Reflection
Over the summer, I took ENGL 2089 to complete my second English credit -- and, quite frankly, to keep myself busy with an online class during my last summer break. While that may sound like a dreadful way to spend vacation to some, I loved the class and I wish I could take it again in person!
​
The theme this semester was "fandom," which I'm sure makes you think of at least one right away. Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars...these were all talked about in discussion boards while we exchanged ideas about what discourse means to us. It was interesting to apply literary theories to contemporary topics, especially because I had never really considered how fandoms exist online. Discussing discourse soon became less daunting and more tangible when it was applied to books and shows that my classmates and I are so heavily invested in.
This experience taught me to be more observant of how people interact online, and to analyze power that may exist both intentionally and unintentionally. Reflecting in weekly journals helped me realize how power dynamics may cause and also stabilize conflict in my own life as well as in larger-scale situations such as politics.
​
In the month since writing an analysis on literacy, discourse, power, and conflict in the Gilmore Girls fandom (because how could I resist?!), I've found myself highly aware of how people interact (and react) to news and other content on the internet. This has also impacted the way that I approach new information and allowed me to express my ideas more clearly for myself and others.
​
You can read my final paper here if you're as excited about the social structures of and the responses to Gilmore Girls as I am. This will download a PDF.