2016 first year writing prize - hobart and william smith ... · 2016 first year writing prize...

2016FirstYearWritingPrize

SponsoredbytheWritingColleaguesProgramandtheCenterforTeachingandLearning

PhotoscourtesyofDannyHastingsH’16

BookletdesignbyDomenicMerollaH’16

FirstYearWritingPrizeJurors

Prof.GeoffreyBabbitt,DepartmentofWritingandRhetoric

KellyCraigWS’16,WritingFellow

Prof.TaraCurtin,DepartmentofGeoscience

Prof.HannahDickinson,DepartmentofWritingandRhetoric

RachelFischerWS’16,WritingFellow

Prof.CherylForbes,DepartmentofWritingandRhetoric

Prof.AmyGreen,DepartmentofWritingandRhetoric

SusanHess,AssistantDirectoroftheFirstYearSeminarProgram

Prof.AlexJanney,DepartmentofWritingandRhetoric

IngridKeenan,AssistantDirector,CenterforTeachingandLearning

Prof.CharityLofthouse,DepartmentofMusic

ClaytonLyonsHO’17,WritingFellow

Prof.PeterMayshle,DepartmentofWritingandRhetoric

EmilyPerkins,WritingColleaguesCoordinator

Prof.BenRistow,DepartmentofWritingandRhetoric

Prof.AudreyRoberson,DepartmentofEducation

TaylorRuggWS’17,WritingFellow,Winnerofthe2014FirstYearWritingPrize

Prof.MaggieWerner,DepartmentofWritingandRhetoric

Writingdoessomethingtomythoughtprocessthatnothingelsecan.Itwasn’tjustaboutagrade,itwasabouttryingtomakesenseofmyownthoughts.Itwasaboutfiguringout

howtocatchupmycommandoflanguagetomyideas,sothatIcouldsupportthethoughtsIhadcometovalue.

‐MatthewBlow

HereIsitafullsemesterlaterandIamstillfindingnewwaystoreworkthisessay.Funnyisn’tit,howapieceofwritingis

neverreallyfinished?‐HannahRosen

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Itallbeganwithacupofhazelnutcoffeeandadarkchaitea—thecoffeewasforsippingandtheteaforsmelling.Ihada

messypileofpost‐itnotescoveringmydesk,hiddenbyprintedpassages,highlighters,apileofmemoirsandamarkeduppromptsheet.Inthebackgroundhummedthetunesofmy

“writingvibes”playlist…Myfirstdraft,ofmyfirstessay,formyfirstcollegeclass.‐HannahRosen

ItoccurredtomethatthemainchallengeIwastofacewouldnotbeunderstandingthecontent,butratherdepictingits

meaning.NolongerwasIwritingdescriptiveessays.Now,Iwasfacedwithcreatingananalyticalargumentwhichprovidedmoreroomforerror…IpracticeddisconnectingmyselffromthewritingsothatIcouldviewitasanotherreadermight.Ibeganaskingmyself“why”throughoutthepapertomakesure

thatIwasansweringthatvitalquestion.‐RyanMontbleau

AsIreworkedeachdraftIfoundmyselfcuttingdownwhatIhadwritten.Myfirstdraftswerefloodedwithemotionthatincludedalotofrepeatingmyself.Ioftenstrugglewiththisinwritingessaysthatarepersonaltome.Ifeeltheneedto

overwritetovalidatewhatIamsaying.However,throughouteachcontinuingdrafts,Icutdowntoconciselyandconfidently

statemyopinion.‐TatianaLoftus

I’vegotathingaboutoutlines.‐ElizabethDunne

2016PrizeWinners

WilliamSamayoa“Forgiveness:TheOpportunitytoRelocatetheLight”

NominatedbyProf.MichaelDobkowskiFSEM18:GenocideandtheModernAge

ParkeSchweiter“PerceptionsofRealityCompared”

NominatedbyProf.DonaldSpectorFSEM145:Einstein,Relativity,andTime

Nominees:(Student,NominatingProfessor)

MeganBarwick,Prof.PeterMayshleMatthewBlow,Prof.SusanHess

ElizabethDunne,Prof.LaurenceErussardElizabethGahagan,Prof.DavidFinkelsteinAnneliseGentile,Prof.DonaldSpectorCarolineGerrard,Prof.CherylForbes

JenniferMorganHekking,Prof.StaceyPhilbrick‐YadavAustinJennings,Prof.ChrisWoodworth

MeredithKellogg,Prof.FernandoRodriguez‐MansillaAlyssaS.Kelly,Profs.ErvinKosta&RobinLewis(2nominations)

AlexanderKerai,Prof.PeterMayshleTatianaLoftus,Prof.SusanHessPiersLucker,Prof.ErvinKosta

RyanMontbleau,Prof.LauraFreeSarahOlick‐Sutphen,Prof.ErvinKostaMitchellPalmer,Prof.CynthiaWilliamsTrevorPoisson,Prof.LaurenceErussardHannahRosen,Prof.CherylForbes

RyanSkinner,Prof.StaceyPhilbrick‐YadavAlexusSpann,Prof.ScottMacPhailJonathanThrall,Prof.ScottMacPhailSarahWalters,Prof.MichaelDobkowskiAaronWeitgenant,Prof.RobinLewis

