When reading Kevin Roozen’s “Writing Is a Social and Rhetorical Activity” from the text Naming What We Know, Roozen’s audience can expect to learn why writing in any form can be intended for a specific audience. From a social standpoint, writers make rhetorical moves to address their audience in efforts to make their main points. The author explains that this concept can be applied to any situation, whether that be someone writing descriptions on medication labels at a pharmacy or a father signing a birthday card for his daughter. Roozen also highlights the importance of writing as a social and rhetorical tool by explaining how writers always should write with a social purpose instead of an autonomic purpose because it helps clear up confusion readers may have when looking over a piece of writing.
As I examined Roozen’s essay, I couldn’t help but think about all of the birthday cards I’ve had to sign over the past month. I’ve always been the type of person to write a lot, no matter what I’m writing about, since it gives me a way to express myself freely, and when writing birthday cards it’s no different. This past month in particular has been a busy month as many of my friends and family members have birthdays in November, so as I created the homemade birthday cards, I thought about how I can structure my words inside the card based on my relationship with them. With close family members like my parents, I expressed to them how much I love, care and appreciate them, which is how they often write my cards as well. Similarly, I structured my friend’s cards by letting them know that I care about them, but not as “lovey-dovey” as I did with my family members, just because that’s not our type of relationship. When Roozen remarks “[writing] also encompasses the countless people who have shaped the genres, tools, artifacts, technologies and places writers act with as they address the needs of their audiences”, it reminds me to be considerate of those I’m writing to in order to make my point effectively.
Making rhetorical moves in writing is important because it helps writers get their main message across more effectively. In order to get their message across effectively, writers need to be conscious and particular with their writing to make sure their target audience understands what they’re explaining, which in turn helps both parties spread information to and from one another more effectively. Without this, it would be harder for not only writers and their audience to get along and understand the information at hand appropriately, but it can also lead to negative social acts like misconceptions and arguments.
Writing is a Social and Rhetorical Activity by Kevin Roozen
