SWB in HOAW (p. 47) Writing and Reading as an Act of Power

[Sweetpeach]

Hello WTM Boardies:

 

I haven't been here for a long time -- trust you are all well.

 

Wondering, how would the more experienced among us keep a conversation rolling about writing as an act of power? We're reading along in HOAW and my son comes across this line on pg. 47 "even since, the mastery of writing and reading has been an act of power." We had some conversation about religious leaders not wanting the commoners to be able to read the bible and Martin Luther's written post nailed to the door of the church.

 

We had some general conversation around education/reading/writing and revolution.

 

Where would I look for resources/articles/books that speak to writing as power, writing as revolution, reform, justice, information, interest. My shallow pondering's won't satiate what he's after so I need some help for myself, to find conversation hooks, and articles that we can both read and discuss.

 

On a positive note, like most other boys who aren't thrilled with writing, he's somewhat mystified by this idea that writing has power. I feel like I need to jump on this interest, because it might radically change our path together, in terms of thinking on paper and having something to say? Thinking, discussing, questioning and outputting some decent writing thrills me, especially if the writing happens without me having to play the heavy! :)

 

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Warmly, Tricia

[elegantlion]

Ds and I discuss this a lot. I don't know that I have any resources, but we've started listening to The Iliad lectures from The Great Courses. One point was that these Homeric epics were so important that what may have started as oral tradition was written down and passed on. The fact we have ancient texts at all is pretty cool, imo. Now I get a mass produced copy from Amazon and have it in my house in two days. That's powerful.

 

In the modern sense, good communication is powerful. It will make a difference that our dc know how to express themselves well in written and oral form. So many young people resort to text talk and bad grammar, just knowing how to do something right will set our children above. There is power in being able to communicate with all levels of people. Writing doesn't depend upon someone else passing on your information, it's your words, not the interpretation of someone else's words. I remind ds that his ability to read and write well can determine how much knowledge he has to take on faith from other and how much he can learn himself. For instance, The Iliad. I trust that the various translators available are doing justice to the Epic. I don't know Greek and cannot read the original on my own.

 

Another instance in Gilgamesh. I read a retelling, I didn't like it, it missed the magic of the story. I read another translation that made the world of difference. It brought the story to life for me. The retelling would be fine in some instances, but I needed something more. The translator used his knowledge and wisdom to pass on the magic of the story to me.

 

Even in a non-fiction setting writing is powerful. It can determine whether I get what I'm supposed to out of a book. I'm reading an art book with ds right now. The information is good, the writing is slightly disjointed and she uses a style I find a little annoying. It's not enough to negate the usefulness of the book though.

 

I'm off to teach, I may have a few additions later.

[swimmermom3]

Tricia,

 

I am not really sure about resources that comment on the power of writing. For your son, I wonder if it would be better if he "experienced" it through reading a powerful book or essay. Talk about why some books are classics. There are books, essays, and speeches that have the power to not only move us to tears, but that act as a call to action. There are books whose imagery haunts our dreams and books that push our minds towards countless questions. Has your son read a book like that? Has he listened to Martin Luther King deliver his "I Have a Dream Speech?" It is one thing to read an academic article and another to experience the power of words on a soulful level.

[Sweetpeach]

Hi,

Thanks to both of you for your kind replies.

At this exact moment, I feel like I know writing is power, but my son hasn't ever given that any thought. It hit something in him . . . so instead of doing what I normally do, which is "teach" the joy right out of a natural interest, I'm trying to covertly, under the radar, bring him some "power writing" without "schooling" it. We'll have a peek at the MLK speech . . . and I'm not sure if he's read a book that haunts him, or a piece of writing that moved him to action. It seems present life is very surface so I would like to send him off on an adventure that satisfies a part of him that he didn't even know needed satisfaction. I suspect this reply sounds loopy. I've got boys that aren't bothered by a few hours of math everyday, but reading Great Books (chuckle chuckle) wouldn't be high on their list of priorities.

I have my work cut out for me . . .

Warmly, Tricia

[elegantlion]

Another speech is the Gettysburg address. We dissected it last year. I can't remember what resource we used, It was just some blurb online about it, but it helped show the power in those brief words.

 

We also rewrote some Shakespearean sonnets. We did the redneck version and a Dirty Jobs version, so nothing serious. Movies are another way to show the power of words, If you think of all the cultural one-liners that evoke a connection, it's remarkable. I can say one line from certain movies to ds and it makes him laugh. The power of words doesn't have to bring to mind a serious connection, words can be fun too.

[swimmermom3]

Hi,

Thanks to both of you for your kind replies.

