Readings:
Only geniuses can be Writers – Dustin Edwards and Enrique Paz
There is one correct way of writing and speaking – Anjali Pattanayak
I chose “There Is One Correct Way of Writing and Speaking” because it grabbed my attention from the first sentence. I was intrigued by the topic of the reading because I have had a few friends who visit the United States for foreign exchange/study abroad experiences, and the idea that someone would consider their writing “less than” simply because of it not being proper English confused me. I come from a family that does not hold the same beliefs as me, so I have been exposed to the type of people who think there is only one “right” way of doing things, and it is the “American” way.
In “Only Geniuses Can Be Writers” the authors discuss how idealizing “the greats” is detrimental, and “There Is One Correct Way of Writing and Speaking” discusses why the idea of there only being one way of writing or speaking that is considered “correct” is harmful to minorities and lower-class people. Having the idea that all writing should be as god as some of the greats, such as Shakespeare, is damaging to writers, especially to young kids in school, as it can cause them to get angry or experience anxiety or self-doubt with their work. Also, it is important to work with others on writing, and that the idea of originality can hinder some writers’ processes, and ultimately prevent work from being seen as good. Similarly, the idea that there is only one correct way to speak and/or write is a bigoted fairytale that should be on an episode of Myth Busters. In a nation as diverse as the United States, a country founded on immigrated ways of life, it should be taught that linguistic differences do not equal mistakes.
If we are taught that everyone is different, why are we then taught that there is only one correct way to write? We learn about different people in every subject that have contributed in some way to the field, and all have their own techniques. So why are we then told, “do it this way, that way is wrong.”? If they get to the same outcome, why does it matter how they get there? If it is slightly different than everyone else’s, why do we get to decide that they are wrong? It is similar to what Pattanayak suggested, that education that fosters the “one correct way” of writing disregards different people and cultures that do not meet the expectations.
If everyone wrote the exact same, it would get boring. Just like if all of your friends acted the same, it would get dull hanging out with the same type of person all the time. In your friend group you probably have a talkative one, a shy one, a funny one, an “I’ll hurt anyone who upsets you” one, etc.; so many different friends with all different personalities make up this group. You might go to the shy one when you need someone to listen, or the funny one when you need a laugh. Just like with people, we have to have variety in writing. But what would happen if everyone tried to be 100% original? In the friend group, there might be conflicts if no one was allowed to “copy” or be influenced by another. I have been in many friend groups where one person starts using a slang phrase, and sooner or later everyone is using it. If we couldn’t be influenced by others, our writing would be too original, and no one else would be able to elaborate on the ideas that we have. Edwards and Paz advocate, “Authors don’t act in isolation but rather find themselves surrounded by other ideas, people, and writing.” Without having the freedom to use other people, while still writing as an individual, writing in general would be pointless.
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