Context and Reflection

This piece of writing , “The Streets of Venice,” is a Slice of Life that I wrote about halfway through the year. I chose this piece because I think it originally had a lot of room for improvement, but could end up being much better. I made many revisions to it; I emphasized the phrase “Show, don’t tell” in my revisions, and focused on using the five senses in my writing. I also tried to use a lot of figurative language to make my writing more rich and more interesting to read. I  tried to use every sense, including smell, which is not used very often compared to senses like sight. I used comparative similes and metaphors to enhance the reader’s ability to understand the feeling I had in the city. Overall, I worked very hard to improve this piece of writing that I wrote earlier in the year, and I think it shows all that I have learned this year.

The Streets of Venice

I felt a cool breeze sweep past me as I strolled along the nearly empty faded brick streets of Venice, Italy, trying to absorb all of the breathtaking sights. Somehow, walking through this city felt like finally being able to breathe after a lifetime of suffocating; everything felt exciting and new, yet something about it felt so familiar.

It was Christmas Eve, and many of the shops and buildings were decorated with wreaths and long strands of twinkling lights hung over the streets. The amazing detail in the towering arches of colossal stone buildings were magnificent, and caused me to stop now and then, squinting my eyes at the ornate pictures and figures. In front of multiple buildings were tall sculptures or statues, carved from beautiful marble. These were simply astonishing, each scene or figure so carefully depicted and detailed- you would never have imagined that someone actually made each sculpture with just their hands.

This was, without a doubt, one of the most glorious cities of the Roman Empire, and even now you could still catch glimpses of the city’s past in its overall stature and elegance. This was the floating city, the city of bridges, whatever you want to call it. There were moments when I just sat on a bench or the steps of a building and paused to look around at every intricacy, though I knew it was impossible to see everything this city had to offer.

And the dazzling aroma; you could smell it everywhere, whether it be mouth-watering food, or the perfume of eye-catching flowers from various floristries. I could even just enjoy the fresh, slightly brisk morning air, signaling winter. The beauty of this wondrous place was utterly exhilarating.

While strolling the streets, I even met a card magician, who was welcoming and friendly to every passer-by. Venice seemed to envelope me in it’s warm feel, and I felt so far away from the rest of the world, yet at the same time, in the center of it. I knew from the moment I entered the city that I would never forget this place, and the surreal experience I had here.

About the Author

As a student, I am usually an overachiever, and like to do more than what is required. I like to be creative with my writing, and I like to be very descriptive. I think I improved a lot over this year, both with using GUMS in my writing, and with figurative language. Last year, I made many mistakes with run-on sentences and other grammar mistakes. I also made mistakes with not using figurative language, making my writing very boring. Now, I know how properly follow the GUMS rules, because of all the practice we did with them at the beginning of the year. I also know how to include descriptive words and figurative language, because of how much we practiced it in the middle of the school year, in our Slices of Life, and also in our Nanowrimo stories. Overall, I have learned more about bringing my writing pieces to life, and making them more grammatically correct, along with more interesting.