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IntroductionThequestionofwhatconstitutescollege‐levelwritinghasbeencontestedforatleastacentury.Fromhighschoolteacherstocollegeprofessors,policymakerstotestingcompanies,educationalresearcherstojournalists,andschooldistrictstoboardsoftrustees,eachconstituencyhasanopinionaboutwhatcollegewritingis:Collegewritersshouldforgeteverythingtheylearnedinhighschool;highschoolEnglishclassesshouldpreparestudentsforcollegewriting;collegewritingshouldemphasizecriticalthinkingaboveallelse;collegewritingshouldbepracticalandpreparestudentsfortheworkplace;goodcollegewritingmustbemeasurable;weknowgoodwritingwhenweseeit.Thesestatementsrepresentonlyasmallfractionofthepartial,contingent,andcontradictorydefinitionsofcollegewritingthatcirculateinourschoolsandpublicdiscourse.Researchoncollegewritinghasbeguntoembracethesecontradictionsandrecognizethatgoodwritingisoftendefinedverylocally:inaparticularcourse,aparticulardiscipline,orinaparticularcommunity.HWShasrecentlyembracedtheprocessofdefiningwritinginsite‐specificways.TheFSEMFellows,agroupoffacultywhosettheexpectationsandgoalsforFirstyearSeminars,havespentayeartalkingabouttheirgoalsforfirstyearwriters.Inthecomingyears,facultyineverydepartmentwillworktogethertoidentifythewritingcharacteristicsandabilitiesmostvaluedbytheirmajor.However,itisnotjustfaculty,policymakers,orresearcherswhoshouldbedefiningcollege‐levelwriting.Weshouldalsobelisteningtofirstyearstudents,likethosewhowearehonoringtoday,aboutwhatitisliketowriteincollege.Tohelpshedlightontheofteninvisiblepracticesthatproduceexcellentcollegewriting,eachnomineewasaskedtosubmitacoverletterdescribinghisorherwritingprocess.Theselettersallhavedifferentemphases:thechallengeofunderstandingadifficultprompt,ofcompletingamulti‐steppedresearchprocess,ofwritinginanewgenre,ofrevisingapiecethewriteralreadythoughtcomplete,oflearning

itpermitsavictim,andlatergenerations,tonotallowthesameevilthatcausedthemsufferingtocontinuetoexistintheworld,bothinternallyandinexternalinteractions.InSimonWiesenthal’sgroundbreakingbookTheSunflower,heexploresthecomplexityoftheconceptofforgivenesswithacontextregardingoneofhumanity’sgreatestcrimes;genocide.HedoessothroughtherecountingofhisownaccountbeingaHolocaustsurvivor,aswellaswithopeningthediscussiontoamyriadofnotablefigures.TheimportanceofWiesenthal’sbook,aswellastheessaysbyHaroldKushnerandDeborahLipstadt,isthattheyallrevealthatforgivenessisaprocess,whichrequiresmanystepslikerepentance,thatconcludeswiththeabilitytofindclosure.Aclosurethatallowsavictimofanycrime,evengenocide,torejectthetemptationtoletothers’evilcorruptthemandcontinuethecycleofsuffering.Whiledifficult,forgivenessisanactionwhichcanonlypromisegoodfortheindividual;anditshouldonlybedoneforthesakeoftheindividual.Withoutforgiveness,theworldwouldsurelyplummetintoevenmoremiseryandchaosandgenocidewouldnotberecognizedastheseverecrimeitis.Thus,whileabstractandepithermal,forgivenessisanactthatshouldbepursuedtoallowonetofindclosureaswellastheopportunitytoseetheremaininglightleftintheworld.

Bibliography

Wiesenthal,Simon.TheSunflower:OnthePossibilitiesandLimitsofForgiveness.NewYork:Schocken,1998.

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Acrossgenocidestudiesitisgenerallyagreedthattheperpetratorsultimategoalistodehumanizeaspecificgroup,throughsystematickilling,andthenintheexpectationofthevictims’retentionofallconsuminggrief.Itthenbecomesevidentthattheroleofforgivenessinagenocideisthatitensuresthatthevictimisnotperpetuallyentrappedinacycleofemotional,physical,andpsychologicalabuse.Wiesenthalconfessesinhisnarrativethatwhenliberationfinallyarrivedforhim“...therewasnohometoreturnto...[everything]reminded[him]ofthetragedywhich[he]barelysurvived,”hethendecidestojoinacommissiontolocateNazisinorderto“regain[his]faithinhumanityandinthethingswhichmankindneedsinlifebesidesthematerial”(83‐4).ThesignificanceofWiesenthal’schoiceisthatitshowshowpervasivelytheHolocausteffectedhim,tothepointwherehecouldnolongerseehopeforhumanityorlifeitself.Hismethodofseekingclosurethencamefrombeingabletoconsciouslymakeadecisionandconfrontthosewhohadtorturedhimandthousandsofothers.However,thevalueofforgivenessexistsinthelatterpartofhisaccountwherehestatesthathethendevotedhislifetorekindlehisfaithandmorality.ByseekingoutcriminalsandbringingthemtojusticeWiesenthalwasforcingthekillerstorepent,channelingLipstadt’smethodology.Whilealsoregaininghisabilitytomakeconsciouslymakehisowndecisions.Wiesenthalhadtoconsciouslydecidethathenolongerwouldbethevictimandfoundclosurewithhisfeelingsofvulnerability,whatKushnerdefinesasforgiveness’intent,andthenwasabletoconfronttheperpetrators.WiesenthalfurtherdemonstratestheroleofforgivenessingenocidewhenheencountersKarl’smotherandhearshermemoriesofherson.RatherthanshatteringKarl’smother’sfantasizedversionofhimwhereheremainedapiousmanWiesenthalleavesthehouse“...withoutdiminishinginanywaythepoorwoman’slastsurvivingconsolation‐faithinthegoodnessofherson”(94).Indoingthis,Wiesenthalsilentlyemploysforgiveness,notonKarl’searlierdemand,butonthestrippingofandshatteringofhopethathehimselfendured.Bychoosingtoforgivetheevil’scommittedonhim,Wiesenthalwasabletospareanotherhumansoulthesamepainhefelt;hewasabletoconveyrealhumanemotions.Perhapsunknowingly,hedidnotallowtheNaziregimetosucceedintheirattemptatdehumanizinghim.Theroleofforgivenessinagenocideisthat.

