8/25/2000
English Composition
A basic premise of this course is that everyone can become
a better writer than she or he is now. The key to writing well
is attentive practice and committing oneself to the problem of
communicating thoughts to other people. In my English
Composition class we will write seven essays and revise at
least two of them. In both drafting and re-drafting we will
try to recognize the power of words as living forces that can
move readers to action or to laughter or to tears. We will
attend to the problems of choosing the right word for the
specific situation, addressed to the readers we imagine on
the other side of the invisible barrier to communication.
In many ways, writing is like playacting. We must begin by
defining a character whose voice our readers will hear when
they read. As in life, none of us always plays the same role
in all situations. We adjust to the moment, and the ways in
which we present ourselves on this stage or that vary
according to what we are trying to accomplish.
If all works well, the class will be very informal, with
nothing being considered out of bounds that leads to our understanding of
how to think and write. We will start with a seemingly rigid schedule that
will doubtless melt as our heat for one concern or another asserts its emphasis.
The papers are the thing. There will be no examinations.
Other courses I teach are: