Mackenzie's+Reflection

1) Which did you enjoy the most: writing on your own, small group writing or whole class writing? Why?

I liked small groups the best. The reason for it was that everyone had there chance to shine. Every person had there chance multiple times to bring there person up to be the hero. I also enjoyed it because it really allowed you to learn a bit more about your character and how they interact. Of course it's fun writing alone with you as the hero and you're sub characters by your side but it's to easy to get a huge ego. Big group writing is fun but some are more useful then others. In small group writing every one plays a significant part but also must bend to the will of there group and discovers there own mortalities before getting into larger writes.

2) What do you think was your best piece of work this year? Why?

My best piece was by far The Quest For Dragons. What started as me, JJ, and Eric being bored trying to find something to take up a class period, turned into an epic adventure where Duri pops into the scene as a interesting character, David getting someone he could teach but also who could teach him, and Garrace revealing his dark side which in the end takes his thrown from him. I think it was an excellent adventure and tied up some loose ends from the Anarchintian, Comeras war. It also helped our characters and regions grow. Duri began to define himself, he became a friend to David and also his conscience at times. David grew a bit more open to Dwarves and began to have a heart and Anarchintia became mighty again thanks to Garrace. Garrace showed how dark he could be sacrificing hundreds of farm folk to a dragon in mindless combat after being given fair warning by David about what may come of it. This caused him to be taken off his thrown. David after "Cleansing" the Comeite government was able to grow Anarchintia from a nation of brutes to seeing the light of trade and alliances as a new king was put on the thrown of Chomeras one more friendly to Anarchintia. All in all I think what started as a fun quest that nothing was to come from turned into a mission that shaped two nations and helped grow our characters massively.

3) What did you struggle the most with in this class? Why?

I struggled most with ideals this year. I tried to portray David as man who did what he needed to in order to survive not so much of a barbarian but a warrior fighting his way out of the hole he was in trying to reach the light. I found it difficult however to do this many people and even myself at times saw David as more of a Barbarian then a Crusader. On some occasions I could even see David sacking Rome before fighting for honor. Yet even if there were some that disagree I think David was a good character even if his motives were a bit sketchy at times I think all in all he was a good guy looking to protect his home and the ones he loved which became a lot easier when I gave him a heart.

4) Reflect about your character and region. How did your character change over the course of the year? (You may want to look at your original character ideas). Did you like how it came out? What could you have improved or changed? What would you have needed in order to improve or change it?

Anarchintia and David both turned out much different then I had thought. Anarchintia when I started was supposed to crumble from ruins to dust and have little hope and David was supposed to be a protecter of some of the last scraps of stone that you could call civilization in the region. Instead David grew it into a great society. He himself became cultured and intelligent to a degree. David reunited Anarchintia even expanding beyond the old empires in the region he took back Comeras and led to the annexation of Esperia even had control of Zanana thanks to Madame Cho. My region and character turned out the opposite of what I planned completely but for the most part I think it was better.

5) What suggestions do you have for this course for next year?

Though it was fun this year next year I don't think we should have characters who's status is higher then anyone and everyone else's for the reason of they were picked so now they are unstoppable. The Guardians were fun this year but next year I think all the characters should all have a modest amount of mortality it makes the story more interesting that way and a lot more fun to work with rather then just a few massively outranking the rest.

6) How do you see the role of the teacher in this class?

I see Mrs. Doughty as our leader in the story and the class. She keeps us in line in the real world and in the story pulls us together. Both years I've taken this class Mrs.Doughty's character has pulled ours together as a team one big unit all working together. Also in the room she allows us to have fun but get things done as well. In all honesty I don't think another person in the building could do a better job about it.

7) What would you like to see MORE of or LESS of in this class for next year?

I would once again like to see less characters who in a snap of there fingers could blow apart anyone else in the story. I agree we need a leader but that leader needs to be Mrs.Doughty and there can be no character who is of that status the Guardians were fun this year and I don't regret wanting to have them but I would also like a break from working with students with the power of Guardians. The ones who played Guardians this year were very fun to work with but I just don't think power like that in a story should not be easily gained by students.