(no subject)
While we were making macaroni and cheese for lunch, Steph showed me this book called Style: An Anti-Textbook. I must say that it is, well, stylishly written, though I am deeply unsure whether I agree with it. I gobbled my lunch while reading quotes aloud to poor Steph. It's a critique of introductory writing courses, most of all their incessant focus on clarity at the expense of style. The author argues at one point that Americans see words like parts of a car: useful if used correctly, but without value of their own. While I agree that style is important to excellent writing, that analogy in a sense holds true: if your writing lacks clarity, your car won't even start. People in introductory writing classes do mostly have clarity problems. Also, in my experience, even when beginning writers are actually good, the biggest problem they have is learning to tone down their style. They just can't resist being distractingly flowery to show off how smart they are. I think when you can write clear, solid prose, then you can go for the style points all you want.
The two do go hand in hand, though. I so often forget this, maybe because I'm American. In my own life, I tend to idealize "useful" activities and disparage doing something for its own sake as selfish (like getting a liberal arts education). It reminds me of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Maybe I should read that again. I had the feeling I didn't quite get it last time, so maybe now I'm finally ready.
It also, of course, reminded me of my old poetry teacher's comment that poetry should be first about style, not substance, that if I had something to say I should write an essay. We discussed that in my poetry class, too. The prof, Greg, seems to have a much more balanced view, saying that you can play with the ratio of style to substance, and that "there's room for everything at the table."
He seems great in general, by the way. I told myself if he didn't seem genuinely joyful about poetry I wouldn't take the class. He walked in and said, "Hey everyone, welcome aboard. Let's open those windows, okay? Poetry isn't a gloomy thing to study." Like my old philosophy teacher, he is obviously an incredibly smart person who is also modest and kind and determined to bring out the best in the whole class. I also loved his readings, especially Hurt Hawks by Robinson Jeffers. Yes, I think this will be good.
Also, Advanced Beginning bellydancing is kicking my ass. In a good way. My abs are so sore. Almost all of my classmates are classic Minnesotan housewives, and most of them can dance circles around me. But not for long!
The two do go hand in hand, though. I so often forget this, maybe because I'm American. In my own life, I tend to idealize "useful" activities and disparage doing something for its own sake as selfish (like getting a liberal arts education). It reminds me of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Maybe I should read that again. I had the feeling I didn't quite get it last time, so maybe now I'm finally ready.
It also, of course, reminded me of my old poetry teacher's comment that poetry should be first about style, not substance, that if I had something to say I should write an essay. We discussed that in my poetry class, too. The prof, Greg, seems to have a much more balanced view, saying that you can play with the ratio of style to substance, and that "there's room for everything at the table."
He seems great in general, by the way. I told myself if he didn't seem genuinely joyful about poetry I wouldn't take the class. He walked in and said, "Hey everyone, welcome aboard. Let's open those windows, okay? Poetry isn't a gloomy thing to study." Like my old philosophy teacher, he is obviously an incredibly smart person who is also modest and kind and determined to bring out the best in the whole class. I also loved his readings, especially Hurt Hawks by Robinson Jeffers. Yes, I think this will be good.
Also, Advanced Beginning bellydancing is kicking my ass. In a good way. My abs are so sore. Almost all of my classmates are classic Minnesotan housewives, and most of them can dance circles around me. But not for long!