Elbow IWA

"Voice in Writing Again: Embracing Contraries"

Pre-Reading:

If I were allow to use first person in my papers, I would absolutely use it often. As a creative writer, we are told to write about what we know. Writing about what I know would give me a way to write a paper about something I didn't know so much about, but personalize it with my own voice. This makes me think about Murray's autobiographical text. Anything can be made ours if we are allowed to add ourselves to it.

Summary:

Elbow tackles the concept of voice in papers; a construct that hasn't been really talked about since the '60s. He goes about explaining voice with binaries of the previous argument, voice tone and presence being either/or but concludes that his binary argument for voice and first person is and/both. Because he makes the argument that not only does voice help establish authority and account, but it benefits the writer and reader (52). While there are occasions when it's helpful to not have an overwhelming voice in a paper, more times than not, voice grabs the attention of the reader/student and helps them connect. This thought relates back to McCloud and his argument for a "visual voice" as a comic version of himself in order to gain and keep student attention.


QD:
What sticks out most to me about Elbow's conversation about his own writing is that he argues all papers have voice, we just think of voice meaning narrative (54). In his own writing he establishes voice, sometimes with first person use of I and sometimes not. It depends on the circumstance.  I do believe he established voice in this text well, though.

AE:
Sincerity is voice that captures truth and uncontrived emotion, but relies on real connection to human emotion. Resonance is layering and adding details into a story or piece with undertones of their unconsciousness, with a rich meaning the reader may not even get.

Connecting to the Reading:
I don't believe Allen was fighting against voice altogether. I think she was fighting against a contrived voice believed to not be a struggle to obtain. Everyone has voice, we just need to use it appropriately.

MM:
I do believe that Elbow's compromise is possible. I believe that one can insert voice and anecdote, grabbing attention of the reader, and then back away and take an outside stance to allow reader participation in thought. I believe that his argument is a valid one to make and timely, as well. I have students who were taught not to use their own voice in papers. I don't agree with that at all. Perhaps this reading will bring them back to a love for writing.