Soutter 1

Connor Soutter
09/22/2014
ENC 1145
Over the past few weeks I have learned that writing is that of a complex
machine. There is no one part of writing and all the part work in sync together to
make something so incredible. In my first journal I talked about how writing is like a
gateway to exploration and discovery. This idea hasnt changed I just now know a
little more about how writing leads us to discovery. We are all the audience to
different genres of writing. We have this unique ability to be able to pick which
genres we want to learn or even write about. This idea of free will in terms if our
selections, is what leads us to discoveries. We all have different interest about what
we want to learn and how we want to learn it. So, this connection between the
audience and the genres has led me to a simple conclusion. Writings most
important aspects are audience and genre. Each of them go hand and together which
I have reiterated in numerous occasions throughout my journals. Something that
has also occurred to me is that each person in the audience has a different mind
set about what they are writing or how they interpret a rhetorical situation. For
example, in class when we were writing different letters to different people that all
revolved around the same idea, we discovered that the tone in each letter was
completely different from one another. Its intriguing that this situation can alter
how we write so drastically. Then this led to a whole new idea in the writing process
and that was the idea of reflection.

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Reflection is tricky due to its array of definitions and the numerous
characteristics that lie with in its realms. I find reflection to be the most fascinating
in the sense it really shows how we are all so different in our cognition and
ultimately our personalities. Ive learned that reflection is what we take of things or
how we interpret different events. It is what shapes our beliefs and values in writing
and our everyday lives. The beauty of reflection can be seen all around the world but
one form that is very relevant is culture. Reflection is shaped by culture but culture
is also shaped by reflection. The only way I can describe it is like that of chemical
equilibrium. The forward and reverse reactions are equal and they both influence
each other. Without reflection the idea of culture wouldnt be existent. Our reflective
minds are what feed culture its beliefs and values. Also, culture is different on a
global scale so that must mean out reflection varies on the same scale.
A connection that I realized over that past few weeks is also how reflection
that is used in writing can develop a web of interactions. We see this web in class
every day when we are all coming up with different ideas about assignments. We all
use each other to come up with better ideas but at the same time try to help each
other out. We are all learning through each other and it shows in our journals on
tumblr and our discussions in class.
In my first Journal I talked about what makes a good writing. I discussed how
writings that stands out posses good qualities. However, this may be true but I feel
that a good writing ultimately depends on your choice of genre and your overall
reflection of that piece. Writing may be notable such as the novel The Grapes of
Wroth but is this writing necessarily good? To some this may be a tale that will live

Soutter 3
on forever and to other maybe not so much. Good writing all stems back to the idea
of: who the audience is, the genre they chose, and their overall reflection on that
work.
In conclusion the past few weeks have taught me that writing is extremely
complex but it seems so simple. It has numerous parts that all tie together to create
one final masterpiece. However, the most important idea about writing is our
reflection on that work because without that the writing would be nothing. As the
audience we are what makes a good writing.