Reflection on class paper

Reflection on class, learning, and assignments 1-page Reflection on From Script to Screen: Deconstructing Peeles Films During Winter 2026, I took the course From Script to Screen: Deconstructing Peeles Films with Professor Carlisle at Evergreen State College. The course focused on analyzing the films of Jordan Peele and examining how his work reshapes modern horror through themes of race, identity, and social commentary. Before taking the class, the only film by Peele that I had seen was Get Out. Through our class discussions and assignments, I was introduced to his other films, including Us and Nope. Studying these films helped me see how horror can be used not just for entertainment but as a powerful lens for examining society and cultural fears. One of the most valuable aspects of the class was learning how to analyze film scenes for symbolism, imagery, and meaning. Assignments such as analyzing a key scenes symbolism and writing about the question What do we fear today? pushed me to think more critically about how filmmakers construct tension and communicate deeper messages through visual storytelling. I began to understand that horror often reflects the anxieties of a particular moment in history. In Peeles films, fear becomes a way to explore issues such as race, power, and belonging in modern America. Another major component of the course involved creative writing. Professor Carlisles writing prompts encouraged us to engage with the material not only analytically but creatively. One assignment required us to develop a script proposal for a short film concept, followed by drafting a short screenplay. This was my first experience writing in screenplay format. At first it felt unfamiliar, but as I worked through the assignment, I discovered that the structure of screenplay writingdialogue, action, and visual descriptionallowed ideas to move quickly and creatively across the page. Writing my own horror screenplay sparked something unexpected for me. It reminded me of when I was younger and used to write poetry in high school. The process brought back the feeling that writing can be a personal and imaginative outlet. I also began to recognize how the stories and themes I enjoy reading for pleasuremystery, suspense, and psychological tensionnaturally appeared in my own writing. In this way, the assignment helped me see that creative work often reflects the writers inner thoughts, interests, and perspective on the world. What I take away most from this class is a deeper appreciation for how storytelling works across different forms of media. Film is not only entertainment; it can also be a way to explore difficult conversations and social realities. At the same time, the creative assignments reminded me that writing can be both analytical and expressive. This class helped me reconnect with a creative side of myself that I had not explored in years, and it encouraged me to think about storytelling as a way to reflect ideas, experiences, and imagination.