My inquiry one paper started in the kitchen as my friends and I reluctantly shared dinner over the remnants of a bitter argument. What we left out of the conversation, how little we spoke, and how we looked at one another communicated more than our words could.  The silence was deliberate and it had meaning. 



This paper was a milestone for me. Ever since my first English teacher had me write a narrative from my life, I've dreaded them. It's hard for me to find something I'm passionate about from my own life that fits the prompts I'm given. Luckily, "Write about the importance of rhetoric in your life" is pretty broad.

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I attacked this paper as I attack most papers I don't want to write: the night before.While it didn't flow completely and it was boring in places, I was proud of the product. To me, it represents triumphing over my fears. 



Overall, I was most proud of my introduction. I struggled to make captivating introductions in the past, and my introduction was the strongest part of my paper. 



"I experienced the power of silence three years ago as I cowered behind a wooden podium in front of a large audience of my peers and instructors.  “East versus West: Pamuk’s View of Cultural Congealment in Modern Istanbul by Lauren Murray,” the projector announced. I pulled out my unruly stack of notecards, smiled sheepishly, and opened my mouth to speak. I was ready; I had carefully crafted each word. I had something to say. It was time. I introduced myself, and the audience grew silent. As the blindness from the spotlight wore off, so did my confidence. I noticed the worried expressions of the audience members, the kids in the back texting, their discomfort as I sped up and drew my attention from my thesis to their uneasiness. The auditorium became a terrifying entity full of my thoughts and their expressions. The silence was not mysterious: It communicated their discomfort and augmented my own. It was more powerful than any reprimand or criticism I could have earned."



The weakest link in my paper was my list of ways silence is used as a rhetorical device. It was too long, and it bored the reader. This class taught me the importance of keeping your audience engaged, and I definitely failed in this snippet:

 

"Some people use silence to cause guilt; others may use it to cause pain. Rosa Parks used it to protest segregation.  Some activist groups promote going silent for a day to raise awareness of their cause. I use silence to express respect. My audience used it to show how boring and uncomfortable they found my presentation. Silence is inherent to the healing properties of counseling, the virtue of quiet reflection, and emotional pain. It brings forth introspection and can lead to clearer thought. Some people fight silence with background noise –music, television, even their own voice. "



​Overall, this paper was a good starting point to the semester. I came in with skills, but needed improvement in some areas. I started off with good ideas, the ability to create well-written introductions, smart titles, and a willingness to learn. I struggled with organization, transitions, drafting, and making my writing more interesting to readers. In my next paper, I showed growth in organization and making my writing interesting with craft elements.