Bernhardt

Chloe Brotherton

English 1510

September 19, 2012

“Seeing the Text” Stephen A. Bernhardt

 

Summary

Stephen A. Bernhardt’s “Seeing the Text” breaks down the process of looking at a text; according to Bernhardt, “a text can be seen, must be seen, in a process which is essentially different from the perception of speech.”  Bernhardt goes on to explain the different kinds of texts and what makes that style of writing unique.  He really goes in depth and analyzes the little things that a reader may not realize.

Synthesis

“Seeing the Text” is similar to other readings we have read this semester because it goes into detail about a function of writing, but it is also somewhat different.  It is different than other readings we have read because it shows an example of an article (Wetlands) and has a chart breaking down kinds of texts.  It was also relatively shorter.

QDJ

4.  I believe when writing an essay there is a specific format to follow because essays are very formal and if you do anything other than the expected criteria you are wrong.  You may not be “wrong”, but you won’t get full credit if your essay doesn’t have the following: introduction, thesis, three or more supporting paragraphs, and conclusion.  It has been like that ever since high school, and it’s drilled in our heads that a proper essay must be in that format. 

AEI

3.  The definition for “gestalt” is: a configuration, pattern, or organized field having specific properties that cannot be derived from the summation of its component parts; a unified whole.  Bernhardt, on the other hand, uses “gestalt” as a law or idea for the text.  Now that I have a better understanding of the word it does help with reading this article.

After thoughts

I found this article to be boring.  It was a boring topic and I really wasn’t interested in learning about texts.  He went into such depth about the anatomy of a text, too.  At least it was one of the shorter articles we’ve had.