Create a Writing Technology
I never thought about writing something down with a pen on plain lined paper involved technology. It always seemed to me that those things were around, pen and paper had just been there, for one reason or another for the purpose of writing down things, organizing ideas, or just jotting down notes. Much like Ong says, “The fact that we do not commonly feel the influence of writing on our thoughts shows that we have interiorized the technology of writing so deeply that without tremendous effort we cannot separate it from ourselves or even recognize its presence and influence. (Tribble and Trubek, 316-317) Creating a writing technology is something that takes a lot of thought. The process, materials, words written down, and the purpose of writing things down although common to modern society, was something that proved daunting to create.
When I was assigned to create my own writing technology I thought, “that’s going to be easy.” It was not easy. When conflicted with this assignment, the first thing I had to think about was “what am I going to write with?” I decided after what seemed like hours of brainstorm, to settle on a stick for a writing utensil. Next came ink. I first debated on creating my own ink, for this I would have to use things like books, or the Internet. Since books or use of the Internet were not in the spirit of the assignment, I used something else. I had to think what would stick to a surface and create enough of a contrast that someone would be able to read it. I came up with the idea of using some sort of fresh fruit. Frozen fruit, although cheaper, probably wouldn’t have worked well. Blueberries, as expensive as they were, seemed to be the best solution. I mashed the blueberries into a little dish, and then began to write. But then I realized I had nothing to write on. Making paper would have been hard. I can’t write on the ground, cause it wouldn’t be as permanent or portable. I found some bark from firewood that my dad had cut up. I grabbed the biggest chunk and began to write using my own creation.
different colored water-soluble marker pens (Vis a Vis pens and Crayola water soluble work well. Be sure that it is water soluble. Be sure to test any green, water soluble inks that you have.)
Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales in The Riverside Chaucer. General Ed. Benson, Larry D. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1987.
In the essay from Pencils to Pixels, Dennis Baron details the world’s journey from the use and making of the pencil to the computer. Barron states that the pencil wasn’t originally intended to be used as a writing device. There’s a bit of information you probably hadn’t heard before. Yes, pencils were actually adopted as a tool by “note takers.. ..scientists...and others who need to write”. They were taken from artists and adapted it for use as a writing tool ( Dennis Barron 44).
Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales: Riverside Chaucer Third Edition. Ed. Larry D. Benson. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company,1987. 3-328 Secondary
Handwriting is a means of expressing language, just like speech. However, handwriting is not taught in school as much as in previous years. In the past, handwriting was taught as a precursor to reading and spelling. Today, students of all ages are rigorously tested on their writing skills, yet they are not allowed the time it takes to develop this skill. I remember writing in a Big Chief notebook, holding a chubby pencil, trying my best to make the curves and lines of the letters just right. When I attended elementary school, the teacher devoted at least forty-five minutes to handwriting each day. Handwriting should still be taught in school because it is an essential first step to reading and expressing one’s thoughts and feelings and because of its impact on higher education.
Beidler, Peter G. "Chaucer's Tales" Chaucer Review Vol: 34, Issue: 4. April 01, 2000. 388-397
Saul, Nigel. "Chaucer and Gentility." Pp. 41-58. In Chaucer's England. Barbara A. Hanawalt, ed. Minneapolis: U of Minnesota P, 1992.
Writing can be a very difficult process for those who do not know how to go about constructing
Mack, Michael. "Between Kant And Kafka: Benjamin's Notion Of Law." Neophilologus 85.2 (2001): 257-272. MLA International Bibliography. Web. 15 Dec. 2013.
Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales: Riverside Chaucer Third Edition. Ed. Larry D. Benson. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company,1987. 3-328 Secondary
In my project I attempted to write without the assistance of normal technologies that are often taken for granted. It proved a difficult undertaking. Before beginning to write I had to find something to write on. As I searched my house and yard I realized that technology-free materials are difficult to find. I eventually found a birch log by the fireplace, which was once used by Native Americans for the purpose of writing. After tearing off the bark, and shaking off the dirt I had my “paper.” The hardest part was still not over; I needed to find a replacement for the normal writing aid of a pencil or pen. I replaced ink with honey and traded a pen for a feather. My next step was the very slow process of streaking honey on the bark to form words. The honey was the same color as the birch and blended in with the wood. To f...
The literary works by Confucius, who was a teacher, politician, philosopher, and a social reformer helped developing Confucianism, often regarded as a religion. Confucianism is often believed as a system of social and ethical philosophy. When Confucius was born, the Chinese central government had lost power and there were numerous warring states. The violence, social instability, and cruel governance were some of the reasons why Confucius chose to be a teacher and a social reformer. His influence is greatly felt in China, Japan, and other parts of the world. His teachings were accepted as state dogma. The books he edited, namely the books of Changes, Poetry, History, and Rites, and the one he compiled, the Spring and Autumn are used as study material in both private and public schools in China. These subjects were also studied for civil service examination (Wu-Chi). His
Cursive writting is a big part of being professional. It's true that technology is changing at a rapid speed. As said in the article "Cursive Is aTwenty-First Century Dinosaur" hand writting has tooken a back seat. Only because technology grows by the day. I feel that children should still learn and practice cursive hand writting because it is apart of everyday life. learning to write can improve your motor skillz more than typing on a computer.
Writing technologies have been shaping the way people live since the beginning of time. In the Stone Age, our ancestors used tablets to organize important thoughts, keep track of daily activities, and pass on their knowledge to future generations. Arguably, their method of writing was inefficient as much effort was being put into carving and preserving the tablet, while the end result contained little information relative to its size. As technologies evolve, we have refined our methods of writing and have come up with newer, cheaper, and more efficient ways to communicate. Living in the age of information explosion, my most intimate experience with writing technologies comes from the use of my royal blue VAIO.
Everyday millions of people around the world use some form of writing. When they send an e-mail, sign a check, or read a billboard these people are utilizing a technology that has been around for centuries. Like the wheel, writing is hardly ever viewed as a technology when compared to HD televisions, cell phones, and X Box. However, the way people write and what they use to write are more complex technologies than they seem. For nearly as long as writing has been around there have been those who have discussed, challenged and praised this technology, but these kinds of theories can sometimes be difficult for a literate person to consider. By trying to create a new writing technology, such theories become far easier to understand.