At this exact moment, I feel like I know writing is power, but my son hasn't ever given that any thought. It hit something in him . . . so instead of doing what I normally do, which is "teach" the joy right out of a natural interest, I'm trying to covertly, under the radar, bring him some "power writing" without "schooling" it. We'll have a peek at the MLK speech . . . and I'm not sure if he's read a book that haunts him, or a piece of writing that moved him to action. It seems present life is very surface so I would like to send him off on an adventure that satisfies a part of him that he didn't even know needed satisfaction. I suspect this reply sounds loopy. I've got boys that aren't bothered by a few hours of math everyday, but reading Great Books (chuckle chuckle) wouldn't be high on their list of priorities.

I have my work cut out for me . . .

Warmly, Tricia

 

Last year my youngest, who has never been much of a reader, discovered dystopian literature and was enthralled. Books like Fahrenheit 451 or 1984 prompt all kinds of questions for the reader. Or what about short stories that provoke almost physical reactions, "A Most Dangerous Game" or "The Lottery"? On the lighter side, there is "The Ransom of Red Chief." On every book that inspired or moved my son, I limited the planned academic part, but found that by following my son's leads, we went much deeper than I expected.

 

Unfortunately, the pieces I can think of that reinforce the power of the word are academic and that my not be what your son needs at this point.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Hello WTM Boardies:

 

I haven't been here for a long time -- trust you are all well.

 

Wondering, how would the more experienced among us keep a conversation rolling about writing as an act of power? We're reading along in HOAW and my son comes across this line on pg. 47 "even since, the mastery of writing and reading has been an act of power." We had some conversation about religious leaders not wanting the commoners to be able to read the bible and Martin Luther's written post nailed to the door of the church.

 

We had some general conversation around education/reading/writing and revolution.

 

Where would I look for resources/articles/books that speak to writing as power, writing as revolution, reform, justice, information, interest. My shallow pondering's won't satiate what he's after so I need some help for myself, to find conversation hooks, and articles that we can both read and discuss.

 

On a positive note, like most other boys who aren't thrilled with writing, he's somewhat mystified by this idea that writing has power. I feel like I need to jump on this interest, because it might radically change our path together, in terms of thinking on paper and having something to say? Thinking, discussing, questioning and outputting some decent writing thrills me, especially if the writing happens without me having to play the heavy! :)

 

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Warmly, Tricia

 

I caught a BBC World Service piece last week about the enduring effects of the Egyptian revolution. One segment mentioned a group that is teaching women to read. It pointed out that the students in the class (most of whom are married already) can now read street signs and bus schedules, giving them increased freedom of movement. They are also able to read paperwork they are asked to sign, making them harder to fool.

 

Writing allows you to communicate your ideas beyond the circle of people you can speak to face to face. Those thoughts travel across miles and across time. The Gettysburg Address was brief and hard to hear when delivered. It was mocked by many papers as poor oratory. But it had a resonance in print that the other speech given that day did not.

 

Writing is enduring. It can be checked and referred back to. Soviet dissidents often appealed to the Helsinki human rights accords that the Soviets had signed, in effect trying to hold them to account for violation of what they had promised in writing. There are many instances of writings being smuggled out of various prisons.

 

Reading is powerful because without it, you can only know what you are told (often by someone in authority) or experience first hand. Writing is the other hand of that power, speaking to those who cannot share a room with you.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Last year my youngest, who has never been much of a reader, discovered dystopian literature and was enthralled. Books like Fahrenheit 451 or 1984 prompt all kinds of questions for the reader. Or what about short stories that provoke almost physical reactions, "A Most Dangerous Game" or "The Lottery"? On the lighter side, there is "The Ransom of Red Chief." On every book that inspired or moved my son, I limited the planned academic part, but found that by following my son's leads, we went much deeper than I expected.

 

Unfortunately, the pieces I can think of that reinforce the power of the word are academic and that my not be what your son needs at this point.

 

There is some very good sports writing out there. On my first ship, the officer's mess got Newsweek and Sports Illustrated. I used to read, waiting for for a seat at the table to open up. There were so many good articles about the rise and fall of teams or sports stars, or impassioned pleas for rule changes or equally impassioned arguments against the latest change.

 

Here is a good recent article about the Army-Navy Game. This was a good article from last year's game.

 

I remember reading a memorial to a young officer several years ago. It was written by one of his best friends. I had never met the young man, who graduated about 10 years after I did. But the column did so much to capture the spirt of the friendship and the calibre of the man. As a reader, you clearly felt what the world had lost. (I can't find this particular class column online now.)