Krystal Bowen English 1102 Rhetorical Analysis

Generalizing about Genre: New Conceptions of an old Concept By: Amy Devitt
Summary: Analysis: Being that this is my second time reading Devitt I was able to already draw a connection to not only her previous reading but also to class discussions. However unlike the previous article this was much more difficult for me to read Devitts focuses on the application of genre to reading and writing as its own because nothing was blatantly defined and also due to her diction. Throughout format. Even though this idea is not a new one it has been commonly analyzed the article I felt that about neither the and has been reviewed since the original concepts old or new was explained, so I definition of genre has changed. She uses understood some points and maybe not the idea in its entirety. The piece to me her views as a format to teach students felt more of a scattered discussion about who learn and are taught in various both the concepts, as if she was arguing different ways. Devitt explains the with the writing community. This to me original definition of genre as the act of was written as an argument that through identifying the various formats of writing in a restricting manner. Genre in various examples and references to other authors she makes it easily this instance is a set criteria for many relatable, and understandable while writing styles and writing that is still efficiently getting her point across. For used. Genre is typically very restrictive because of the rigid classifications it has; example I was able to relate to her example of the five-paragraph essay and however it may be very helpful in the beginning of a research but it can restrict pre-writing because it was a writing step that has be embedded in me in school for writers and readers alike. Despite the new idea being more complex it was still years. As I was learning to write my teachers all had a developed format, able to have a clearer and simpler which included an introductory understanding of genre because it is paragraph, three body paragraphs and centered around its fuction. then a conclusion that ties it all back together. However even though that might have been helpful in the beginning I had eventually gotten to a point where that format wasnt enough. A point that is once again validated by Devitt who states that a article should focus on the content and its text at hand, not the five paragraph restrictment of an essay. Her

Devitt, Amy J. Generalizing about Genre: New Conceptions of an old Concepts. College Composition and Communication. 573-584.Print.

examples is just another way that she fights that genre should not be looked at as a classification format anymore, but more of its text and functionality should be analyzed and taught.