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What I see and how I understand it (Texts that teach me how to use…
What I see and how I understand it
Texts that teach me how to use composition
The Book of the Courtier
Castiglione not only taught me that if I try to hard people are going to know I'm trying to hard and like me even less, but also that by speaking and writing well, by always looking to absorb more knowledge, by not limiting my knowledge, I would be far more independent and creative. I can use his composition to build my reputation and strive to be humble.
Dissoi Logoi
This anonymous author taught me, in combination of both Castiglione and Scudery, when it's appropriate to speak and ensuring that what I'm saying is worth being said. The text expands more independently than the others in its reference to how speaking wrongly can result in one sided views, similar to both Cixous and Anzaldua in breaking one sided or dominant barriers.
Conversations
Scudery was so sure of herself in her writing that we must end drab and useless conversation that she herself wrote things I felt were similar in nature. Beyond that, she did focus on having diversified conversations and building better relationships through conversation.
The common connection I saw between these three texts was they all informed me on how to use composition, mainly in how to speak and what that does to me and those around me. I felt these were some of the most basic texts because they were essentially guidelines on how to be
fancy.
Do people actually read these texts and then act on them?
Texts that teach me how to teach others
The Ecstasy of Influence
Lethem 's explanation of how plagiarism can actually be incredibly valuable for the creative process was inspiring. Just as the other two authors called attention to a problem, he expanded on how we can resolve the problem as well in ways that are more tangible than not. Although I am hesitant to say I will allow students to knowing plagiarize, I want to stress how creativity and original thought can be based off of something someone else said and that's ok, in fact, it makes the world far bigger and better.
The Fate of Rhetoric in Education
Booth fits into this grouping for me because his reflection and explanation on focusing less on traditional schooling and building more on genuine conversation is an incredibly valuable way to look at composition and how to use it in the world. I want to teach my students to actually listen to one another for the hope of learning something rather than listening only to attack. I will strive to bring this practice into how I speak and how the students I teach will speak, at least in my classroom.
Both Booth and Lethem's text seem the most connected to me, possibly from all the readings, because I feel they both can present themselves heavily in a classroom. Although the texts do comment on different meanings of composition, they are tied in their pursuit to create learners that are eager to properly listen and creatively produce.
Castration or Decapitation?
Cixous examined the binaries on men and women and attempted to give explanation on how we can change these, or more so why we need to change the binary. She taught me to push to resist the cumin equivalence and focus on the beauty in differences and that it is sustaining to celebrate differences.
Part of me felt that Anzaldua should be here linked with Cixous because both texts reference and despise the value our society places on hierarchies of gender and language, but I still Cixous is something I learned more from and would want to teach others. Not that I wouldn't teach others that language is expression, but teaching the world that Little Red Riding hood is a clit just seems more life changing.
These three texts shared an admiration from me in the sense that I want to teach others, potentially students, what these texts have to offer. I feel all three connect on a level of real action and implementation. I learned composition is, how to use, and now I want to help others use it.
How can these texts better the world?
Texts that maybe don't help me as much as I thought
On Truth and Lies in an Extra-Moral Sense
When I first began trying to separate out these texts and group them in ways that I saw connections, I started with Nietzsche because it has been my favorite text so far. Although I do see its connections to other theorists, I found myself pushing it further away from other texts and eventually alone.
This text makes me feel small. It gives me information I can read and even understand but at the same time does not give me an opportunity to act on that knowledge.
The largest reason why I chose to separate Nietzsche from all other theorists and groups is because I feel his text offers no real answer. By this, I don't mean each text has a question in the beginning and answer in the end, but that even though Nietzsche lays down some very hard facts, it feels bitter in knowing you can't do anything about it other than know about it.
Where do I go from here?
Texts that tell me what composition is
Borderlands /La Frontera
Anzaldua used a far more personal approach to explaining her theory of composition and largely reflected on how language is expression and we need to express ourselves in order to be happy. This text felt so different to me than all others because I felt she was so prideful in her work, and it caused me to feel that same pride in the odd ways I use language.
This was a fun text to read, mainly because Anzaldua was so captivating in her writing, but it is one of my least favorite texts, as it
Encomium of Helen
so I feel that is part of the reason why I chose them together under the major link of texts that tell me what composition is. Although other works did that too, these two seemed rather dedicated to only saying what it is and my mind can't really go past those major points.
Encomium of Helen
Gorgias differs from Anzaldua because mainly to me in his effect of what good composition can do. He focuses on how learning more can help fight against the use of speech, where Anzaldua stresses how hierarchies will remain attached to language when not used for expression.
Gorgias reflected on how speech is seductive and greatly affects the world. This made me feel almost like a villain, like my words could destroy the world and sway everyone. It was a wonderful feeling to have.
Both texts focused on how incredibly powerful speech can be and both the positives and negatives that can come from it.
Is language the ultimate power?