Devitt-Generalizing about Genre

In this essay, Devitt explains the new concepts of genre that is developing and she offers some suggestions on how it effects our thinking and writing. In the beginning of the essay, Devitt addresses the old conceptions of genre. She explains that genre is merely a sytem of literary criticism that divides writing based on it's forms. This makes genre a a normalizing and formulaic concept. Writers find it hard to break out of the generic constraints. However, this form of knowledge and genre is not easily discarded due to it's long history. This type of generalization has lead us to create the five-paragraph essay, the introductory paragrpah, and even the fourteen line sonnet. While this general concept of genre is all we know, Devitt explains a new concept that is developing. This new concepts relates genre to a rhetorical situation. The rhetorical response to writing or a text is what classifies the genre. The text not only reflects the genre but, it reflects the situation as well. This new idea has the ability to connect the reader and the writer as well as the process and the product. It is believed that this will help people better understand the concept of genre.
I think this is a fscinating concept. I agree with the new concept of genre. It seems more interesting and easier to understand. However, I also think it will be very hard to stray away from what we already know. Letting go of the old concept will not be easy.

Moss-Literacy in African American Churches

Beverly J. Moss analyzes a conversation between two communities in which she belonged to. The first community is her academic community and the second is her church community. Moss discovers the ways in which these two different communities use literacy and how they relate to each other. In order to guide her analysis, Moss used four basic questions to generate research. These questions consisted of:

1. What constitutes a text, particularly a literate text, in this setting?
2. How are what has been traditionally viewed as the components of the rhetorical situation,-rhetor, audience, message-affected by an alternative view of text that I argue for in this book?
3. How does this "new" concept of literacy and text function in African-American churches?
4. How does this alternative conceptulization of literacy and text impact on traditional notions of literacy and text?

The questions Moss used to generate her research helped me when I was working on my Literacy in Communities project. I really used her essay as a tour guide when trying to create ideas for my paper. Although my topic (Organic Community) is a much different topic than literacy in African-American churches, I was able to look past the academic setting of literacy and text and focus on how people use literacy everyday after reading her essay. In my project I tried to answer at least two of her general questions or address them in one way or another. I also agree with her views on literacy as a social process. My project was very much a social community and the process in which they use literacy really proves that. Moss' piece was an incredible help towards my project. After reading her essay, I felt more comfortable with my paper.

Gere-Kitchen Tables and Rented Rooms

Anne Ruggles Gere explores the idea of extracurriculum composition in her essay Kitchen Tables and Rented Rooms: The Extracurrciculum of Composition. Gere describes the way different communities use composition and how the meaning of it has changed over time. The two different towns use literacy to form workshops, reading clubs, and ways for ordinary people to express themselves through writing. The workshops allow for these average people to become motivated writers, better their writing skills, and encourage constructive criticism. The writing in these communities has even helped create clubs and literacy shelters for homeless people or laws to for better farming practices. I can relate to the people and workshops discussed in this essay. I have always found the writing workshops to be extremely helpful as well as interesting. I enjoy hearing what others have to say and love getting feedback on my writing. Although most of my current writing is for school purposes, I find the workshops allow me to get the best grade possible. Writing workshops allow writing to evolve and I feel improve literacy throughout communities.

Harris- The Idea of Community

In The Idea of Community in the Study of Writing, Joseph Harris challenges the term "communities." Harris feels that there is nothing behind the term community. Since community is such a broad term, Harris explains that it has no positive opposing term therefore it is meaningless or sentimental. Harris criticizes Bartholomae's Inventing the University for trying to make communities distinct. Harris argues that students or writers cannot "reinvent" something that has already been invented. Harris claims that all writers, especially students, have access to any language or style of writing but choose to not use it. If writers have access to this language, they should have the ability to negotiate different styles in order to become a better writer. I do not agree with Harris' point. As a writer, I do believe there are different communities of writing. For instance, when creating my resume I would use a much different style of writing than when I am at school. I would have to adapt to the business community in order to have a successful resume. Using different styles of writing, language, and tone I am adapting to the different communities of discourse. There are different communities of writing for a reason. Each person takes in information differently and therefore needs specific styles of discourse to relay certain information.

Bartholomae-Inventing the University

From the essay, Inventing the University, David Bartholomae discusses the concept of reinventing voice to fit the needs of the audience. Bartholomae makes some very valuable points about the discourse community. He notes that writers, especially students, must learn to speak the language of the different discourse communities in which they are trying to relate to. The writer must first establish authority in their writing. The next step is to establish a relationship with the audience by forming the right subject and language. Another way in which Bartholomae addresses how writers reinvent themselves is through imitations. Students refer to imitations in their writing to relate to the various universal audiences. I can relate to this point because I see it in my own writing. I write using various styles or tone to appeal to my audience. For example, in school I try to use the more academic, formulaic, or formal writing but on my own time I choose to use the less formal approach by using slang or internet speech such as "lol" or "idk." I know that as a writer the intended purpose of my writing must adapt to the readers needs. Bartholomae did an excellent job in trying to explain and defend this argument.