Stacy Sieun Jang Prof Ogden STACC 1A - TTH 26 Jan 2014 Writing to Change the World Introduction, Chapter

1 and Chapter 2 by Mary Pipher Part 1: SUMMARY In Mary Piphers Writing to Change the World Introduction, chapter 1 and chapter 2, the author mainly discusses how good writing can actually change the world and also discusses the purpose of her book, Writing to Change the World. She firstly demonstrates how much power writers and their writing work possess. The main point the author tries to make and infuse into the readers is that all writing is designed to change the world. According to her, writers help readers construct larger, more expansive frames of reference so that more of the world can be more accurately perceived. As she believes that people who gain enlarged knowledge of the world have the power to change the world, she encourages all of us to give it a try to write something that will possibly change this world. The suggestion the author provides is that we need to write to connect because its a good way to foster awareness and growth. Connections evoke ideas, feelings, and actions, and having a connection is the true factor to develop positive changes. The authors second suggestion is that its important to know yourself to present your thoughts with inner clarity. Writing primarily come from your being, and when you understand yourself, your writing reflects your soul and your core values which have been shaped by your primary relationships and pivotal events you have experienced. Each person has something he or she alone can say with his or her own voice and point of view in order to see, analyze, feel the world. We need to explore our souls so that we can display our unique thoughts, and our writing work doesnt have to be great literature to impress the world. Part 2: FORMAL OUTLINE I. Good Writing has the ability to change the world. A. ALL writing is designed to change the world. B. Writers help you construct larger, more expansive frames of reference by enlarging readers knowledge of the world and empowering readers to act for the common good. II. Writing to connect is a good way to foster awareness and growth among our communities, and its a true factor of making positive changes. A.Good writers share, as best they can, what they know to culturally mediate ideas in the

world. B. Good writing doesnt have to be great literature. 1. convey a clear message to make the important interesting. 2. Do change wiring as you start to trust that readers are capable of handling multiple points of view. III.Knowing yourself is important. It develops your writing because it makes your writing reflect your core values more. A. Writing comes from your being, and good writing comes from inner clarity. B. Fuzzy thinking leads to fuzzy writing, so writers must have an open acceptance of all experience to offer what readers will truly appreciate. IV. Each person has something he or she alone can say. A. Writing can help you see why your stories matter. B. You just need to find a way to show your inner cast of character.

Part 3: HELPFUL VOCABULARY Thyself - old use yourself I-it relationship We deal with living creatures in one dimensional ways (it exists merely to serve our own purposes. We see a bank teller as a person who will do our bank work. I-thou relationship a way to think that the bank teller is a person like us, with desires, dreams, and people she loves. We show respect to the person. Existential blindness somebody has the ability to understand many facts about the world, but that person cannot discern their meaning or their implications for action. Change writers trust that readers can handle multiple points of view, contradictions, unresolved questions and nuance. Empathy - the ability to understand other people's feelings and problems Buddhist conception of equanimity - a banquet to which everyone is invited. meaning an open acceptance of all Part 4: DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

 Imagine you were a worldwide known famous writer, and everybody would listen to your words. Your words could possibly change this world to a better place. What do you wish to say? Why have you chosen to write about that? Have you seen yourself change to be a better person after you read something? What did you try to do to be a better person? Evaluate yourself based upon your actions you made after the reading. According to the author, all writing is designed to change the world. Do you think any of your writing work possibly has ever affected something/ someone? Explain how you writing could contribute to the worlds needs of change. Part 5: REFLECTION When I came to the U.S, I was a total stranger. It was my first time stepping on the land of America, but I was not in confusion. I was actually very calm because I was actually going through what I had expected to go through. I already knew a lot about America, and partially I got the information about America from several books and peoples blog posts. I can surely say that those writers who provided the information affected my life in a sense. Like the author of Writing to Change the World said, though their writing pieces were not great literature, their work offered me an opportunity to get indirect experiences, which later actually helped me face the new American environments with confidence. I agree that writing does help me see why my stories matter. In other words, I believe that there exists what I can ALONE say. I liked the authors explanation about the relationship between inner clarity and the quality of writing, yet I still need to work on exploring my soul with openness to accept all my inner experiences and experiences I have got in this world. I will gradually learn to express my clarified, passionate, energetic ideas as effectively as possible in their writing.