reallybelievesin.Takentogether,thefirstyear writingprizeentriessuggestnotonlythatcollegewritingischallenging,butalsothatcollegewritingpresentsstudentswithunexpectedchallengesthatpromotethedevelopmentofnewwritingpractices.Thisbookcelebratestheaccomplishmentsofeachnominatedstudentandthewritingfirststheynavigatedintheirfirstsemesterofcollege.Navigatingchallengingwritingexperiencescannotbedonealone.Thus,thisbookletalsocelebratesthecommunityofwriters,professors,classmates,WritingColleagues,WritingFellowsandreaderswhosupportgoodwriting.Manywriterswerealsoinvolvedintheprocessofdiscussingandselectingtheprize‐winningessays:theWritingandRhetoricFaculty,CTLStaff,WritingFellows,andjurorsrepresentingeachdivision,CharityLofthouse,AudreyRoberson,andTaraCurtin.WewouldespeciallyliketothankWillHochman’74whosecommitmenttofirstyearwritinghasmadethisprizepossible.Weareequallygratefultothetwenty‐fivestudentswhosubmittedessaysfortheFirstYearWritingPrize.Itwasapleasuretoreadsuchstunninganddiverseexampleoffirstyearwritingandlearnfromthechallengingquestions,intellectualenergy,creativity,anddedicationthatourstudentsbringtothepage.Wehopethatyouwillgainasmuchpleasureaswehavefromreadingthewritingcontainedinthisvolume.HannahDickinson,Director,WritingColleaguesProgram


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PerceptionsofRealityComparedParkeSchweiter


PromptYouaretowritea2‐3pagepaperonthefollowingtopic.ThispaperwillbedueinclassonTuesday,December8,anditwillalsoformthestartingpointforamoregeneralessayyouwillwriteaspartofthefinalforthisclass.Hereisthetopic:InTheFabricofReality,DavidDeutschhasintroducedideasofsomeversionsofrealitiesdifferentfromtheworldweareusedtotakingasreal:thesolipsisticnotionthatwhatweperceiveasrealityisactuallyaproductofourownminds;thenotionthatouruniverseisbutoneofmanyparalleluniverses,whosepresenceisindicatedbytheinterferenceofworldswiththeirshadows;andtheconceptofvirtualrealities,simulationsofpossibleuniversesthatonecould,inprinciple,experience.Compareandcontrastthesethreenotions.Inwhatwaysaretheysimilar?Inwhatwaysdotheydiffer?HowdoesDeutschusetheseideastoexplorethenatureofreality?Dotheyallcontributeinequalways?Ishisuseofthesevariousideasequallyconvincing?YourpapershouldmakeanargumentbasedontheportionsofDeutsch’sbookthatyouhaveread.BesureyouexaminepreciselywhatDeutschmeansbyeachoftheseideasandhowheusesthem.Iamnotexpectingyoutoconductadditionaloutsideresearch,noristhereanexpectationthatyouwillmakeareferencetootherclassreadings.Theassignmentistobetypedandformattedasusual(double‐spaced,12‐pointfont,oneinchmarginsallaround,stapled,withpagenumbersandyournameonit).Besureyouressayhasclearconclusionsthattheentireessayisbuildingtowards;hasanopeningparagraphthatsetsthestagespecifically(inawaythatmakesityouropeningparagraph,notagenericopeningparagraphthatcouldserveanypaperaddressingthisassignment;makesspecificreferencestothebookthatshowyounotonlyhaveaclearunderstandingofwhatDeutschmeansbythesevariousconceptsbutalsohowheuses;anddevelopsanargumentthatgoes

processofachievingclosure.SimonalsorespectedthefactthatgrantingforgivenesswasarightthatbelongedtoKarl’sparticularvictimssolely.Byremainingsilentandnotgrantingit,heallowedthevictimstodiewiththeirlastrightintact;therighttoforgiveornot,notallowingtheNazistohavefullystolenallthevictim’srights.Forgivenessisonlyappropriatewhengrantedbyspecificpeopletowardsspecificcrimes,otherwiseitisanimmoralstrippingofrights.AnotherkeypointdiscussedinTheSunflower’ssymposiumisthedistinctionbetweenforgivenessandrepentance,andhowthelatterismerelyapartoftheprocessofholisticforgiveness.InthesymposiumessaybyDeborahLipstadt,shespendsafairamountoftimearguingthatinJewishtraditiontoearnrepentance,onemustundergomanystepswhichultimatelyleadtoacollectiveforgiveness.Shestatesthatfirst,thesinnermusthaveahumaninteractionwithhisvictimandapologize,thenturntoGodandexpressremorseandvowtonevercommitthesamecrime,andlastly,provesobybeinginasimilarsituationandconsciouslychoosingtonotcommitthesinagain(194‐5).Byundergoingaprocessofseekingpeacewithvariousforces,oneisreallyseekingrepentancefirst,whichisdifferentfromforgiveness.Forgivenessentailscreatingclosureandreleasingillwill,whereasrepentanceistheactofacknowledgingone’scrimesanddemonstratingachangedcharacter.Repentancereliesonanexteriordisplay,whileforgivenessexistsinone’ssoul.WhileKarlattemptedtoearnforgivenessforhiscrimesagainsttheJews,hefailedtodosobecausehewasnotabletorepenttoallthenecessaryforces.Whilehedidretainhisfaith,Karlwasunabletoacknowledgehiscrimeduetoallthosewhomhesinnedagainstbeingdead.Karlmayhaveverballyexpressedremorse,butduetohisseverelyburnedbody,hewasunabletogooutintotheworldandencounterasimilarscene.TheonlywaytoconfirmthatKarl’sethicschangedwouldhavebeentowitnesshistreatmentoftheJewshewouldhaveencountered,andseeifhewouldkillthemoraidthemescape.Simon,consciousofhisJewishtraditions,remainedsilentbecausewhileKarlattemptedtorepent,hedidnotundergothewholeprocesstoearnatrueforgiveness.Repentanceisaprocessthatrequiresapublicdisplayofremorseinordertoaccumulatetoearnaholisticforgivenessthatguaranteesbothpartiesanopportunitytolivealivefreeofgrievances.

