Reflective End Notes
Thesis:
Although Frank Abagnale Jr.’s and my personal opinion of the American Dream both revolve around the central idea of happiness, which stems from independence and money, the paths that we take to achieve these goals will be slightly different, due to the shift of focus onto education and stricter enforcement of laws, but in the end, we aim to "find" ourselves through the journey we take.
Genre 1: Journey (Free-Verse Poem)
The first genre is extremely important, and I chose to go with a free verse poem because it would be the best way to express all my thoughts without being limited to specific rhythmic patterns or rhyme schemes that other types of poem would. I was inspired partly by "Oh, the Places You'll Go" by Dr. Seuss, and the fast-paced, lighthearted tone confirms that. That tone is fairly constant for the rest of the multigenre, though some selections are a bit more suspenseful or dark in order to avoid repetitive patterns. Also, the different stanzas introduce the different chunks, much like how an introductory paragraph provides a road map for the rest of the essay. After titling the piece, Journey, it became my inspiration for my blender: The Hero's Journey.
Genre 2: Tara Village (Brochure)
This genre was an interesting one to make, as I would assume it is not a very common one. This is the place I call home, and all journeys start from home. My apartment that I live in holds so many memories that I wanted to share in order for the readers to know where I come from and what kind of person I am. I decided to add pictures so the readers could see it for themselves and then use that to imagine the scenarios written out. With this piece, I was hoping to instill memories of the place that the readers call home and make them recall how and where their journey started or will start.
Genre 3: Green Light Means Go (Essay)
This genre was taken from the green light one pager, and then edited into an essay that redefines my idea of the green light and how I can take action towards it. When I first wrote the paper, I included the story of Frank Abagnale, although we were not assigned to find out a person yet. I realized that we shared some of the same aspirations, which is why I ultimately chose him as my prominent American. The major points I make this essay are my desire of traveling and to do something for the greater good. It also adds insight into what kind of a person I am and hope to be, which builds up to the end result of the journey, a realization of who I am.
Genre 4: Catch Me if You Can (Infographic)
Infographics are, in my opinion, a really neat way to show information, which is why I chose it. This is a very brief and simple outline of who Frank Abagnale, Jr. is, so the readers will be able to understand some of the background. More background is provided in the dear reader letter, but I figured that a visual would be more impactful than words in certain cases.
Genre 5: Last Farewell (Narrative Summary)
This genre was also meant to provide background, but furthermore, signify the transition from my past into the present and future. In a way, this was my “coming of age.” Saying goodbye is hard sometimes, but it is also necessary in order to move on to better, greater things. This took place about three years ago, and I still have not seen any of my elementary school friends since. The chunk, Initiation, refers to how life throws tests at us to see how we handle it, and I passed the test of maturity.
Genre 6: Tips for Success: How NOT to Cheat (Blog)
I included this genre about this topic for a variety of reasons. The first reason is that sharing this story provides background information on myself, much like the brochure. I chose to write this in a blog post because blogs allow me to say personal opinions freely and ramble off topic at times, which I added for comedic value. Also, I feel like this was an important moment in my life, as it did invoke some change in my behavior. Also, to some degree, it reflects my idea of the American Dream, as I made money and thought I was helping others.
Genre 7: Dear Diary (Diary Entry)
A diary entry for Abagnale would make sense, since he was always traveling and on the run. This specific entry combines a few days in one. It takes place near the end of his journey, when he decided to settle down. He went unnoticed for a few months, at times visiting his grandmother and working at some jobs. The ending foreshadows his final capture, as he was cornered in a local supermarket. Also, the dream he talks about in the intro is recreated in the next genre, the dream sequence.
Genre 8: Eyes Wide Shut (Dream Sequence)
This dream of Frank’s relates to his decision to run away from home, cutting off all contact with his parents and former life. In his autobiography, he wrote that he would often cry himself to sleep out of loneliness, so a dream like this probably would not be uncommon. Seeing the family, which is supposed to be his, reminds him of the life he used to live, one that was innocent and part of a family. Unfortunately, he cannot reach it, and falls back into the abyss of reality. An important part is when the wife is spotted without her wedding ring, which represents his parents' divorce. If his parents never divorced, he believes he "would have not run away from home and [he] would probably have led a standard normal life of going to high school, then on to college and into a career" (Abagnale 288).
Genre 9: Starting Over (Letter)
I chose to write a letter to my past self, who is probably not a very common recipient, since I needed some way to talk to my past and talk about the issue present. Throughout the piece, I use humor and some sarcasm because it is not a formal letter, but a casual one, reinforcing the lightheartedness established in the introductory piece. It is somewhat personal and does honestly reflect my desires, but I’m afraid it is too late to change. Although I regret the choice right now, who knows what it will be like in college and past that. Maybe I’ll even be glad that I had to do a multigenre.
Genre 10: Who Am I?
The two-voice poem was one of the genres in class that was really intriguing when I first learned about it, and I wanted to incorporate it somehow. The two voices I ended up using were the voice of my American and my personal voice discussing our journey. This genre is one of the most plausible ways to end the entire project as it gets out both opinions clearly and shows the similarities and differences that we have. My journey to the American Dream will hopefully end in getting that "boon" and help me realize who I am and what I can accomplish.
