PB2B - Show Me Your Moves

Thinking about an author’s “moves” is a very interesting and advanced method of analyzing a literary piece. To be honest, trying to understand an author’s “move” is actually more interesting than the context itself. Why does an author choose to underline, italicize, or boldface a word? Why does an author format his/her writing a certain way? Why does this author choose to ask these questions in parallel structure? Asking yourself why an author elects to write a certain way over another can help lead one to understand the writer’s motives. By comparing two articles that use different methods of enticing the reader, one may be able to see the effect of the author’s moves and choice of style.

In the first example, Kerry Dirk in “Navigating Genres” utilizes a unique approach to create an informative journal. Many of her moves keep the reader engaged in the essay. One arguable move that Dirk includes is ignoring the “high school essay” rule of using personal pronouns in writing. By addressing the reader as “you” and herself as “I,” the tone of the essay is revealed as more of an enlightening conversation than a tedious Wall Street journal. In addition, within the first few sentences, Dirk incorporates a joke (a very humorous one at that) into her writing. It’s no coincidence why Dirk adds a joke into the introduction of her essay. While still continuing that conversational tone, it grasps the reader’s attention, forcing the reader to further view the writing. Another move is her use of bullet points. When observing students writing notes from a lecture, one would find that students as well as professors often use bullet points. Similarly, Dirk uses them to explain the characteristics of country songs without boring the reader. They make for quick, easy reading as the context is succinct, yet informative. Furthermore, Dirk titles a section called “Scenario” to call for the reader’s imagination by picturing a scene that involves a ransom note. Yet another example of keeping the reader involved in this “conversation.” As an objective reader not sponsored by Kerry Dirk, I can personally say that moves such as these kept me – a math major apathetic about literature – interested in not only reading, but also enjoying this essay. As mentioned in class a while back, there is a difference between hearing and listening. Likewise, there is a difference between reading and attentive reading. I attentively read “Navigating Genres” because of its appealing tone, and now here is an example of an article I merely read.

“Teaching Two Kinds of Thinking by Writing” by Peter Elbow is an article about first and second order thinking. Though this article was very well written, it did not interest me even a little. Furthermore, the moves made by Elbow weren’t as engaging as those made by Dirk. For example, a move made by Elbow was to style the essay more formally. Although, like Dirk, Elbow does address himself as “I,” this article seems more like a professor giving a lecture than a conversation between acquaintances because he does not involve the reader. However, just because I do not prefer Elbow’s style of writing does not mean his style is wrong. Rather, I am at fault for having the attention span of a toddler. Perhaps Elbow performed this move to retain credibility amongst his audience. Another way to preserve professionalism is consistent structure. Again, unlike Dirk’s essay that included bullet points and sample letters, Elbow decided to write in an informative tone staying consistent with orderly paragraphs, a decision that happened to bore me to death. In terms of myself, because I did not enjoy the reading, I didn’t fully grasp all the knowledge available to me. Therefore, these moves were unsuccessful.

After comparing the moves of two different authors, one can see how important these moves actually are. These moves dictate how attentive the reader will be. Though it is very unlikely one author can please every reader, knowing whether to choose certain moves over others can lead to better writing. Had an author wanted to appeal to an audience of teenagers and young adults, he or she may aim to follow the moves of Dirk. In contrast, one could follow Dirk’s moves when intended for a mature audience. For either writing or reading literary work, grasping a better understanding of moves is a very powerful tool.