To prepare for the essay, I first looked at the three prompts and began brainstorming ideas about what stories were easiest to discuss for each. It wasn’t until the day of the exam that I saw the notification about us being able to choose our prompt that I began the outline for the one regarding motherhood since it was the prompt that generated the most excitement for me since Eight Bites had been the story freshest in my mind. Before class, I began prepping ideas and quotes that stood out to me which I then slowly began creating an outline out of. I created my thesis and the order of events in the story I wanted to touch on, while taking note of other stories in the collection I make reference to.
During the timed, in-class essay I felt a little nervous since I haven’t written any for years now because I’m a film major, so it took me a few minutes to warm up. Once I started writing, I felt a little better but realized throughout that my outline still needed some refining so I sorted through it while writing my essay. I finished on time and was proud of myself for getting through the essay, but I would have liked to spend some more time comparing the story to the others in the collection since the prompt mentioned it. For future in-class essays that allow us time outside of class to prep, I hope to spend more time refining my outline that way I don’t spend writing time trying to keep sorting and organizing. Regarding my writing for the future, I think the same applies. Prepping is very important to me since it helps me feel grounded and ready to take on the assignment, but sometimes I feel I don’t have enough time to sit with the material long enough to fully get in the headspace to write with conviction. I think I used my in-class writing time well and I’m grateful I prepped beforehand even if it wasn’t perfect. I think something I can work on is working more time in my schedule to dedicate to my writing so I can create better outlines. Overall, I’m glad I could exercise my in-class writing skills.
The in-class discussions were helpful because although each group wasn’t necessarily able to get super detailed about each story, it was helpful to hear the class’s and the group’s perspectives on the stories, as it provided context and other interpretations for my takeaways. When I reread the stories afterward, I felt that I understood them more deeply and picked up things I missed before. In general, the discussions gave me a better sense of Machado’s perspective as a writer.
For my group specifically, I think the discussion and group dynamic could have been better. I think everyone had some good points, but I found myself wanting to guide the discussion in a way that would be helpful for the class’s essay writing. It took me multiple readings to get a better understanding of the story, so I can imagine it was similar for my other group members. I wanted to meet with my group to exchange ideas, but they kept backing out of meeting times they had suggested. I think if we were able to meet, we would have been more successful in presenting important moments, symbolism, and feminist perspectives more clearly.
One thing I would have done differently is opening with a brief summary of the story or getting the class to provide one together to refresh their memories before jumping into symbolism. I don’t mean to come off as overly-critical. I just really enjoyed reading Real Women Have Bodies and truly value communication and preparation, especially for group assignments. Even though I didn’t reference this story in my in-class essay, I still think it prepared me to approach the stories that followed.
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