Motive in Writing

1. Motive in Writing

2. Motive in Writing ‘Motive: the reason, which you establish at the start of your essay, why a reader (someone besides your instructor) might want to read an essay on this topic/needs to hear your particular thesis argued and explained’. http://www.scholars.nus.edu.sg/writing/resources/elements_of_essay.html

3. Simply put… • Why write? • Why should somebody else bother to read your writing? Is it important? Why? • Now do Worksheet Task 1

4. Why is it important to state your motive? What is the difference between getting your point over when you’re speaking to somebody and when you are writing?

5. Some motives for writing (Task 1) • To explain to the reader why you are writing, you can establish the essay's context . • Legal Context • Brief, historical (social/cultural/political/ economic) information on the title shows why its important • There’s a contemporary dispute over the topic - CONTROVERSY! • There’s an interesting question raised by a text you are analysing

6. Task 2 • Now do task 2 on the worksheet.

7. Task 2 Chopin's novel (the topic) is introduced in the context of the critical and moral controversy its publication engendered. This is why she’s writing her essay. **Critical dispute is a common reason for writing academic essays and papers.

8. Task 3 • List all the possible reasons a writer might have for writing his/her academic article, dissertation or essay. Think: Why should your idea interest someone other than your instructor? Well, perhaps...

9. Further motives for writing… • The standard opinion on the text, or a certain published view, needs challenging, extending or qualifying (A really common reason for writing – signal this! - ed) • Published views of the matter conflict – so the issue is complex. (Again – a really common reason for demonstrating why the writing is important). • There’s a misapprehension that an intelligent reader would plausibly have, and you want to signal a point that such a reader might overlook. • Adapted from: • http://www.scholars.nus.edu.sg/writing/resources/elements_of_essay.html

10. Further Motives for Writing… • You think the important issue(s) aren’t what one would expect, or what it might first appear to be on first reading • There's an interesting complexity in the matter • A simple or common or obvious-seeming approach to this has more implications, or explains more, than it may seem • An approach to this that may seem irrelevant, isn't (and vice versa) • There's a contradiction or tension in the question • There's an ambiguity, something unclear, that could mean two or more things • This matter is difficult, or complicated, and needs some sorting out • There's a mystery or puzzle or question here that needs answering or explaining • We can learn about a larger phenomenon by studying this smaller one • This seemingly tangential or insignificant matter is actually important, or interesting. And so on. • (From: http://www.scholars.nus.edu.sg/writing/resources/elements_of_essay.html)

11. What’s their motive? • Read the Introductions on the handout. How does each writer try to justify her/his reason for writing (their motive)? Write ‘the motive’ on each one. You might decide that several ‘motives’ apply.

12. The Language of Consumption: Communal yet Competitive by Gilbert Lok In The World of Goods, Mary Douglas presents an anthropological view of consumption, where she postulates that the act of consumption sends signals to others about our choices and preferences, allowing the individual to "construct an intelligible universe with the goods he chooses" (1). This conversation of consumption between individuals results in the "joint production, with fellow consumers, of a universe of values" (2), bringing us to a common understanding of the world we live in. The mutuality and reciprocity in such a view of consumption is clearly evident, and consumption is depicted as a collectively beneficial activity, where individual choices give rise to societal order. We notice also a strong sense of egalitarianism, with individual consumers contributing their share toward the construction of a common social universe. Yet, lurking in the shadows of this seemingly classless system of consumption are traces of inequality and competition - shadows that create a certain tension in the view of consumption presented by Douglas. This essay therefore aims to show that while goods do serve as "communicators" of culture, they tell not merely of our preferences for different objects and activities, but also of the disparities in our status and influence in society. • http://www.scholars.nus.edu.sg/writing/folio/vol4/lok1.html

13. Motives in essay on Consumption • The standard opinion of the text, or a certain published view, needs challenging, extending or qualifying. • The student agrees with the writer, but thinks she leaves something out

14. Reconciling Murray and Millettby Christelle Chua En Lin Since its publication, D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover has generated a storm of controversy because it deals with two contentious issues: class boundaries and sexuality. Both J. M. Murry's contribution to Adelphi and Kate Millett's Sexual Politics acknowledge these two issues, yet they present differing ideas. Murry deems Lawrence to be a significant but imperfect advocate for the revolution of human relationships (284), while Millett calls him a reactionary sexual politician intent on accomplishing the "perfect subjection of women" (241). Given such varying views, what should we make of the novel, from our position in the 21st century? The answer to that lies, perhaps, in the reconciliation of the two different views presented by Murry and Millett. • http://www.scholars.nus.edu.sg/writing/folio/vol3/chatterley1.html

15. Motive in the essay: ‘Reconciling Murray and Millett’ • Published views of the matter conflict – so the issue is complex. • The student wants to position herself in relation to the debates on this subject (ie ‘they say that’ and ‘my perpective is…’).

16. Pair Work • In pairs, discuss your next essay/dissertation title. At this point, can you explain your motive for writing the essay?

17. Give it a go! • Now write out what you discussed in your pairs.