Russell
“Russell Baker’s On Becoming a Writer.”
January 15, 2014
Name: Jordan Jones
Professor: Ms. Michelle Monte
Course: ENG115
In Russell’s essay, “On Becoming a Writer”, Russell’s most important point in his writing seems to be to never give up on what you want to be. Russell wanted to always be a writer and he never gave up on that. Some other important points in his essay is that he dreaded being in Mr. Fleagle’s classroom, He didn’t want to write an essay instead he procrastinated, and his enjoyment to write “Art of Eating Spaghetti”. At first, Russell dreaded to be in Mr. Fleagle’s classroom. He described Mr. Fleagle as “Sixty or seventy looking and prim to a fault.” Russell heard he was “boring and hopelessly out of date.” Russell went by what he heard about Mr. Fleagle to automatically judge and dread Mr. Fleagle’s Class. Russell also complained about writing an essay for the class. He kept putting it off until the very last night before it was due to even read what the subjects were to write about. Russell’s complaining ended once he read the subjects to choose from and one specific subject caught his eye, “Art of Eating Spaghetti”. Russell enjoyed writing “Art of Eating Spaghetti” so much because of an experience he had with his family a very long time ago. He got to completely relive his experience in his memory into the essay taking him half the night to write. He originally was going to write it for his self and write something else for class but since he didn’t have time he turned this essay in to Mr. Fleagle and it was one of the best in the class. Mr. Fleagle even read it out loud to the entire class. All the students loved it as well. Mr. Fleagle gave Russell the confidence to pursue writing for a career like he always wanted from just reading this one essay out loud to the classroom giving Russell the confidence and happiness. That’s all Russell needed to start his career in writing. Russell’s purpose in writing the
January 15, 2014
Name: Jordan Jones
Professor: Ms. Michelle Monte
Course: ENG115
In Russell’s essay, “On Becoming a Writer”, Russell’s most important point in his writing seems to be to never give up on what you want to be. Russell wanted to always be a writer and he never gave up on that. Some other important points in his essay is that he dreaded being in Mr. Fleagle’s classroom, He didn’t want to write an essay instead he procrastinated, and his enjoyment to write “Art of Eating Spaghetti”. At first, Russell dreaded to be in Mr. Fleagle’s classroom. He described Mr. Fleagle as “Sixty or seventy looking and prim to a fault.” Russell heard he was “boring and hopelessly out of date.” Russell went by what he heard about Mr. Fleagle to automatically judge and dread Mr. Fleagle’s Class. Russell also complained about writing an essay for the class. He kept putting it off until the very last night before it was due to even read what the subjects were to write about. Russell’s complaining ended once he read the subjects to choose from and one specific subject caught his eye, “Art of Eating Spaghetti”. Russell enjoyed writing “Art of Eating Spaghetti” so much because of an experience he had with his family a very long time ago. He got to completely relive his experience in his memory into the essay taking him half the night to write. He originally was going to write it for his self and write something else for class but since he didn’t have time he turned this essay in to Mr. Fleagle and it was one of the best in the class. Mr. Fleagle even read it out loud to the entire class. All the students loved it as well. Mr. Fleagle gave Russell the confidence to pursue writing for a career like he always wanted from just reading this one essay out loud to the classroom giving Russell the confidence and happiness. That’s all Russell needed to start his career in writing. Russell’s purpose in writing the
References: Baker, Russell. On Becoming a Writer, pg. 66-68. The McGraw-Hill Guide: Writing For College, Writing for Life. 2nd edition, 2011.