Manifesto

Courtney Bradshaw
English 1020
Professor Sumner
January 17, 2008
The Manifesto of 1020
“a public declaration of intentions, opinions, objectives, or motives, as one issued by a government, sovereign, organization or someone.”
When given this assignment to write a 750 word essay on “Manifesto,” I had no idea what I was going to write about or even what the definition of manifesto was. Once I looked up the definition, I knew that before starting this essay I could actually make my own manifesto to planning how I was going to describe what the meaning portrays to me.
A manifesto can be something as small as constructing your own diet or something as major as preparing a prospective legislation for a country. I bet numerous manifestos were made on New Years. Eager people writing outlines of how they hope their year turns out, new resolutions, or even just a commitment to stop bad habits.
Manifestos are made everyday in every country. Any written agreement of intent may not have the name “manifesto” but has the same outcome in the end. The word “manifesto” is being heard a lot more in England and other countries and not in America because me seem to use other words for the meaning. Our society uses such names as: agreement, plans, and everyday commitments.
The best example of a Manifesto in my eyes is the United States of America’s Declaration of Independence. In 1776, America was finally free from Britain. Men who became leaders that day took a stand and made a Manifesto for this country. Legislation knew it was time for a strategy if they wanted this country to grow in time. Instead of just talking about ideas, they knew they had to write out a great plan to achieve anything. Even back in those days the guys knew that they would get no where but running circles if they did not have a written intent as to how and why they are taking action. It was especially important knowing that if Legislation were to take anymore actions or risks, then every colony, not just one or two, would be wanting to withdraw from the country.
My manifesto is a list of goals I want to achieve in this semester in English 1020 all focusing on helping me become a better writer. I have never been one to enjoy writing in a formal way. I love talking and writing about fun topics. If I understand the topic needed to be written about I do not have a problem at all; it is as though everything just flows and I just type away. I do not have a problem with grammar either. My struggle is finding how to put my thoughts into correct wording in an essay. I want to become an all around better writer! I learned the differences of four different essays last semester. I made good grades but it was only because I was told the steps to take. If just given the assignment to write a synthesis essay, I do not think I could have interpreted the rules and skills just given to me by the title of the essay to understand everything to finish a paper in two weeks. I just want to fully understand in what circumstances to use certain styles or techniques in an essay. Another one of my goals of English 1020 may sound silly but it is always one that I make when joining a new class. I want to make all my classmates become my friends by April. I like having a new schedule each semester so that I can meet six new classes full of friends. I look forward to going to class and being with everyone if it is a fun and friendly environment. That does not mean we do not have to learn anything. I actually do better when I am enjoying myself because I then want to get enthralled with the work and assignments.
I have never had a love for English mainly because I have never really understood it. I enjoyed Grammar class in middle school because there was only one correct answer. It was easy to see the right correction to the wrong answer. Knowing that I could easily fix my mistakes, I never had a fear in my grammar. I dread writing essays because there is not always a blatant right and wrong way of writing. Even thought there is such broad range of outlines for an essay, allowing even more correct ways to write a paper, it just seems as though it is a harder decision for me to choose which is the “right one.” I want to feel comfortable completing any given any assignment by the end of English 1020.