Although Frank Abagnale Jr.’s and my personal opinion of the American Dream both revolve around the central idea of happiness, which stems from independence and money, the paths that we take to achieve these goals will be slightly different, due to the shift of focus onto education and stricter enforcement of laws, but in the end, we aim to "find" ourselves through the journey we take.
Genre 1: Journey (Free-Verse Poem)
The first genre is extremely important, and I chose to go with a free verse poem because it would be the best way to express all my thoughts without being limited to specific rhythmic patterns or rhyme schemes that other types of poem would. I was inspired partly by "Oh, the Places You'll Go" by Dr. Seuss, and the fast-paced, lighthearted tone confirms that. That tone is fairly constant for the rest of the multigenre, though some selections are a bit more suspenseful or dark in order to avoid repetitive patterns. Also, the different stanzas introduce the different chunks, much like how an introductory paragraph provides a road map for the rest of the essay. After titling the piece, Journey, it became my inspiration for my blender: The Hero's Journey.
Genre 2: Tara Village (Brochure)
This genre was an interesting one to make, as I would assume it is not a very common one. This is the place I call home, and all journeys start from home. My apartment that I live in holds so many memories that I wanted to share in order for the readers to know where I come from and what kind of person I am. I decided to add pictures so the readers could see it for themselves and then use that to imagine the scenarios written out. With this piece, I was hoping to instill memories of the place that the readers call home and make them recall how and where their journey started or will start.
Genre 3: Green Light Means Go (Essay)
This genre was taken from the green light one pager, and then edited into an essay that redefines my idea of the green light and how I can take action towards it. When I first wrote the paper, I included the story of Frank Abagnale, although we were not assigned to find out a person yet. I realized that we shared some of the same aspirations, which is why I ultimately chose him as my prominent American. The major points I make this essay are my desire of traveling and to do something for the greater good. It also adds insight into what kind of a person I am and hope to be, which builds up to the end result of the journey, a realization of who I am.
Genre 4: Catch Me if You Can (Infographic)
Infographics are, in my opinion, a really neat way to show information, which is why I chose it. This is a very brief and simple outline of who Frank Abagnale, Jr. is, so the readers will be able to understand some of the background. More background is provided in the dear reader letter, but I figured that a visual would be more impactful than words in certain cases.
Genre 5: Last Farewell (Narrative Summary)
This genre was also meant to provide background, but furthermore, signify the transition from my past into the present and future. In a way, this was my “coming of age.” Saying goodbye is hard sometimes, but it is also necessary in order to move on to better, greater things. This took place about three years ago, and I still have not seen any of my elementary school friends since. The chunk, Initiation, refers to how life throws tests at us to see how we handle it, and I passed the test of maturity.
Genre 6: Tips for Success: How NOT to Cheat (Blog)
I included this genre about this topic for a variety of reasons. The first reason is that sharing this story provides background information on myself, much like the brochure. I chose to write this in a blog post because blogs allow me to say personal opinions freely and ramble off topic at times, which I added for comedic value. Also, I feel like this was an important moment in my life, as it did invoke some change in my behavior. Also, to some degree, it reflects my idea of the American Dream, as I made money and thought I was helping others.
Genre 7: Dear Diary (Diary Entry)
A diary entry for Abagnale would make sense, since he was always traveling and on the run. This specific entry combines a few days in one. It takes place near the end of his journey, when he decided to settle down. He went unnoticed for a few months, at times visiting his grandmother and working at some jobs. The ending foreshadows his final capture, as he was cornered in a local supermarket. Also, the dream he talks about in the intro is recreated in the next genre, the dream sequence.
Genre 8: Eyes Wide Shut (Dream Sequence)
This dream of Frank’s relates to his decision to run away from home, cutting off all contact with his parents and former life. In his autobiography, he wrote that he would often cry himself to sleep out of loneliness, so a dream like this probably would not be uncommon. Seeing the family, which is supposed to be his, reminds him of the life he used to live, one that was innocent and part of a family. Unfortunately, he cannot reach it, and falls back into the abyss of reality. An important part is when the wife is spotted without her wedding ring, which represents his parents' divorce. If his parents never divorced, he believes he "would have not run away from home and [he] would probably have led a standard normal life of going to high school, then on to college and into a career" (Abagnale 288).
Genre 9: Starting Over (Letter)
I chose to write a letter to my past self, who is probably not a very common recipient, since I needed some way to talk to my past and talk about the issue present. Throughout the piece, I use humor and some sarcasm because it is not a formal letter, but a casual one, reinforcing the lightheartedness established in the introductory piece. It is somewhat personal and does honestly reflect my desires, but I’m afraid it is too late to change. Although I regret the choice right now, who knows what it will be like in college and past that. Maybe I’ll even be glad that I had to do a multigenre.
Genre 10: Who Am I?
The two-voice poem was one of the genres in class that was really intriguing when I first learned about it, and I wanted to incorporate it somehow. The two voices I ended up using were the voice of my American and my personal voice discussing our journey. This genre is one of the most plausible ways to end the entire project as it gets out both opinions clearly and shows the similarities and differences that we have. My journey to the American Dream will hopefully end in getting that "boon" and help me realize who I am and what I can accomplish.