Journal 5 Karlyn Finnerty

Part 1:

The corona virus hasn’t changed my reality all that much, except for the fact that I am living at home again, and not in my apartment in Marion. There was a quick scare in my family for a few weeks when we thought that my stepdad had the Coronavirus, because he had multiple symptoms of the virus. He was lucky enough to be tested, and we found out yesterday that his test was negative. This was a big challenge for my family, because my stepdad has two boys and if the test didn’t come back positive he wouldn’t have been able to see them for a long time. We are very happy that his test came back negative, so the boys could come back, and our lives could return to a somewhat normal situation.

Part 2:

“ ‘Only through rigorous and ruthless questioning of the self can we hope to arrive at any kind of truth.’ “

In the section called “Telling the truth” it discusses how to write about true events, even though the full truth of things can often times be complicated. Whether it’s remembering events of the past, that someone may not remember fully, or remembering a situation differently than what actually happened because of wishing things had been different. This can complicate the writing process, but that’s why creative non-fiction writers do a lot of research, and question other people about the events they are trying to write about in order to know they are writing the the truth.

Why do you think that the truth is so important to creative non-fiction writers? Is knowing the truth an important factor in your life?




There may be two sides to a story, both of them can be the truth.

Journal 5 - Alex Harris

Part One.
One of the ways that my reality has changed due to the Covid-19 pandemic is in my day to day life in regards to scheduling tasks. My job is in the food service industry and as a result, was one of the first places to be closed down due to Corona. Between that and the fact that all classes have been converted to an online format I have found myself struggling to maintain any form of schedule from day to day, which means that I have difficulty retaining any feeling of normalcy during these chaotic times. Not needing to be anywhere at any time, and even being encouraged to stay at home has meant that I often find myself aimlessly whiling away the hours. I'm also finding it much more difficult to track and keep on top of my responsibilities and assignments. For example, the other day I had an a quiz due in one of my other classes, but I wasn't tracking it until it was nearly due, and I almost didn't have enough time to complete it. It's important to do your part to help slow the spread of Covid-19, but it's also important to do what you can to reduce the negative impact that self-isolating has on your psyche. To that end, I've started trying to be up at my usual time, as well as immediately assigning myself a task to try and complete as soon as I wake up, in order to maintain a sense of order.

My question to the class is: What steps are you taking in order to maintain your emotional well-being and feeling of normalcy in the face of the current state of the world?

I found myself inspired by Max's book recommendation. This movie is also not a good idea to watch if you're freaking out, but I found the insight into the way the CDC operates in times of crisis, and its themes of panic being almost worse than the pandemic itself fascinating.

Part Two.
"Perhaps most important, is a mode of thinking and being, an attempt 'to test, to make a run at something without knowing whether you are going to succeed'" (183).

This quote is something that I think is incredibly important to us students, both as young writers, and as young people going out in the world. The idea that, regardless of if you accomplish something, the most important part is that you tried. I personally have had projects that I have given up on before even attempting because I was sure it would't turn out how I wanted.
I find this idea to be a lot like this class in general: many of the things we have written about in this class are not things that I would have normally attempted, both because it's outside of my usual comfort zone, and because I wouldn't think that they would turn out any good. However being 'forced' to write them for this class has meant that I have had to write things that I'm not sure will turn out the way that I wanted. Some of the pieces I haven't liked, but some are works that I'm fairly proud of, and that have pushed me to expand my horizons.

Journal 5 by Steven wappenstein

Hello everyone,

The Coronavirus has changed many aspects of my life, one way it has changed my life is by forcing me to be at home most of the time, which is a bummer. It also has made me much more cautious at my work environment, a local grocery store, as the stores are/ will be major points where the contagion can be. I have adopted a few methods to try and prevent myself from getting the virus. Washing my hands, then after washing my hands using hand sanitizer, then wearing plastic gloves, and then after that refraining from touching my face.

“And don’t stand on ceremony. We are accustomed to being on our best behavior in the formal academic essay. Figuratively speaking we fold our hands in our laps and speak in a moderate tone of voice, making sure not to alienate our audience.”

This quote reminded me of my sophomore year of high school in biology class. Our biology teacher had been gone from the class for at least a week from what I could remember, after having a substitute teacher for a while the actual bio teacher came back to class and explained why he was gone. So he describe how he was recovering from how his neighbor, which he was good friends with, had killed himself. The teacher gave his students a moment of brutal honesty, he didn’t try to sugar coat what had happened, he didn’t try to make what he was talking about interesting. He just didn’t “stand on ceremony” when he told his story, even though I am sure the school administration would have preferred him to do so. He showed his students his humanity, something teachers rarely show to their students.


In light of everyone probably being a little depressed about the corona virus, I thought I would make a meme here:



Caption: corona extra sales drop as a result of people thinking the virus and the beer were related... Wait, this was supposed to sound like something out of the onion, how the hell was this a real news story.

Journal Five From Max

Part One:

The biggest change that the corona virus has made in me is with my compassion. In the earlier stages of the diseases spread through Ohio, beginning with those three cases in Cuyahoga County, I was a being a little bit selfish. Being young and in good health, I didn't feel like it was a direct threat against me. I had even planned on going to a Bernie rally which was taking place in Cleveland at the time. I really needed someone to give me a reality check, and thankfully, my grandpa did. I live with my grandparents and my grandpa is a 70 year old man who suffers from poly cystic kidney disease and a very weak immune system. When I told him I was thinking about heading up to Cleveland, he said, "Well bring hand sanitizer, cause if I catch this thing, I may just die."

