Hannon Young

2/5/18
Port 493
Critical Thinking & Expression Reflection

Why did you choose each artifact? How does each demonstrate the criteria for each
section?
Included in this section, you will find two artifacts showcasing critical thinking.
The first is a persuasive paper written over a year ago, analyzing a short story by Sophia
de Mello Breyner Andresen called “O Homem”. The second source is a research paper
completed in the fall of 2017 on the topic of metaphorical cannibalism during Brazil’s
modernist movement. While both documents display higher-level analysis, they are
distinct in that the persuasive paper is based on a piece of literature and the second
features an in-depth research paper based on historical evidence.
The persuasive paper is a critical edition to the portfolio because it was one of the
first analytical papers I wrote after returning home from Brazil. While immersed in the
country, I interacted with native speakers on a daily basis. However, my formal writing
opportunities were much less frequent, evidenced by an occasional email to the regional
manager regarding our progress in the area. Thus, this persuasive essay represents
laborious the fruit of two Portuguese grammar classes at BYU after returning from
Brazil. Combining analysis of Biblical passages and exerts from the literary text itself,
this essay assumes a bold claim, which is supported by direct quotes throughout the
essay.
“Engolindo o modernismo brasileiro”, the research paper included in this section,
also exhibits a similar analytical structure. Like the persuasive essay, this paper also
includes specifically-chosen quotes and events to support the claim that Oswald de
Andrade’s article, Manifesto Antropófago is not actually about cannibalism, but about
establishing a new Brazilian identity separate from their motherland. This essay
demonstrates a considerable understanding of the civilization of Brazil, the impact of the
modern literary movement of the 1920s, and the connections between the two. Another
key reason for including this paper is because it is the most extensive research paper I
have yet completed in the Portuguese language.

What skills & knowledge have you developed in this area as a Portuguese Major?
While I have always loved writing in my native tongue, writing in a second
language requires a great deal more effort and time. Over the years, I have learned that
there is no shame in writing with a bilingual dictionary open and a list of helpful
transitional phrases to reference. I have also learned to formulate a clear thesis and
defend it in Portuguese. Furthering my understanding of Portuguese grammar has also
made me a more effective writer.

What plans or goals do you have for furthering to develop this area?
Looking forward, I would like to continue developing my critical thinking skills
in Portuguese by reading more scholarly articles written in the language. Over time, it has
become clear to me that one of my weaknesses in the language is my limited vocabulary.
And so, I believe one way to strengthen this weakness is to read more scholarly articles in
the target language. If I continue to read literature at a comfortable level, I will not be
able to expand my vocabulary as well as if I challenged myself to more academic articles.
As I broaden my understanding of Portuguese words, I will be better prepared to
understand and formulate critical arguments.