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consumedbytheirinnerevilurges,andareabletoengageinalltheremaininggoodintheirworld.Byforgiving,oneisabletosubdueevilinternallyandnotallowittopercolateintotheexteriorworld.Equippedwithacleardefinitionofforgivenessanditseffectsonemustunderstandthatwhileitisconsideredamoralact,therearetimeswhenforgivenesscannotbegranted.OnescenarioinwhichforgivenesscouldnotnotbeprocessedoccurredtoayoungWiesenthal.AsportrayedinTheSunflower’smainnarrative,Simonandalotoffellowprisonersaretakentohisoldhighschoolwhichhasturnedintoahospitalwheretheprisonerswouldspendthedayworking.Whilethegroupisbeingdispersed,anursemanagestotakeSimonasideandtakeshimtowherethedyingSSsoldier,Karl,awaitshim.KarlpromptlybeginstoconfesstoSimonaboutthevariouskillingsandevilshehascommitted,andhowhauntedheisbyhisactions.WhenKarlconcludeshiscatharticconfessionhetellsSimon“Idonotknowwhoyouare,IonlyknowthatyouareaJewandthatisenough...whileIhavewaitedfordeath,timeandtimeagainIhavelongedtotalkaboutittoaJewandbegforgivenessfromhim”(54).AsKarlrevealsallofhisvictimsaredead,andusingthedefinitionprovidedbyKushner,theconditionsarenotpresenttogiveforgiveness.InordertoforgiveintheJewishfaith,thevictimmustactivelyandconsciouslymakethedecisiontocreateclosure.Yet,withallwhosufferedbecauseofKarlbeingdead,theylacktheopportunitytodoso.AsfurtheremphasizedbySimon’slateacquaintanceJosek,Simon“...sufferednothingbecauseofhim,anditfollowsthatwhathehasdonetootherpeople[Simonis]innopositiontoforgive”(65).ThisreturnstoKushner’sdefinitionofforgivenessbecauseitconcretestheclaimthatforgivenesscanonlyoccurbetweenactorsofthesamescene.Theonlyindividualallowedtoforgiveistheonewhosufferedunderaparticularvictimizer.InthecaseoftheJews,theNaziregimestolealloftheformer’sfreedomsandpossessions.Thefewwhomsurvivedwereleftwithonlytheirmemoriesandthechoicetoeitherretainresentmentormakepeacewiththepast.IfSimongrantedKarlforgivenessbasedonthosewhodiedunderKarl’sactions,hewouldhavegrantedthefinalvictorytotheNazis.Toreiterate,forgivenessisapersonalmatterandonecannotgrantitonbehalfofanother.SimonbeingJewishunderstoodthatbecauseKarldidnotapologizewhilehisvictimswerealive,theywereunabletobeginthe

beyondthesurfacetoconnectanddistinguishtheseideasandhowDeutschusesthem,ratherthansimplydescribingtheseideas.Besuretoproofreadyourpapercarefully.Avoidcontractions,anddonotcapitalizerandomwords.Makesureeachsentenceisgrammatical,andthatasyoumovefromonesentencetoanother,yourlanguageshowstheconnectionbetweentheideasinthosesentences.Rememberthatapaperthattakesaclearandboldpointofviewisgenerallystrongerthanonethatdoesnot.Rememberalsothatspecificsarestrongerthangeneralities;donotmakebroad,overlygeneralizedstatements.

CoverLetter

Mywritingpiece,“PerceptionsofReality”,wasarticulatedtwoweekspriortotheassignmentofthefinalpaperformyFirstYearSeminaronEinstein,RelativityandTime.Duringourreadingsandin‐classdiscussionsaboutDavidDeutsch’sbookTheFabricofReality,Iconstantlystruggledtograspthecoreconceptsofsolipsism,paralleluniverses,andvirtualrealitypresented.TheywereveryabstractanddidnotcorrelatewithanythingIhadeverconsideredasbeingapartofmyreality.Atthesametime,however,Deutsch’sargumentcapturedmyinterestandIyearnedforafurtherunderstandingofthisproposedreality.InordertofollowinthedirectionwhichDeutschwasbringingme,IneededtobreakawayfrommyhumansensesandexpandmyviewtoreachanabstractunderstandingofDeutsch’sexpansiveandcomplexportrayalofreality.OnceIwasabletodoso,IformulatedapieceofwritingwhichexploredDeutsch’sclaimswithaccuracyandsincereinterest.Whilemymindwasopentounderstandingtheseforeignconcepts,itproveddifficulttoencapsulatethenumerousdefiningaspectsofsolipsism,paralleluniversesandvirtualrealityintothreepagesofwriting.Additionally,withtheneedtocompareandcontrasttheseideastogether,IhadtobeparticularaboutwhichportionsofDeutsch’stextI’dreferenceinmywriting.Therefore,Idecidedtoallocateasubstantialamountoftimetoreadingbackoverrelevantsectionsofthebooktopinpointthebest‐fitquotationstobeanalyzedintheessay.OnseveraloccasionsIreassessedthequotationsIchoseafterfindingtheydidnotdirectlycorrelatetotheoverarchingthemeIwasaimingfor.Also,thebrevityofthepromptcausedmetoomitseveralquotationsthatwouldhaveinfact

