Introductory NHR Assignment

The New Humanities Reader vision of writing is one where the writing is a continually thoughtful experience, with prospective and retrospective analysis and critique towards ones own work. NHR vision of writing admonishes forms of writing to tell such as the book report in favor of writing which instead of focusing on one central, already established theme, moves fluidly as the authors thoughts do from one topic to another. Overall this type of writing makes for a more engaging and interesting experience on the part of the author and even the reader. A conventional paper or essay that builds linearly from an established central point is often unreadable, either for its repetitivity or its bland structure as few new and interesting ideas are introduced. I remember the famous five paragraph essays that the NHR discusses and remember being thoroughly disillusioned with such a rigid writing structure. Going back to read those essays that I had written in grammar school and junior high, I come to see how flat and boring my writing in general was. Once I had read past the topic sentence, there was little new knowledge to gain from my paper. Given a more dynamic writing structure, I am sure I would have been able to better realize my true potential as a writer. NHR suggests that the thesis of a particular piece of writing is best developed retrospectively, looking back on the way our thoughts have unfolded on paper. This view is in stark contrast with the vast majority of the writing I did throughout school. I would work to think of a central point or argument that I would be forced to support, even if I found the original thesis to be dry or even downright boring. NHR tells us that writing should guide us through a thinking process, but in my 12 years of schooling I have learned simply to get my points across using the most effective devices and language, and the natural progression of my thoughts, which so drives dynamic and interesting writing was given a secondary treatment, or completely overlooked altogether.