The most challenging project of my first year writing experience was a critical analysis I was asked to write on a specific interpretation of John Donne's devotional poetry and prose. My essay examined Helen Wilcox's reading of Donne's Devotions, which focused on the way Donne used rhetorical devices to express and elaborate on theological matters.
I found this piece of writing particularly challenging because I was asked to do an in-depth critical examination of one analyst's reading of Donne's work, which I had not done before. Previously, I had examined works through a variety of secondary sources and interpretations, but I had never had to focus solely on one. I initially found it somewhat difficult to center my analysis on Wilcox's argument rather than simply examining Donne's work itself. This project was helpful, however, as it forced me to begin developing a critical skill for college-level writing, the examination and interpretation of previous writing on academic and literary subjects.