Reasons For Writing
Jean Paul Sartre wrote in “Why Write?”, “Why Write? Each one has his reasons. For one, art is flight; for another, a means of conquering. But one can flee into a hermitage, into madness, into death. Why does it have to be writing, why does one have to manage his escapes and conquests by writing? Because, behind the various aims of authors, there is a deeper and more immediate choice which is common to all of us. Writing is a way of wanting freedom.” The author answers his own question, in that the purpose of writing could be to gain freedom. An author can use writing as a tool to express his ideas, as well as to send a message to the reader. The message could be in the form of sending information, asking a question that encourages the reader to pursue the topic by expanding on it or by taking further actions. How can writing be used effectively to send a message?
During the past semester, the three readings that had the affected me the most were: “I Have A Dream”, by Martin Luther King, Jr., “The Ballot or the Bullet”, by Malcolm X, and “Among the Condemned”, by Charles Dickens. There are two main reasons for the affect they had on me. The first reason is the specific language that each author used in his work. The second reason is how the authors presented the sense of struggle in the content of their message.
When I began reading “I Have A Dream”, the opening paragraph sparked my interest for two reasons. I was very impressed with the language and the rhetoric he used in his speech. Martin Luther King Jr. said, ”Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” His description of the present status of Afro-Americans is characterized in the words: “dark”, “desolate”, and “quicksands of racial justice”. On the other hand, the future, as he sees it, is summarized in the words: “sunlit path of racial justice” and “solid rock of brotherhood”. This gives me a clear message as to his viewpoint on racial inequality. Even a hundred years before this speech took place, Abraham Lincoln sent the same message. Abraham Lincoln, in his Annual Message to Congress, December 1, 1862, said, “Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history… No personal significance or insignificance can spare one or another of us. The fiery trial through which we pass will light us down in honour or dishonour to the last generation.”
The second reason, my interest was sparked, was by the level of motivation that I felt in his words. The words that affected me the most were stated by Martin Luther King Jr. as, “Go back to Mississippi, and go back to Alabama. Go back to South Carolina. Go back to Georgia. Go back to Louisiana. Go back to the slums and ghettos of our Northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.” The motivational part of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s quote that influenced me was the idea of transporting his message around the country through his speech.
In “The Ballot or the Bullet”, by Malcolm X, the same purpose was directed by each author, except in a totally different way. Malcolm X, just like Martin Luther King, Jr., wanted to identify and specify the racial problem that Afro-Americans face in American society. His rhetorical style was not as rich and did not have as much sophistication in his choice of words as that of Martin Luther King Jr.. Malcolm X said, “It’s the year when all of the white politicians will be back in the so-called Negro community jiving you and me for some votes.” The word “jiving”, which he used, showed that he addressed his speech to a specific kind of audience. Throughout his speech, I felt as though anger was prevalent. He said, “So, I’m not standing here speaking to you as an American, or a patriot, or a flag-saluter, or a flag-waver-no, not I. I’m speaking as a victim of this American system. And I see America through the eyes of the victim. I don’t see any American dream; I see an American nightmare…” From this quote, he used words like “victim” and “nightmare”, which showed the anger that he hoped would be shared by his listeners. In both oral presentations, “I Have A Dream” and “The Ballot or the Bullet”, the primary message of seeking immediate change was characterized. However, the method, of reaching racial equality that each author offered, was very different. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s method was through peaceful means and Malcolm X’s method was to change society through violence, if necessary.
The essay, “Among the Condemned”, by Charles Dickens, captured my attention for two reasons. The primary reason was the prison situation that was described in the passage. The second reason was the dramatic narrative style that the author used. By showing the situation in which the prisoner had less and less time to live, and by knowing the exact time of his execution, the author kept my interest throughout the story. While I was reading the essay, I put myself in the situation of the prisoner. By doing this, I realized the feelings and emotions that a prisoner has to deal with in the waning hours of his life. This is illustrated when Charles Dickens said, “It cannot be two yet. Hark! Two quarters have struck; the third-the fourth. It is! Six hours left.” The use of the narrative style in “Among the Condemned”, also helped me to get a clearer picture of the environment which surrounded the prisoner. Dickens said, “An iron candlestick was fixed into the wall at the side; and a small high window in the back admitted as much air and light as could struggle in between a double row of heavy, crossed iron bars.” All the detailed descriptions that were used by the author had an emotional and spiritual effect on me.
