Write a 500-word discursive piece on an emotion of your choice. (Melancholy) (12 points)
In addition, write a 200-word reflection on how you have crafted your discursive (with reference
to its tone and engagement with the reader) by using a selection of conventions, key language
techniques, word choice. (8 points)
Melancholy is an emotion that puts you in a gloomy state of mind. This sad, sorrowful feeling is
a natural process, as you experience many ups and downs in life. My first encounter with
melancholy that I vividly remember was when I was in Queensland, spending the most
wonderful week participating in the national school cup championship with my team. The final
day when we packed our bags and got on the bus to the airport, a state of melancholy hit me as
I sat myself on the window seat, feeling depressed and joyless. An empty void in my heart
overwhelms me as I stare at the white sky, filled with clouds.
Melancholy isn’t just an emotion or feeling. It doesn’t just leave you downhearted and dejected
for a week. Melancholy allows you to be introspective of yourself, reflecting and open-minded,
and contemplative. Despite all the negative emotions you experience during melancholy, it
allows for a stage of growth and maturity within yourself.
So how do we learn and grow the most from our downs in life and when we feel melancholic?
Well it all starts from your mindset and mentality when you are in this state, whether you can
accept it or not. When in a state of melancholy, being reflective of yourself and being honest can
really open up a new perspective of thinking that you would have never have imagined.
Medications to help treat melancholy include psychotherapy, antidepressants, and other
physical treatments like electroconvulsive therapy.
Another aspect of melancholy is its connection to creativity and artistic expression. Many artists,
writers, and musicians throughout history have experienced and expressed this emotion in their
work. I have always been drawn to music that conveys a sense of melancholy, such as ballads
and slower tempo songs. Listening to this type of music can evoke feelings of nostalgia and
reflection, and I find that it can be a helpful way to process and express my own emotions.
Melancholy can also be caused by external events or circumstances, such as the loss of a loved
one or a significant life change. I have experienced this type of melancholy as well, such as
when my grandmother passed away. Although I was able to find solace in my memories of her
and the time we spent together, I also felt a profound sense of sadness and loss. This type of
melancholy can be difficult to navigate, as it often involves a complex mixture of emotions and
feelings.
Overall, melancholy is a complex and multifaceted emotion that can be experienced in many
different ways. It can be a source of introspection and creativity, but it can also be a source of
sadness and grief. As I have experienced throughout my own life, it is an emotion that can be
both powerful and challenging to navigate. However, I believe that by embracing and
understanding this emotion, we can find new ways to connect with ourselves and others, and to
explore the complex range of emotions that make up the human experience.
200 word reflection
When writing this discursive on empathy, my aim was to discuss the intended emotion
melancholy and to capture the reader’s attention through the use of conventions and literary
devices. To evoke personal emotions and feelings to the reader, I wrote from many different
perspectives regarding the theme of melancholy, and used personal anecdotes to establish a
connection with the reader. For literary devices, I used rhetorical questions to prompt the reader
to think for themselves and how to deal with melancholy. I effectively conveyed the message
that melancholy is not solely a state of sadness and is rather a state of self-growth,
introspection, creativity, and maturity. My tone was shaped by my word choice, and had created
an honest and positively encouraging tone while acknowledging the struggles of coping with
melancholy.
Despite all the positives of my discursive, I believe there are areas where I can improve even
further. For example, while my personal anecdotes connected with the reader, it could have
gone into more detail about the main theme of the discursive. I could have also explored a more
scientific approach and aspect of melancholy, and what happens in the brain that causes these
episodes of melancholy.