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ekthorp's picture

Mid Semester Evaluation

            This class has personally been one of the most challenging, and rewarding classes I have taken so far at Bryn Mawr. Granted, I am only a freshman, but I thoroughly enjoy how the texts thoroughly confuse me, and clarified so well by the professors in class. I also feel like this class has really pushed me to not only do well, but to do things I am not really comfortable with. While I may have screamed at my computer for half an hour during the second web project, I enjoyed that project so much more than any paper I have ever written. As much as this class has made me develop, I also feel like there are things I need to work on, especially considering the online aspect of this class. I am not accustomed to a class where a large portion of the participation is online, and I think I have not taken advantage of the online interactions I could be having as much as I could be. However, I know a lot of people have been very active on the Serendip website, so I think that is a personal issue, not related to the class as a whole.

 I really enjoy how independently the class runs. I enjoyed the panels, as well as the class discussion. I think the discussions have taken us great places that we would not go to if the class was more monitored, such as the creation of that chart that charted how public or private character’s lives were, as well as whether their lives were humanities of natural scientifically based. I think people also fee self-motivated to participate in class as well.

As for a text I think we should read, I would really enjoy reading Uglies by Scott Westerfield. Uglies is a young adult novel set in a future U.S. in which at age 16, everyone receives body modification surgery to appear beautiful. This is done to make every one feel equal and avoid conflict due to unequal beauty. As an Ugly, someone who has not received the surgery, you are given much less liberty and resources as a Pretty, someone who has received the surgery. Every young person awaits eagerly for their 16th birthday to be able to enjoy life as a beautiful Pretty. The biggest question the novel asks, though, is if the body-changing technology is creating better lives for people, or if the technology is causing people to imagine they have better lives. It is an enjoyable, easy read that asks a lot of questions.  

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