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supportedmyargumenttoafurtherdegree.WhileIeventuallyreachedapointofconfidenceinthequotationsIchoseformyessay,Istillneededtoclarifytheexactwaysinwhichtheyconnectedtotheoverarchingthemeofthetruenatureofreality.Thisledmetoin‐depthdiscussionswithmyprofessorabouttheprecisepointsDeutschwasconveyingabouteachconceptinrelationtoreality’struenatureandtheirnumeroustechnicalities.ProfessorSpectorassistedmeindecipheringtheexactideologyofasolipsistalongwiththenatureinwhichparalleluniversesexistthroughouttheuniverse.OnceIdevelopedastrongfoundationforthetwo,Ireadilycomparedthemtooneanotherandtothethirdconceptofvirtualreality.Inturn,whenIbeganmywritingprocessthesecorequotationsspokeforthemselves,whileIsimplyaddedcommentaryandhighlightedtheimportanceofeachintheirrelationtoreality.Overall,Idiscovereditwashardesttofindthebest‐fitquotationsandtheirexactapplicationsinwritingthispiece.Additionally,theformulationofthisessaystressedtheimportanceofhavingaconcreteunderstandingofmyoverallgoalbeforeIevenputpentopaper.Myprofessormadehimselfreadilyavailableforassistanceandtaughtmehowseeminglycomplextopicscanbecomesoclearafteranalyzingthemonecomponentatatime.Additionally,withawidearrayofinformationtoaddressinashortessay,itwasparamounttobepreciseinmypurposeforeachsentence.Insummation,Iamsincerelyhonoredtohavebeennominatedforthisprestigiousawardandpresentedtheopportunitytocompetewithmyfellowclassmatesinahighlyacademicatmospherehereatthecolleges.WritingthispiecewasanabsoluteenjoymentformeasIconstantlyfoundmyselflostinthoughtwhileconsideringtheclaimsmadebyDeutsch.Myhopeisthatmywritingdoeshisgeniusjusticeandallwhoreaditmaybeledtoadeeperknowledgeofthetruenatureoftheirreality.WhileIviewmypieceofwritingtobeparticularlyintriguingduetothetopicsitaddresses,Isimplyaskallwhoreadittolookuponitwithopenmindsandrefrainmentfromanypreconceivednotionsofrealityinordertoproperlyunderstanditsabstractprinciplesandfullygraspitspurpose.

forgivenessforhissins.Wiesenthalfurthercomplicatesthereader’sexperiencebyfollowingthemainnarrativewithasymposiumofessayswrittenbyindividualsofvastlydifferentstandingswhomallreplytothequestion:“WhatwouldIhavedone?”ThroughWiesenthal’sfirsthandaccountandtherepliesoftwoothernotableindividuals,onerealizesthatwhilethereexistexceptions,forgivenessisalwaysthemostrighteousactionforagenocidevictim,anditshouldbedonetoensurethegenocideisnotasuccess.Tofullyanalyzeandappreciatethemoralityinofferingforgiveness,onemustfirstunderstandwhatitisandwhatitentails.Forthepurposeofthispaper,thedefinitionofforgivenessemployedisoneprovidedbysymposiumcorrespondentRabbiHaroldS.Kushner.Hedefinestheactofforgivenessas“...alettinggoofthesenseofgrievance,andperhapsmostimportantlyalettinggooftheroleofvictim”(186).Kushner’sdefinitionisimportantbecauseitisspecificandrelevanttotheatrocityofmassmurder.Hestatesthatforgivenessisnottheactofignoringthedeaththatoccurred,butratherembracingthelifethatisleft.Thisisacrucialprocessbecausewhilethekillingmayend,theeffectsstillecho.Theseeffectsexistinthefearthatmanifestsinsurvivorsandinthesecondmemoryoflatergenerations.Inordertoguaranteethattheperpetratorsarenotvictoriousintheiractionsofdestroyingapeople(victorybeingthatthevictimslivewiththeirgrievances),thevictimsmustforgivethecrimecommitteduponthem.Thevictimsdonotforgiveforthekiller’ssake,buttogainself‐closuresothattheymayendthechapteroflivingwithfear,andbeginanewonedevotedtolife’sbeauty.Itshouldthenbeevidentthatgrantingforgivenessinthecaseofmassmurderismoremoralthanrefusingit.AsKushnerreiterates,“...[to]refusetogive[theperpetrator]thepowertodefinemeasavictim[andto]refusetolet[themurders]blindhatreddefinestheshapeandcontentofmyJewishness”(186).Kushner’smotivationforforgivingrevealsthatwhileoneconsidersitmoraltopertaintohowonetreatothers,italsoappliestohowonetreatsthemselves.Onecouldassumethatwhenaninjustice,likemurder,isperformedonthemtheyhavethedesiretoreciprocatewithsomethingequallyevil.Themoralityofselfisneededhereforthevictimtonotonlyresisttheirprimalurges,buttoalsoallowthemselvestofindclosure.Thevictimmustbemoralandapplyforgivenesssothattheyarenot

