Research Essay Topic

Topic: Is it possible for anyone to be successful at creating art?

Reason: I have always caught myself thinking about this question. People perform the work of arts everyday without even realizing. Art is extremely expressive and inspiring throughout our world. A recent survey was taken in an elementary school. The question was "do you consider yourself an artist?" 99.9% of the kindergarten class answered yes, but then when the surveyor presented this question the fifth graders the percentage dramatically changed. Only three of the fifth graders answered yes. The studies showed that the kids lost the desire to practice their artistic abilities when they thought they had no talent. I believe that anything you set your mind to you can achieve or gain talent. Therefore that is why this topic is important to me. I am not only curious to see what studies show, but I also want to make new discovery about the topic. 

Discovery Essays with examples from Ballenger

“The research essay is much more likely to encourage the habits of the mind that encourage  genuine inquiry, including suspending judgment, begging with questions not answers and accepting ambiguity as a natural part of the process.” This quote from Ballenger is a perfect example of how Garrett Brown and Holmquist tackle their essay. Each author had a simple question that needed to be resolved. And in the process of finding that answer  the author cracks open a whole new world, making discoveries towards each of their answers.

            Each author’s essay is fueled by a question. For instance, in Browns essay her main focus is tanning. She wonders why people artificially tan, and who invented the idea that it was attractive to have an extra-bronzed skin tone.  In Holmquist’s essay “An Experience in Acronyms” he wants to explore the facts about drugs. Holmiqust has many branches to his question. He seeks to find out more information on the drugs he once used at raves. (LSD, MDMA, GHB) He mentions these drugs created a long on going argument between him and his friends. The “great safe drug debate” is what he refers to it as. This then brings him to a different area of research; he wants a better understanding as to what it is that attracts people to these drugs.

            Brown and Holmquist show two very good examples of a discovery essay. Although in my opinion each essay is extremely different. Brown develops her essay with a clearly presented question. Yet as she begins to research and write about it she begins to gain realization about the topic.  Brown begins her essay saying, “It seems completely asinine on the surface to waste  money and time on a prepaid tan that will only result in prematurely leathered and wrinkled skin and a much higher risk of developing skin cancers.” The reader quickly gets the indication that she is aggravated with the idea of artificial tanning. Throughout Browns essay she takes the reader on a roller coaster ride, first she states that tanning is horrible and then she begins to place herself in other people’s shoes. Well, only the pale people’s shoes! She then starts to wrap up her essay by concluding that she herself feels more comfortable putting on a bathing suit when her skin is nice and golden.  She began her essay wanting to know why people artificially tanned and as she began to research and explore the topic she begins to understand why people would have the desire to artificially tan.

            Holmquist brings the discovery essay to a whole new and very personal level. Since he is a victim of the affect drugs can have on an individual we get a close look at the series of events he went through.  As I read the essay I gained  not only respect for him but also lots of knowledge about the drugs he took at raves. Holmiquist not only told the reader about his “trips” but he described them in depth.  He talked about the music entering through his ears and taking over his body. This shows perfect example of how drugs can enable you from having control. His essay takes a depressing shift when he begins to talk about his friend Chris. Eighteen, brilliant, and artist was the description Holmiquist used. Here he uses another example of a “trip”; although this trip did not have such a happy ending.  “He was headed for great ness until about three years ago one of our friends thought it would be fun to drop a vial (about 100 hits) of liquid LSD into his drink. He never came down from that trip” This shows the serious side effects that drugs can have on an individual. The fact that it happened to one of the author’s friends is a  perfect example that shows it can happen to anyone.

            Each essay unleashed new discoveries that the authors found while they were writing. I enjoyed both of the essays, but each for different reasons. Each author presented sources that influenced the way I thought about their topic. Holmiquist engaged on a more person level than Brown did. Artificial tanning was something that personally aggravated Brown, which in a way connected the two essays. Ballenger shows great ways to tell if  a topic is researchable. Such as: Is it this right size? Has something already been said about it? Does it raise more questions? Does it matter?  Now that I have read Holmquist and Brown’s essay I am inspired to write one of my own! I hope to discover new light in the topic that I choose, and find out new information about myself that I did not know before!

