When a Small Movement Makes Big Changes

I am amazed at influence of artistic movements over worldviews and a person’s perception of reality. I like to credit these bold movements of humanity for helping us to progress, for denying, and breaking away from, convention and creating new approaches and techniques; this goes for all disciplines; In this case, the example of the artist, Christo shows this (100).

As well, I like the way Williams gives the readers a history lesson in every section so far. The process movement in art emphasizing on just that, the process, gave it place of prominence. I appreciate the consideration Williams gives to the factors which caused the shift in writing pedagogy over the years, the contradiction between Postmodernism and process. I sincerely believe without Williams’ information we cannot truly see the character of writing instruction today.

But I am concerned with the frailty of any writing pedagogy. It seems so much outside the realm of writing instruction easily influences it. And I am so not relieved. I am not for or against student-centered writing instruction. I get the notion of how writing is intimate, of how many very intricate parts, dependent on the writing. I truly appreciate the “top-down” ideology. And I think that, again, these unconventional ways of thinking, of breaking dogmatic molds are so necessary for a “better” system. But is the process writing just a symptom of an artistic movement?

When Williams discusses how Postmodernism is concerned with “performance” not “communication”, I am at an impasse. I believe that what we write for—if it is that w are writing “for” something—has got to be a finished product. Maybe I am that much of a victim of such writing instruction as process writing has attempted to change. I, as well, believe that communication skills must take center stage at times in writing instruction. But I cannot get past the idea that we write for a finished product. In this sense, I guess I am an advocate of “performance” (100). So it comes down to—for me anyway-- this chasm between performance and communication, I know.

This blog, obviously is a reflection of my disconnected thought pattern. So I am not writing for a refined finish product. I guess I am trying to expand my thinking as I go. So, the communication aspect is in charge here. I am not really going to read over this blog. I hope Dr. Kearney takes this with a grain of salt because I am practically free-writing.