Introduction

Hi everyone, and welcome to my first-ever blog post. I have always wanted to start a blog, but my insecurities about putting my ideas in a public forum have prevented me from doing so. I will be honest; I am a little apprehensive about writing this blog because I recognize that some of you are more educated than I am on literature theories. However, my hope is that this blog will help me reach some personal goals that I have been putting off. For one, it will force me to not to be insecure about expressing my ideas, even if I think someone elses may be better. Secondly, it will allow me to learn from my classmates’ knowledge and understanding of critical theory. And three, it will help me overcome my fear of writing a blog and ultimately motivate me to start a film critique blog.

Now, a little about my background: I grew up in Malibu, California and am currently living in Venice, CA. I work at a boutique on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, a trendy and popular neighborhood located in Venice. I have attended several different colleges, beginning with University of Colorado at Boulder, then Santa Monica College, and now finally to CSUN. It has been a long journey that led me to question whether or not college was the right option for me. After taking a hiatus from college for six months, during which time I did some traveling through Europe, I eventually came to the realization that I wanted to return to school and get my degree. I am only 23, but I can’t help but think that if I stayed on track I would have graduated by now. I fit the cliché of the perpetual student; it feels like my college experience will never end. While I do have a strong desire to learn, it sometimes takes me a little longer than most to act upon it. I started off as a Film major, and have since moved from Psychology to Criminology and now to English Literature. Some may say that this demonstrates that I’m indecisive, but I honestly struggled to pick just one area of focus. Ultimately I am happy with my decision to be a Literature major, as I feel it can branch off into other areas of interest and be widely beneficial. My ultimate goal is to be a film critic, which often involves applying theories of literature to the medium of film. There are many ways to approach film criticism, and I have no doubt that the knowledge of Critical Theory I gain from this class will be useful in my chosen career path.

As far as this class goes, I will say that I’m slightly intimidated by many of my fellow students. In my opinion, the objective of a class is to learn as a group. But as is often the case, many students know so much about the subject before the class begins. This leads me to wonder, when and how did these classmates become so much more knowledgeable about this subject matter? I know the primary issues pertaining to Literature Theory, but I am looking forward to learning from, and being challenged by, Professor Wexler and the class. I am excited to prove to myself that just because I may not initially know as much as my classmates doesn’t mean that I am at a disadvantage, both in this class and throughout the course of my education.

Looking forward to a great year!