Hogg and Black

When reading Hogg’s “I’m a Believer” I was initially surprised how much I was lured into the text. But lets face it, she had my complete attention when she began to talk about her childhood crush. All ages of readers can relate to her situation! At some point in our lives we have all suffered with a serious infatuation situation over a boy (or girl!). In Hogg’s case she was obsessing over a teen idol; we all have those too! I enjoyed her writing style.

She also throws in a little bit of wit and humor to her essays. For instance on page B8 “I am unable to move. I can’t stand behind Davy Jones and slop mashed potatoes on my plate while he pours gravy over his just ahead of me. I stare at him the whole time he fills his plate, except when I look around the restaurant to see if everyone else is staring at Davy. They aren’t. “ When reading this I had such a clear image of this happening in my head. I can see Hogg trembling while standing behind a door that looks into the dinning room of the hotel, drooling over Davy and trying to convince herself with reason as to why she should go in. Hogg does a wonderful job at keeping the reader entertained by throwing in completely unexpected text. Such as on page B5 “I remember that Davy came from poor beginnings, named his… Willie”.

When Hogg concludes the passage she leaves the rest the story up to the readers imagination. Normally I do not like when authors, or TV shows leave the viewer hanging. I want to know what is happening at that exact moment! But in Hogg’s case she is finally about to see her childhood crush, (or at this point her 50 year old crush) and ahs built up anticipation for many years fanaticizing about what she would so perfectly say to him when he was in her presence. She finally gets the chance to spend a magical moment in time with him and sadly nothing magical happens. When it is her turn to see Davy Jones she transforms herself into a normal everyday fan that is just standing in line such as everyone else, waiting for an autograph and a picture. In the last paragraph on page B10 Hogg comes to all realization. “I accept, finally, that this person I know so well I don’t really know at all, and I, the daydream beleliever, am just a fan. I stand next to him, this man so familiar and foreign. He reaches up and puts him arm around me, and we both play our roles, smiling for the camera.” From this we can conclude that after the picture was taken and the CD was signed Hogg most likely returned to her life and would store this concert as an everlasting memory. Although in my mind I like to believe that Hogg and Davy do stay up all night and play in the casino together. I must admit I am a dreamer and I always like to apply the perfect scenario to situations such as these. I enjoy turning stories into fairy tales. Who knows maybe Davy Jones and Charlotte end up getting married!

In Blacks short story “The Joy of Mud” she really excels at connecting the reader with her text. Her writing style is very descriptive and she expands on each of her sentences, causing the reader to jump into her world. I really liked how descriptive she was when talking about Hawaii. When reading her story I felt as if I could close my eyes exhale and breathe in the Hawaiian air. I was transformed into Blacks personality when I hit the second paragraph. On page B11 “He soon scoops me up in his pickup truck and we drive north along the coast, presided over by the Windward Mountains in their wet, green glory. Entering the rolling pastures of Kahalu’u, traffic narrows into a single file line; orchid farms and cows replace the Burger King s and strip malls of concrete-encased Kaneohe.” Every noun she uses is backed up by a very descriptive adverb. She really stresses the importance of the feelings she gets when She makes it evident how important and life changing Hawaii was to her. She proves to all readers that it is important not to judge things before you give them a try. Her whole out look about Hawaii changed completely when she began her work in the lo'i fields.

Although Blacks writing style in my opinion is very different than Hogg’s. I feel like I can connect as a reader better with Hogg’s story vs. Black’s. I enjoyed reading Hogg’s up beat slightly humorous story more. Where as Blacks story was centered around one thing and was very elaborate about it.