Struggle is the common content in all three pieces of literature. In the first two works, we can see the struggle of Afro-Americans for their equality in society. The essay, “Among the Condemned”, also showed the struggle that a prisoner goes through. Another common idea, that was exhibited in these three works, was the desire for freedom. In the first two speeches, both speakers talked about social freedom and in the essay, the prisoner was seeking freedom from the prison cell.
The differences between the three works were in their purpose and in their writing style. The purpose of the two freedom speeches was to motivate and encourage the listeners to respond to the speech. On the other hand, the essay created a situation which encouraged the reader feel sympathetic towards the prisoner. Due to the motivational purpose of the speeches, the speakers used rhetoric to emphasize their messages. Since the essay’s purpose and the situation were different from the speeches, Dickens chose to use the narrative style for his writing.
The question “Why write?” can have many answers. Some of the reasons for writing are: to motivate, to inform, to educate, to influence, or to express one’s ideas. In these three readings, I found motivation, information, education, and the expression of ideas to be the reasons that these authors used. According to the Bible, Revelation, Chap. 21, verse 4, the answer to the question, “Why write?”, is, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.” No matter what the reasons are for writing, it will remain an effective means of expression and communication. Can you imagine how different the world would be if no one had ever found a purpose for writing?
Другие работы по теме:
Learning foreign languages in Russian schools
Автор: Разное Learning foreign languages in Russian schools There’re many schools in Russia which curriculum has English. And it’s justified. There is no program, rusified or non-rusified, which is free from English words, no programming language, except JARRS, which has no functions or operators, came from English, but there are so many books, devices’ user instructions that have no word which is not an English word.
Why do we learn English language?
Why do we learn the English language? It is necessary to learn foreign languages. That’s why pupils have got such subject as a foreign language at school. Everybody knows his own language, but it is useful to know foreign languages.
Reading And Comprehension Essay Research Paper Reading
Reading And Comprehension Essay, Research Paper Reading and Comprehending English is a strong complex language. It can be very difficult to read and comprehend. To ask one, who s first language is not English they would tell you that English is painstakingly hard to understand. That is why people need to learn to read and understand what they read.
How To Do Well Essay Research Paper
Jeremy Johnston January 16, 2001 Mr. Nifong English 1101 Prior Experiences with English 1101 My experience in my prior English class was educational. I didn’t really learn a whole lot in that class because I wasn’t in class enough. The contributing reason I failed that class was lack of attendance. The professor was good, covered everything she was supposed to, and presented the material in a logical and understandable manner.
What I Think Of English Class Essay
, Research Paper I cant believe it?s the last year of high school, hopefully. It feels like just the other day when I was a Freshman. English has always been my worst subject, but I have always seemed to be able to get through it. I have always done the minimal work to pass in the past classes I have taken. Mr. MacKenzie?s senior English class isn?t like most I have taken before.
English Class 009 Essay Research Paper I
English Class 009 Essay, Research Paper I am taking English 009 to benefit me in the future. It gives me the skills I need to succeed. I would be able to write a paper; because of the writing skills I have learned in English 009. From studying hard, my grammar could be improved. I would be offered a teaching position as a substitute teacher for English because of my experience in English 009.
Страны, говорящие на английском языке
The United kingdom of Gr. Britain is a capitalist country. England, Wales, Scotland are made in Gr. Britain. Peoples in countries outside the British Isles often call the inhabitants of United kingdom English. There are four main nationalities: English, Wales and Irish.
England And Global Language Essay Research Paper
This essay will be about the prohibition of English words in France by law. It is quiet a big problem to forbid words only because the government is afraid that it s own language could die. The spread of English all over the world and it s position as global language can t be stopped or disputed and that is why I think that it is irresponsible to outlaw English words.