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hadengagedinthelastfewweeks.Iwasbeginningtounderstandthatnomattermyessay,IwantedtotalkaboutittoreallygivelifetotheideasthatIsometimescouldnotdirectlyexpel.Understandingthiselementofmywritingprocess,IaskedtheFellowtogivemyFYWPessayanotherglanceover.Thiswouldsupplyanothereyeanddialoguethatwouldaidevolutionofthisessay,andthesamefirearosewhenhesaidhethoughtitwasreadyforsubmission.IwassoproudbecausethisessayreflectedthehoursoflaborandnurturingIhadinvestedintogrowingthepaper.WhenImetwithmycurrentWritingColleague,ourconversationrevolvedaroundhowIfeltregardingsubmission.AswespokeIrememberwritingdownalinethatstuckwithmeasIwrotethiscoverletter.IwasbeginningtounderstandthatIwasnotjustseekingtoconversewithmanysimplybecauseIwantedmorerevisionadvice,IgenuinelywantedthisessaytogrowandprospersothatIsimultaneouslybecameastrongerwriter.ThroughthepastweeksIfoundmyselfspendingmoretimetalkingratherthanwriting,notonlyinthisessaybutforallmyotherwritings.Ihaveunderstoodthatmywritingprocessbeginswithmeexploringmyideas,takinganownershipofmyknowledge,andthenmakingsureitisclearandcompellingtomypotentialreaders.Mywritingprocessreflectsmyownideathatwritingisneverstagnant,itisanartthatexistsinmanydimensionandisnotlimitedbyspaceortime.IamgratefulforthisnominationnotonlybecauseitverifiedinmethatIcouldwritewell,butbecauseinrevisingandimprovingthisessayIdiscoveredhowIcouldbecomeagreatwriter.Onceagain,manythanksforthisconsiderationandhappyreadings!

—Essay—Thosewhostudygenocidemustcriticizetheresponseofallthoseinvolved(i.e.victims,perpetrators,aswellaswitnesses),buttheymustalsoimaginewhattheywoulddoiftheyfoundthemselvesinoneofthoseroles.Whilemanyscholars,andscholarship,havediscussedthisoneaspectofthecrimeofgenocide,thereisanotheraspectthatisalmostneverexplored.Thisforgottenelementistheactofforgiveness;aprocessthatseemstohavenoconnectiontotheactionofgenocideiscreativelyconstructedbywriterSimonWiesenthal.InhisbookTheSunflower,WiesenthalretellstheexperienceofwhenhewasentrappedinaconcentrationcampandwasbroughttoadyingSSsoldierwhosought

—Essay—Thebreadthofrealityishighlycomplexandencapsulatesmuchmorethanwhatisperceivedbyhumansenses.InthebookTheFabricofRealitywrittenbyDavidDeutsch,severlnotiojnsofrealityareexplored.ThethreeprimarynotionsthatDeutschaddressesaresolipsism,paralleluniverses,andvirtualreality.Solipsismistheideastatingwhatoneperceivesasrealityisaproductofone’smindorconsideredasadream.Paralleluniversesrefertoavastnumberofuniversesmakingupthemultiverse,whosepresenceismadeknownthroughshadowparticleinterference.Virtualrealityisthetechnologicalsimulationofallphysicallypossibleenvironmentswhichoccurinthemultiverse.Eachnotiontakesonitsownassertionsinwhichsomeaspectsagreeordisagreewithtechnicalitiesofothers;however,throughcomparisonoftheseconcepts,insightintothetrueunderlyingnatureofrealitysurfaces.InTheFabricofRealityDeutschtakesastrongstanceagainstsolipsism,declaringitafalseconceptionofreality.AccordingtoDeutsch,“If[asolipsist]dreamedevidenceoftheexistenceofotherpeople,orotherplanets,orotheruniversesthatwouldprovenothingabouthowmanyofthosethingstherereallyare”(58).Deutschexplainssolipsistsbelievetheymaydeduceanythingtheywishabouttheirreality,,includingthenumberofparalleluniverses,butoveralltheirspeculationsprovenothingaboutitstruenature.Ontheotherhand,whenanalyzingparalleluniversesthereappearstobespecificwaysinwhichtheyexist,dependinguponthenatureofshadowparticles.Deutschexplains,“[Theparticles]donotformasingle,homogenousparalleluniverse…butratherahugenumberofparalleluniverses,eachsimilarincompositiontothetangibleone,eachobeyingthesamelawsofphysics,butdifferinginthattheparticlesareindifferentpositionsineachuniverse”(45).Thus,therearenotaninfinitenumberofparalleluniverses,contrarytothesolipsisticassumptionofreality.Thisdissimilarityoffersthetrueportrayalofavastmultiversewitheachuniverseassembledunderspecificpropertiesofparticlesconformingtothelawsofphysicsandquantummechanics. Despitedissimilaritiesbetweensolipsismandparalleluniverses,thereexistsadefinitecorrelation.Whenrefutingthesolipsisticpointofview,Deutschclaims,“Thesolipsist,whobelievesthatnothingexistsotherthanthecontentsofonemind,mustalsobelievethatthatmindisa

