For reasons I can't figure out, a message that Will sent to CASLL got sent to me for verification by the listserver. What he posted was this: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= > Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1998 16:08:45 -0700 (PDT) > From: Will Garrett-Petts <[log in to unmask]> > Subject: Re: writing about literature > To: [log in to unmask] > > My thanks to those of you who have replied, both > on & off list, to my initial query re: writing about > literature. Please continue to feel free to provide > feedback on what you'd like to see in a text like the > one I'm writing for Broadview Press. > > Here's a question for Russ: Henry & I were talking > over lunch, & we both felt a little puzzled about how > you reconcile your position on the "arhetorical" nature > of student critical writing with the need to teach > writing in literature classes. In other words, what > do you do with your own lit. students? > > Regards from "hot & steamy" Kamloops (it's 40 c. + today). > Splashhhhhhh! That's the sound of me jumping into > the pool. Will =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= I hate to say it, but it's stunningly gorgeous here today: clear, crisp, mid-twenties, stiff breeze. I've only got a minute but I wanted to respond quickly to Will & Henry's question, and promise a longer response to anybody who's really interested. I don't think there's a _special_ need to teach writing in literature classes -- there's a need to teach it in _any_ classes -- but because I have observed that conventional writing in all classes is radically arhetorical, I create a situation in which student choose, discuss, and share literature in writing among the class. Writing isn't "turned in" to me, or evalated by me, it's _used_ -- to decide what to read, to decide what to do research on, to discuss texts, whatever. The audience for any piece of writing in my class -- and I'll bet my students do more writing than anybody else's, whether teaching writing or "content" -- is always other people in the class, and its purpose is to persuade them to read something, to explain something to them, to report relevant research findings, to organize an activity, or to participate in a publication. Most of it, I don't read at all. If you want to know how this might work in excruciating detail, have a look at the course materials for my 18th century literature course, or for the first year course we did last year as part of the Aquinas Program. They're on the Web; you can get to them through my Web site, by clicking on "Courses and Teaching." -- Russ __|~_ Russell A. Hunt __|~_)_ __)_|~_ Aquinas Chair St. Thomas University )_ __)_|_)__ __) PHONE: (506) 452-0424 Fredericton, New Brunswick | )____) | FAX: (506) 450-9615 E3B 5G3 CANADA ___|____|____|____/ [log in to unmask] \ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://www.StThomasU.ca/hunt/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~