I was hesitant and weary when I first started brainstorming, not yet ready to put ideas to paper. I found my sources and slowly became more confident as I sub searched them; their quotes and themes were very interesting regarding children and violent television programs. Then I was lost again. Where to start?
I had so many concepts I wanted to include in my paper it was too overbearing especially since I have other responsibilities to turn my time to; I couldn't possibly write another paper! So I reached out to Dr. Kyburz and asked for help. I am so happy I went in that first day because we mapped out my entire paper, the weight of stress and burden was halfway lifted off my shoulders. I sigh with relief.
But now I actually have to write the paper...
Beginning with a free write of every single paragraph, I went on a rant about my feelings and all other thoughts. It was a total whirlwind of words and sentences that would not make sense to anyone else other than myself. But it was worth it. I brought my gibberish of thoughts and feelings to Dr. Kyburz and it was enough to give me that push to start the paper.
Just to show what my free write consisted of, my first paragraph began like this...
"My brother Jake loves, i mean LOVES violent video games. He’s obsessed. He talks of violence and guns., wanting to shoot innocent geese at our lake place without showing any empathy for their well being. While my younger sister who is seldom exposed to violence, has such a huge heart for any living beings well being she actually didn’t talk to my dad for three days after he grabbed a seagull’s leg at the beach and temporarily paralyzed it. Before he got into the games he cared so much about animals; he cried at Red Lobster when he was six after he found out the lobster he was about to eat was boiled alive. Thinking about my brother I now think more broadly about violence in media “Media is today's storytellers” (elaborate more) many of us get these stories from TV, and evidence of the effects of violence on TV is evident. It is such a power impact in media culture, almost like instructions get to kunkel"
And I ended up (for my first draft) like this...
My brother Jake is obsessed with violent video games. He talks about violence and guns regularly, wanting to shoot the geese at my lake house with his BB gun. Before he became involved with these monstrous games he had such a big heart for animals; when he was six, he cried at Red Lobster after my parents told him the lobster he was eating was boiled alive.
"Thinking about Jake, I wonder more broadly about the effects of violent media. Elizabeth Thoman, founder of Media&Values Magazine and The Center for Media Literacy explains in “What Parents Can Do About Media Violence” that “media is today’s storytellers” (Thoman). Many of these stories come from television which is easily accessed and widely used; frequently on at home, found in minivans, store owners feel the need to incorporate TVs into their stores; they are pervasive. A child at the dentist may be watching the news from a TV--a frequent companion to waiting rooms--about all of the shootings or fights that have occurred as he waits to get called for a checkup. Its impact is so powerful, it seems television is viewed as a mentor, giving instructions on how to live.
I know there are still some tweaks that need to be done in order for the first to paragraphs to really hit home, but because I had the free write, drafting was (almost) a breeze. Finding the correct word choice and flow is still difficult for me."
I feel more confident that I did starting the project, which I feel is a great improvement. I still have a long way to go and continue to dread beginning to draft more paragraphs, however, I know that once I get rolling, I don't stop for awhile.
