling on Ohio Wesleyan University. Another passion of Ibs is music. On multiple occasions, I can remember Ibrahim walking into my room at 3 am asking if i had heard a song. The time of the day never matters when it comes to Ibs and his passions. If he finds something he enjoys, his passion will shine one.

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  14. Stephen Telepak is best defined as well-rounded. His smarts, and athleticism have kept him balanced. Stephen came Ohio Wesleyan because of the 3-2 program for engineering. While managing his hectic academic life with physics and all things science, he is also playing varsity tennis.

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