He was completely joking when we he said this with a smile on his face, but with the widespread infection that has occurred all over the country in the past couple of weeks, that statement has been cemented into my conscious. I realized that a contagion like this spreads, because selfish people like me don't realize that being low risk doesn't mean you're not involved in the danger. I implore everyone to be more compassionate to the people you live with during this pandemic. Being stuck in your house can be depressing and mind numbing, but right now the world may as well be covered with gasoline. It's up to us to try our best not to light it.

I highly recommend this book if you want to prepare for the worst.
Don't read it if you're already freaking yourself out.

Part Two:

"Blurs Boundaries Between Genres 'Creative nonfiction...brings artistry to information and actuality to imagination, and it draws upon the expressive aim that lies below the surface in all writing'" (182, FGIB)

This is an excerpt very early on in our reading over break that really shows the importance of creative nonfiction as a medium. The most common misunderstanding that I've seen with creative nonfiction is that it is simply just retelling what happened. It's impossible to get wrong, because you have all of the facts. Hearing this infuriates me, because the language we use completely changes the gravity, emotion, and impact of a piece. This completely discounts the skill and craft that go behind composing in this genre. The thing that I find so fascinating about creative nonfiction is it's ability to take the facts and siphon a story out of them.

I think it would be odd not to relate my question to these claims. Do you guys agree that there is more involved with the artistry of telling a story rather than the events surrounding it? Also, should the author try his best to remain "invisible" and not meddle with how these facts are represented? I wonder if any of you guys have ever felt that an author has gotten in the way of their piece. Please do tell.

Journal #5 - Ciera Yamarick

Part 1:
My reality has changed in a way where I've become even more aware about the workings of health care professionals and my part in helping the situation. My father is the Director of the ER at Riverside Methodist hospital while I have 2 sisters who are nurses in the Neuro ICU at the same place; needless to say, the medical career path runs in my family. I've grown up around their work, but recently I find myself wanting to help the stress of their situation as much as I can. I see my father going into panic mode as people are going to him for protocol and my sisters getting worried too about how everything is going to work out. They're doing everything they can to keep people healthy, so I should use my abilities to do the same. I'm following the rules of the lockdown and following what is told to us, at least to lower the risk of catching the virus and passing it to my family. The isolation isn't always good for my mental health, but abiding by to what we're told is the new reality that we have to adjust to. I'm someone who dislikes when having things out of my control, but even the slightest of routine changes can help. These measures are the responsible thing to do, and it's given me some peace of mind when trying to give any grace to health care professionals like my family.

Part 2:
"One of the great pleasures of writing creative nonfiction is the opportunity it gives you to go from thought to thought, and from one place and time to the next" (196).

With this genre, it's refreshing to have flexibility with its' structure. As the textbook talks about, high school definitely emphasizes the idea of a 5 paragraph format for non fiction writings especially. However, with this you can create a unique structure with short paragraphs or long paragraphs and singular sentences to get your idea across to the reader. I find myself being drawn to a formulaic way of writing, however this genre challenges such way of thinking. I think of things to be done in one way, when in reality there are many different processes. This will help me branch out as a writer to create my own structure instead of following a 5 paragraph format.

Question: How far is too far when telling a truth or opinion in creative nonfiction?

This just shows the different components of the genre, and how these writings can push the limits that other forms of writing may not.

Journal 5 from Mitchel

Part 1: It hasn't really changed all that much for me. The biggest thing that's changed really is my work just shut down for 2 weeks.  Besides that, everything else is normal.

Part 2: It wrestles with the "stench of ego" trying to reveal the writer's true self without seeming narcissistic and proud. To me this quote sums up what a writer is while writing a novel or a book. Writers everywhere try to put themselves in their books without making it all about them.

My question is how is it going for everyone else? What seems to be your favorite part so far?

Dylan's Journal #5

Part One:
From the very onset of the Coronavirus pandemic I tried to keep myself in a less selfish than usual state of mind. Even if my odds of survival were good as a relatively healthy young man I knew that those with weak immune systems and the elderly were not so fortunate. I made sure that even though I had to interact with the public because the gas station I work at was to remain open, I would be extra mindful of washing my hands well and disinfecting what I could so as to do my part in preventing the virus from being transmitted.

I think one of the most eye-opening and disappointing realizations I've had due to the pandemic is the tendency for Americans to act very brazenly in the face of serious matters. This refusal to accept the gravity of the situation is predominately what lead to the "Stay Home Order" because nobody took the expert suggestions seriously. On a day to day basis I encounter people who think the whole think is no big deal and the shutdown is stupid.

Part Two:
"If I can't display at least a minimal understanding of the subject about which I am writing, I will lose the confidence and the support of the people who must provide access to the experience."

This quote about the importance of research in creative non-fiction struck me as I began to think about how in past decades the process of getting works published would by nature subject the piece of writing to a great deal of scrutiny. However, it is my belief that in the internet age research from the writer's perspective has become more of a moral/ethical question than one of how will I get someone to print this. I'm sure everyone has had a relative share some crazy "article" posted by an online only newspaper that hides behind the guise of satire. Articles like that can often be so dangerous because inevitably the publisher of such works cares very little about the factual truths and hold their writers only to the standard of writing what gets the most clicks. With so much shoddy information so easily accessed there is an article on any subject to confirm your beliefs, because it seems like in today's age that's what matters, not the truth, but making every person feel like what they think is correct.

My question to the class is: Where do you find yourself leaning in the Bacon v. Montaigne debate? I personally prefer to read the Bacon style writing with argumentative succinctness.



Our testing for the virus has not been very efficient compared to the rest of the world.