Blog #18 Response

Baron - "From Pencils to Pixels: The Stages of Literacy Technologies"

Rhetorical Overview of the Article

1. What is the author's exigence? Why does the author feel the article/argument needs to be made?

Baron's exigence is to prove how literacy has been effected by technology. He describes to readers the sequence of events that has occurred since the invention of the pencil to the modern day computer.

2a. What discourse community is the author speaking toward for the article? WHY do you think that? Provide textual evidence (e.g., specific language, tone, publication venue, etc.,)

The discourse community consists of all people who partake in writing and use technology. He has a broad and general discourse community. This is apparent when he states, "When we write with cutting edge tools, it is easy to forget that whether it consists of energized particles on a screen or ink embedded in paper or lines gouged into clay tablets..."

3. What is the author's thesis/argument/niche for the piece? If possible, quote specifically from the text.

I think his thesis is either, "The computer, the latest development in writing technology, promises or threatens, to change literacy practices for better or worse, depending on your point of view." 

OR

"... writing itself is always first and foremost a technology, a way of engineering materials in order to accomplish an end."

Summary

1. Write a few sentences that summarizes this article in your own words; make sure to cover the main arguments AND conclusions.
In his article, "From Pencils to Pixels: The Stages of Literacy Technologies," Baron argues that technological advances in writing can be considered a good thing or a bad thing. He makes his view on the issue clear when he states, "... I will be the first to praise computers, to acknowledge the importance of the computer in the last fifteen years of my own career as a writer..." In the end, he concludes that most people fight new inventions, instead of embracing and using them to their advantage. He leaves readers with the idea that "computer communications are not going to go away." Meaning, communication is constantly changing and advancing.

2. Take the summary you just wrote and condense it into something “tweetable,” by which I mean a summary that is NO longer than 140 characters. Consider using the same conventions you would if tweeting, meaning abbreviations and informality in language.
Technology has & continues to enhance literacy in more ways than people give it credit

3. What hashtags (#) would you use for this article? Stated otherwise, what key terms would you provide to describe the content of this article?
#literacytechnology #sequenceofevents #embracediscoveries

Burkean Parlor/Intertextuality

1. In what ways does this author and/or the ideas in this article connect with, (dis)agree with, speak to or against –I think you get the gist– previous authors and their ideas that we have encountered in this class?

This article (along with most of the recent ones we have read) connects with Brandt's article of literacy sponsors. Baron points out how literacy has changed throughout the centuries, and that people have a hard time adjusting to these new advancements because they have been taught and learned different forms of literacy by different sponors (in this case, pencils, telegraphs, telephones, computers, etc). He explains how the telephone created a new, unfamiliar form of literacy through communication. Also, I think this can, in a way, relate to Bryson's "Good English and Bad" because both articles emphasize that literacy is constantly changing and advancing in new ways. Although Bryson focuses more on the actual English language, the overall idea is similar to Baron's ideas on literacy technologies.

Personal Reflection

1. How can you apply the information in this article to your own writing process? First, consider the main ideas that the author addresses, then consider other elements, such as organization, style, etc.

I actually did not realize how long this article was until after I was done reading it because it was easy to follow and I think (maybe because it talked about more modern issues, like technology) Baron did a nice job of keeping my attention. Sure, there were a couple dull sections, but for the most part I was able to stay on task with the reading. I also find it interesting that Baron wrote this in 1999 because technology has already advanced in extreme ways since then. Even though this was written over a decade ago, the main ideas (and especially the conclusion section) are still relevant ideas in today's society.

2. What is confusing about the article? What questions do you have after reading the article?

This may be an irrelevant thing, but on page 440, there is a little section at the top of the page with a picture of a monkey. Under it is a little caption about monkeys and computers; maybe he is trying to make a joke that I don't understand but I just don't get what that little picture and caption even mean.