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phenomenonofgreatermultiplicitythanisnormallysupposed”(83).Overall,whilethesolipsisticviewregardingthecomplexityofonemindisfalse,itdirectlytranslatestothephenomenaofparalleluniverses.Whileconcludinghisproofforthepresenceofparalleluniverses,Deutschstates,“Theheartoftheargumentisthatsingle‐particleinterferencephenomenaunequivocallyruleoutthepossibilitythatthetangibleuniversearoundusisallthatexists”(47).Bycomparingthispointaboutparalleluniversestothesolipsisticviewpoint,realityprovestobesubstantiallymoreinvolvedthanperceivedbyourhumansensesandunderstanding.Theuniverseistoocomplextobereducedtothecontentsofonemind.Moreover,thebreadthofrealityistoovasttobecondensedintooneuniverse.Deutschpresentsanotherconceptofrealityknownasvirtualreality,whichsharesapparentdifferenceswiththenotionsofsolipsism.Whencomparingvirtualrealitytodirectexperiences,Deutschstates,“Whatweexperiencedirectlyisavirtual‐realityrendering,convenientlygeneratedforusbyourunconsciousmindsfromsensorydatapluscomplexinbornandacquiredtheories(i.e.programs)abouthowtointerpretthem”(120‐121).Themindisunconsciousandhumansdonotdirectlycontrolthewaysinwhichtheyinterprettheirexperiences.Onthecontrary,solipsists“trustonlythedirectexperienceoftheirownthoughts”(81),whilebelievingtheyaretheonlyconsciousmindintheworld.Ifthisstatementaboutsolipsismwastrue,thenthetwoideaswouldbeindirectopposition;however,accordingtoDeutsch,“Solipsismisliterallyindefensible,becausebyacceptingsuchadefenseoneisimplicitlycontradictingit”(82).Throughrecognitionofthefalseconceptsofsolipsism,onerealizesthemindisinfactunconsciousandprogrammedtointerpretsituationsinaspecificmannerintruereality.Furthermore,avirtualrealitygeneratorcould,inprinciple,createanyphysicallypossibleeventinthemultiverseifitisprogrammedcorrectly.Returningtotheconceptofparalleluniverses,thereareevidentwaysinwhichthemultiversegoeshand‐in‐handwithvirtual‐realitygenerators.Inhisdescriptionofvirtual‐realitygenerators,Deutschsays,“Theconnectionbetweenthephysicalworldandtheworldsthatarerenderableinvirtualrealityisfarcloserthanitlooks...Thereisnosuchthingasavirtual‐realityenvironmentthattheuserwouldbecompelled

hadalwaysfoundthatmymindwasclearerafterIexpelledmythoughtsintotheworldwithwords,givingthemshapeandmeaning.MyWritingColleaguehadmanagedtotransformmyemptyramblingintoajourneyofinspiration.Asweconversedshewouldnotifymewhenaninterestingidealingeredintheair.Imadesuretocapturethismomentonpaper,andIwrotedowneverytimeapotentialpointwasproduced.IthenplacedthispaperdownandchosetheavenueIwouldfollow.ThefirstthingIwrote,whichtookseveralhourstodo,wasmyintroductoryparagraph.Itookthispiecetomyprofessorandwecontinuedtheconversation.HereadovertheparagraphandaskedmehowIwouldgivemerittomyargumentaboutforgiveness.AsIverballyconstructedmyjustificationsInoticedthathewasabletoaidmeinfocusingandstrengtheningmyideas.Ijotteddowntheseideas,andbeforeIlefthisofficehoursIrealizedthatwhatIhadcreatedwasmyinitialoutline.Equippedwithablueprintformyessay,theconcretenessofmyarguments,andthefoundationofmyintroduction,Ibegantheessay’sconstruction.WhenIlefttheinformativemeetingfortheFYWPIfoundthatonepointresonatedwithme.Thecommitteewouldbeprofessorsandfellowsfromacrossdisciplines.Iunderstoodthatmyessaywasstrong,butits’audiencewaslimited.IscheduledameetingwithaWritingFellowtheMondayrightafterthemeeting.IstartedourmeetingwithaconversationandItoldherhowIwantedtoexpandthescopeofmyessayandrefineit.ShewasenthusiasticthatItoldherthis,andeverytimeshefoundsomethingthatshewantedtoknowmoreofImadesuretocirclethatparagraph.Ithentooktheessayandparagraphmyparagrapheditedandrevisedit,Iwantedtomakesurethateverysinglepartofthispaperreflectedmythesis.AftermeetingwithoneFellow,Ireturnedforanotherappointmenttogainanotherperspective.AsIconversedwithmoreFellows,Iwantedtoheareachinterpretationoftheessaytheyheld.Iwantedtoknowifmyargumentwasclearanduniversallyunderstood.Afterseekingmultipleperspectives,Idecidedtogetsomespacefromtheessay.IrememberwalkingintotheCTLnotexpectingtoworkontheessayforthecompletion,Iwaslookingtoworkonanotheressay.Yet,Ifoundmyselfrelyingonthisnewinsightofmywritingprocessagain.AftertheWritingFellowreadtheessayweengagedinsimilarconversationI

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Forgiveness:TheOpportunitytoRelocatetheLight

WilliamSamayoaNominatedbyProf.MichaelDobkowski

FSEM18L:GenocideandtheModernAge

PromptSimonWiesenthal'sTheSunflowerexplorestheissuesofjustice,forgiveness,repentanceandreconciliation.Indoingsoheprobestothecoreofthehumanencounterwithevil,drawingonreligioustraditions,psychology,philosophy,andthepersonalexperiencesofvictimsandevenaperpetrator.Focusingonone(maybetwo?)oftheessaysinthesymposium,reflectonthefollowingquestions:Isforgivingalwaysmoremoralthanrefusingtoforgive?Isiteverimmoraltoforgive?Isrepentanceapre‐conditionforforgivenessandwhatdoesrepentanceentail?Whatdoesforgivenesshavetodowithgenocide?