Prop 63 Essay Research Paper The Official
Prop. 63 Essay, Research Paper The Official English Language Proposition 63 will make English the Official Language of the United States and I am against The official English
Ebonics Essay Research Paper One of the
Ebonics Essay, Research Paper One of the conflicting issues among African Americans and Caucasians is the issue of ebonics. It s not just an issue facing one race or the other it effects both races
Journal Writing Essay Research Paper Journal Writing
Journal Writing Essay, Research Paper Journal Writing I write a lot in class but I don’t like writing one bit it gets on my nerves cause my hands are very sensitive and my hands get so tired that don’t even want to type anymore and that messes me up a lot cause in my English class you are required to write a lot. Now if it were typing that a whole other story but that’s not going to help me in life to come cause when you go get a job you are required to have punctuality.
The Need For An Official Language Essay
, Research Paper The Need for an Official Language Language is the most important media in human communication. It makes it much easier to exchange ideas. Imagine if everyone in this society spoke his own
How To Improve Writing In English Essay
, Research Paper There are more and more people learning English as a second language in this global village today. For example, if people want to make American friends, people might need to write letters in English. If people want to work at an American company, they might need to be able to write in English.
Summary And Responce To
“Black English” Essay, Research Paper Summary and Response Word Count 366 Summary In the essay titled, ?If Black English Isn?t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is??
Perspective Of Black English Essay Research Paper
Black English Conclusions To the majority of the people we gave this survey to, a lot of them said it sounded like jibberish, but that at certain points it was understandable. They explained that the speaker talks fast, but for the most part are able to catch on to what they are saying. They didn t think that Ebonics should be accepted in today s society to the point that our leaders would be using it when making a speech to the nation.
The English Language Essay Research Paper This
The English Language Essay, Research Paper This House affirms that the British Empire was a great success whose effects are still beneficial to the world. The world distribution of English users is divided into three categories : English as a native language; for example, UK, USA, Australia, English as a second language; for example, India, Singapore, Ghana, Philippines, and English as a foreign language; for example, France, Japan, Thailand.There are 72 countries with Englishs as an official language and 9 countries with English as a first language:Australia, Great- Britain, Canada, Ireland, Japan, Luxembourgh, Netherlands, New Zealand, and the USA.
English As A Language Essay Research
Paper The original objective of bilingual education was to ensure students would not fall behind academically because of a poor command of English and to gradually teach them English as a second language. If language-minority students were taught some subjects in their native tongue, proponents insisted, they potentially could learn English without sacrificing content knowledge.
English Vs Math Essay Research Paper English
English Vs Math Essay, Research Paper English Vs. Math To most people English or Language Arts is a creative course and math is just a logical, you get it or you don t class. My purpose writing this paper is to change your mind. I believe that Math is just as, or more creative than English. I will demonstrate this through a couple of examples.
How To Improve Your English Essay Research
Paper How To Improve Your English English is now the international language .So it is very important to learn English well. We should study English in the correct way, so that we can make
What Is English Essay Research Paper English
What Is English? Essay, Research Paper English, well what is English? We all know that it is a language. But, what is the study of english? It is the study of literature in the english language. People attend english classes. This may be to learn the English Language or to learn about english literature or writing.
To Take English 1301 Or Not To
Take It Essay, Research Paper Not to take English 1301 or to take English 1301 James Michael Johnson This was an immortal question, taking English 1301 was a momentous decision to make for a young college student named Mike. In fact, it has been one of the hardest decisions he had made in his life next to deciding to return to college or not.
Education
Education is important in our life. For educated people it is easier to stand up all difficulties and they have a purpose in life. If you know English, you can talk to people of any nationality, and can get necessary information anywhere in the world.
My teacher of English
Knowledge of foreign languages nowadays helps to promote cultural, educational and technical cooperation among nations. At present English is the most important of the world’s languages. In number of speakers it ranks second. The use of English in diplomacy, commerce and science is evidence of its importance.