What is there to say really about words, sentences, and paragraphs? Paragraphs are made up of sentences, and sentences are made up of words. In order to write literature that speaks to the reader the steeping of words into sentences and eventually paragraphs can make the difference between a page-turner and a total dud. Writers that are able to manipulate the English language and literally make their work "sing", are the authors that will continually be studied and admired.
In addition to the importance of words, sentences, and paragraphs, it is also important to read closely. By closely, I mean paying attention to what is really being said; the actual language and its construction. Too often, finishing a book becomes a task, but it should be something to savor and enjoy until the very last drop (or word, I guess). Close reading is a technique that most younger readers do not employ. They see the next book as a notch in the reading log for their Language Arts teacher - no appreciation exists. Oh, say it isn't so. Unfortunately, it is the cold hard truth.
In addition to Francine Prose's Reading Like a Writer, we also checked out the Bureau of Labor Statistics. All you writers out there - run...run fast. If you plan on owning a private jet one day - unless you are Dan Brown - the odds are not in your favor. Certain jobs, again if in the right place at the right time, can be lucrative (such as screen writing, ghost writing), however, you already have to have some sort of reputation established in order to break out. Screen writing, for example, is an endless game of query letter after query letter. Unless you win a Nichol Fellowship or some other big script contest, it is pretty difficult to get noticed.
One great aspect of having a degree in an English related field is that you can always teach. But only if it's something you enjoy. There is nothing worse than a "jobber" who shows up for the pay check and really deep down despises the job - trust me - kids are smarter than that and can smell the BS before you get out of your car in the parking lot.
I also found Prose's commentary on sentences and words interesting. I thought the commentary on paragraphs and style elements contained therein to be a little dry. Perhaps my background working with writers who want to develop stylistic elements in the Writing Center has something to do with that thought. The use of examples throughout her writing, although helpful, was repeated so often that it felt redundant. With regards to authors who make the English language "sing," many authors come to mind: Poe, Ayn rand, Robert Frost, and good ol wacky Willie Shakespeare to name a few.
ReplyDeleteIf the prospects and the monetary potential of being a writer were better, I would STILL have this drive to teach. Hopefully the kids can smell that; I don't want to be lynched in the parking lot for less. So many authors keep dribbling tripe out of their mentally paralyzed capacities in the bestseller market today that real prose often seems as rare as a filet mignon among hot dog stands.
Your discussion about reading is very insightful as it reminds me of many students I encounter in the Writing Center who need to learn to reflect on material before they write about it. Sometimes I wonder how much they are willing to delve into the work without Sparknotes.
I also love teaching. Although I've never taught a class, I love being able to explain things to my friends and see them "get it," and I'm often thinking about how I would teach or the materials I would use.
ReplyDeleteAnd speaking of authors who make the pages sing, I've been reading Aldous Huxley's _Brave New World_, and it's amazing what the author can do with words and paragraphs. Since reading Prose I find myself paying closer attention to how he creates his sentences. And like many books that sing, I keep going back over lines and pages just to savor the words in my mind. I'm sure y'all can relate! ;-)