Micro-Activity # 2: Responding to Bunn

As someone who mainly only takes part  in thorough reading and writing for school purpose I would say my habits are that of an average reader and writer. A lot of my challenges in both reading and writing comes down to focus and analysis. Typically when I am reading I have to go over certain paragraphs a few times to comprehend and analyze what is being said. The same goes for my own thoughts when I am writing. I prefer to have templates for my writing to keep me on track. When Reading the Bunn essay I was easily distracted and wanted to check my phone a few minutes into reading. I would say that I need to work on my focusing and planning skills when it comes to reading and writing.

Bunn Essay

A specific moment I found useful in Bunn’s essay is when he addresses what reading like writer is meant to help readers understand. “Reading like a writer can help you understand how the process of writing is a series of making choices, and in doing so, can help you recognize important decisions you might face and techniques you might want to use when working on your own writing.” (Bunn 75) Being able to identify the choices an author is making is a large part of being able to analyze and interpret writing. Being able to identify certain techniques will allow you to unveil the authors purpose. For instance when reading the beginning of Bunn’s essay we can see the decisions made and techniques used to help the readers understand his writing. He starts the essay by giving information about his past and his connection to literacy. He elevates his use of formal language to appeal to the readers. By doing so his audience will not only feel connected to him through his personal experiences but also view him as a credible source. Bunn gives us a plethora of writing techniques to dissect in his introduction and later tells us how to do so as readers. He asks questions throughout his essay to help readers to think like writers. Questions like, “What is the technique the author is using here? Is this technique effective?” 

Morrison

Toni Morrison talks about two approaches to reading as art vs skill. She claims that they are both efficient ways to be a reader but they will come across differently depending on your relationship with literature. My interpretation of what Morrison is saying is that a person can be a skilled reader and can interpret really through pieces of literature while others will have deeper understanding of literature as critical readers. She builds on that idea to say that the art of reading creates different habits in a reader.  “In listening and in reading, it is when I surrender to the language, enter it, that I see clearly. Yet only if I remain attentive to its choices can I understand deeply.” (Morrison 4) She touches on the idea of deepening your thoughts when reading and really dissecting the  techniques of the author’s piece. Morrison changes the meaning of reading as an activity by speaking on how a persons relationship with literature can change their perspective and the kind of reader they are.