Introductory Reading Assignment

Differed from my previous English education, this several pages of reading underscore the importance of connection: the connection of different fields of study, the connection of various works, and ultimately the connection of creative minds. This notion opens up a new definition of writing and reading to me, and consequentially a new reason to take an expository writing class. As I attended college with my previously formulated mindset of “five paragraph essay”, I took this class with the mere expectation of receiving a much more organized and efficient way of formulating my idea and eventually creating the “ five paragraph essay’ with more ease. Since I am a pharmacy student, I see no “specialization” in English and no great need to take this course with expectation beyond a good grade. Yet, the vision of New Humanities Reader provides me with possibilities. I see that writing and reading can go beyond failing or passing a class, it talks about interconnecting different fields so that people can go beyond their own major, stepping into real world debate and contributing their opinions with the “coherence” they learnt in Expository Writing. 

So I think my only reason for not taking this class is fear, the fear of being an ordinary person with no expertise in English, the fear of challenging and risking my chance by discovering my idea during prospective writing, the fear of failure. But, it’s just a process. Since I am learning a new way of thinking, I need to be trained, be disoriented occasionally and eventually grow from my mistakes. I am appealed to the notion of “to use writing as a way of thinking new thoughts” (xviii). As one writes, he is organizing the thought into words. By writing, one can explore the voice within his mind, clarify it and probe into depth about it. As the author suggests later, “prospective writing” is a journey of “discovery” (xxxii). 

The rationale of the New Humanities Reader is best exemplified by the excerpt “again and again, we need to make connections that bridge the gaps between areas of knowledge, linking the formal learning we acquire our personal experience” (xxiv). This formulates the incentive of creative reading, prospective and retrospective writing. Since people need to connect different area of study to fully deliver opinions or solution for global issue, people need to be flexible and learn to draw similarities between texts; thus, people need to take this course to acquire the essential skill. This argument can also be connected to the concept of “shared horizon”, which describes a similarity people draw between different subjects or perspectives. It’s this very “shared horizon” that enables the connection so that people can perceive the same concept from their respective field of study. Another term that’s also important is “ creative reading”. It features the necessity of reading interactively, switching perspective between sections and eventually in-between passages. It signifies one way people can achieve the “connection” and one of the main theme of this course. I am surprised by the possibility and practicality of this course that teaches me the connection between my specialty and real world. This can serve as a bridge for me to think critically, express coherently and eventually connect and contribute to currently issue efficiently.