Chapter 1 Reading Response
Chapter 1 was a very informative chapter. I have not previously studied genres in very much depth, so a lot of this information was new to me. In English classes I have taken in the past I have learned only how to write traditional and persuasive essays, as well as how to analyze literary works. After reading Chapter 1, I have realized how important studying genres is. I wish my high school teachers would have allocated at least a little bit of time to studying genres.
I have always thought of genres as labels used to categorize book. Genres in my mind included mystery, adventure, nonfiction, etc. I thought it was interesting that a poster, for instance, can be considered a genre.
Chapter 1 lists three primary purposes of composing: to tell a story, to inform, and to persuade. I think it is kind of misleading to suggest that these are the main reasons literary works are created when in reality there are dozens of reasons. A lot of those reasons could fit into the three main ones, but as Chapter 1 said about genres, the reasons would not fit neatly. Two very important reasons for composing that I believe should be discussed are entertainment and self-expression.
I really enjoyed the section in Chapter 1 that talked about design of a composition. I think this is something that is often overlooked when discussing a composition. In poetry especially, design is extremely important. Some poets create pictures from their words or use spacing and line breaks to create meaning. Even in subtle ways, design can have a huge impact on how the work is received by its intended audience. In my AP English class most students would groan and complain when they received a book with small text, no matter the length of the book. Also, despite the phrase, “never judge a book by its cover,” books with relevant or interesting covers will most likely attract more readers.
Overall, I enjoyed the content in Chapter 1. It was new to me, but not too overwhelming. It was a good way to ease back into studying literature.
Like you I got hooked on the genres but not because I thought they were something else just because I honestly never thought about it. That is why I am glad you mentioned the part about mystery, adventure, etc. because that gave me a whole new outlook on what it could be. Also, the fact that you brought up the reasons for composing that need to be discussed are entertainment and self-expression because now they are in this blog post. Overall good post and great thoughts.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I agree entirely on what you believed genres were. I saw things like a 5-paragraph essay was more of a format than a genre, but apparently things like these are genres. While I personally still see things like these more as formats, I find it interesting to think of these things like genres and see how that changes my understanding of these things. I also agree that there are certainly more reasons to compose than what the book lists. Not only are the reasons you listed valid, there are plenty of other reasons to compose as well, such as practicing you craft, to make money, and sometimes just for fun. This chapter was a fairly good way to ease back into to literature, just like you said, giving a basic overview of what you need to know for writing. Overall, good post.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to you, I was surprised something as random as a poster could be considered a genre. In my previous classes, genres were always simplified to what only could be applied to books and not anything further. I also liked how you described that the appearance of an article/book could attract a reader. This reminds me of my English teacher showcasing different books to vote on to read as a class every quarter. The students in the class always voted on the more interesting cover. People tend to focus on the appearance rather than the content. Good post!
ReplyDeleteHi Stefanie
ReplyDeleteYou made some interesting points in this reflection. Yes, we mustn't judge book by its cover but it's important to invest on titles and subtitles in order to engage the audience. Poetry is a great example of design impacting the expression of the poet. I love how you pointed out entertainment and self-expression as reasons for writing. The first one considers the audience while the second, the writer. Those are very interesting and complementary points of view.