CoverLetterWhenIfirstreceivedtheemailfrommyFSEMprofessorinformingmeofthenominationIalmostfelloutofmyseat.Despitethebittercoldthatswirledaroundme,Ifeltawarmthbegintoradiateoutfrommychest.Itwastheburningfireofpride.ThisnominationissignificanttomebecauseitvalidatedthatthehoursofconversationandmyriadofpagesIscribedinreallydidcreateapiecerichofrhetoricandeloquence.Iamwritingthislettertobothexpresstheenormousjoythisnominationhasproducedinmeandsecondly,torevealhowthisessayandIachievedthishonor.AtthetimeIwasassignedthisessay,whichrequiredmetoexploretheconceptofforgivenessinthecontextofgenocide,Iwasstrugglingwithmyownpersonaldefinitionofforgiveness.IsawthisessayasmorethanjustapaperIhadtoturnin,IsawitasanopportunitytoreallyexplorewithinmyselftofindwhatIthoughtforgivenesswas.Whenitcametobeginwriting,Inoticedthatratherthanfillingupmynotebookpageswithmyusualtreeofideas,Ifoundmywordsandideasfillinguptheroom.I

tointerpretasphysicallyimpossible”(119). Knowingallparalleluniversesmustalsoadheretothelawsofphysics,anyvirtual‐realitysimulationisanaccurateportrayalofauniversesomewherewithinthemultiverse.Overall,paralleluniversesandvirtualrealityarecomplementsofoneanother;ifoneispossibleunderthelawsofphysicsthensoistheother.Tobetterconveytherelationbetweenthetwo,Deutschclaims,“Theexistenceofvirtualrealitydoesnotindicatethatthehumancapacitytounderstandtheworldisinherentlylimited,but,onthecontrary,thatitisinherentlyunlimited.Itisnoanomalybroughtaboutbytheaccidentalpropertiesofhumansenseorgans,butisafundamentalpropertyofthemultiverseatlarge”(103).Thedevelopmentofvirtual‐realityisanecessarycomponenttofullyunderstandingthemultiverseandthusthebreadthofreality.Byanalyzingsolipsism,paralleluniverses,andvirtualrealitycollectively,flawedconceptionsofrealityareruledoutandconclusionsaboutthetruenatureofrealitybegintosurface.Themajorityoftheseaspectspointstowardsthenotionofparalleluniversesasthebasisofreality.Insummation,thewholeofrealityismadeupofalargenumberofuniverses,allinteractingthroughparticleinterferenceandfollowingthelawsofphysics.Furthermore,astechnologicaladvancementsinthefieldofvirtualrealityprogress,simulationoftheseparalleluniverseswillallowforadditionalunderstandingofthemultiverse.Asadeeperknowledgeofthemultiversethroughvirtual‐realitygenerationisdeveloped,humankindwillfurtherbreachthegapbetweenperceivedrealityanditstruenature.

Bibliography

Deutsch,David.TheFabricofReality.NewYork:VikingAdult,1997.Print.

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FirstYearWritingPrizeNomineesonWriting

MyFSEMwasacoursethatcreatedmanyfirstsformeasastudent,forinstance,composting,butalsoenjoyingandbeingproudofsubmittingworkthatwasthebestofmyability.Havingawritingcolleaguechangedmyentireexperiencewithwriting,becausetheideaofsomeoneseeingmywritingatitsrawestwasfrightening,especiallywhenthatpersonheldmyfutureintheirgradingbook.HavingmywritingcolleaguetheretosupportmeandcritiquemewasthebestlearningexperiencethatIcouldhaveaskedfromHobartand

WilliamSmithColleges.‐AlyssaS.Kelly

There'sacertainvulnerabilitywithaskingsomeonetoreadyourwork.You’renotonlyputtingyourselfintheirhandsbutalsoimplicitlysaying,“Itrustyoutodothisformesopleasedon'tletmedown”.Forsomeonewhoisadecidedlyaggressiveintrovert,thisprospectisinpart

terrifying,inpartcompletelyimpossible.‐ElizabethDunne

IwassopassionateaboutwhatIwaswritingIdidn’twanttostop,soIdidn’t.‐JonathanThrall

ThisresearchpaperwasthemostdifficultandmostinvolvedpieceofwritingthatIhaveeverworkedon.I

neverneededtosearchforandlookintosomanysourcesbefore.Ineverneededtocompilesomanysourcesin

ordertoweavethemsointricatelyintomyownideasandargumentsbefore.Ineverneededtoargueathesisthatdelvesintosuchanobscurepartofhistorybefore.Assuch,itshouldbeawonderthatIwasabletoputthispaper

togetheratall.‐AustinJennings

Writingbecamemysupport,thethingthatallowedmetoprocessandinternalizethesubjects.Andatthesame

time,writingallowedmetopaintmyemotions,myfearsandmyidealsonablankcanvas.…Irealizedthatwritingwillalwaysbeessentialtomydiscoveryand

reflectionofmyselfandtheworldaroundme.‐SarahWalters

Ihadnevercompletedafactsheetbefore.Ipreferredtostaywithintherealmoftypingblackontowhitewitha

titleasmyonlycreativeleap.‐AlyssaS.Kelly

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