2) I did my revision here slightly different as I had these three ideas, from the 2 different scholars that spanned 2 paragraphs and were set up rather sloppy. Below is my original thoughts and paragraphs for my essay.
Explaining Jame Gee’s thoughts on the the matter first, he rather explicitly states that at a specific point, it is impossible to pick up a Discourse no matter how hard you may try. When explaining this in his paper he states that “Discourses are connected with displays of an identity; failing to fully display an identity is tantamount to announcing you don’t have that identity, that at best you’re a pretender or a beginner” (Gee 9-10). Gee believes that a Discourse is who you are, and after a certain tipping point you can not simply change who you are or try to become something you are not, just because you want to. He goes on to illustrate that if you choose to take up this task that you will broadcast to everyone around you that you are an inexperienced fake who does not know what they are doing, discouraging even the thought of attempting to do so. Additionally, he then explains his rational in straightforward terms; “you can’t be let into the game after missing the apprenticeships and be expected to have a fair shot at playing it” (Gee 10) highlighting once again that some people are in a Discourse and some people are not, and there is no perceivable way to enter into one no matter the circumstances.
Moving on the Amy Cuddy’s opposing view, she explains her opinion with a personal story. While teaching at Harvard she had a talk with a shy student who did not participate in class, encouraging her to simply try, to fake like she belonged there, and enter the discussion in class. Later in life that same student came back to her teacher and Cuddy realized that “she had not just faked it till she made it, she had actually faked it till she became it. So she had changed” (Cuddy). The stance Cuddy takes is that it is never too late to enter what Gee refers to as a “Discourse” and if you feel or even know you do not belong somewhere, that does not necessarily mean that is permanent. She preaches that you can change who you are, and it is okay to be a “pretender” as Gee puts it, because that is just the first step on the road to becoming a master.
3) Then, even before reading Barclay’s formula, but mirroring it quite the same, I combined not 2, but 3 quotes, relating them and using the format behind Barclay’s formula. What follows below is my resulting work.
James Gee explains his thoughts on the the matter when he rather explicitly states that at a specific point, it is impossible to pick up a Discourse no matter how hard you may try. When explaining this in his paper he states that “Discourses are connected with displays of an identity; failing to fully display an identity is tantamount to announcing you don’t have that identity, that at best you’re a pretender or a beginner” (Gee 9-10). Gee believes that a Discourse is who you are, and after a certain tipping point you can not simply change who you are or try to become something you are not, just because you want to. He goes on to illustrate that if you choose to take up this task that you will broadcast to everyone around you that you are an inexperienced fake who does not know what they are doing, discouraging even the thought of attempting to do so. On the complete opposite side of the scale, during Amy Cuddy’s opposing view, she explains her opinion with a personal story. While teaching at Harvard she had a talk with a shy student who did not participate in class, encouraging her to simply try, to fake like she belonged there, and enter the discussion in class. Later in life that same student came back to her teacher and Cuddy realized that “she had not just faked it till she made it, she had actually faked it till she became it. So she had changed” (Cuddy). The stance Cuddy takes is that it is never too late to enter what Gee refers to as a “Discourse” and if you feel or even know you do not belong somewhere, that does not necessarily mean that is permanent. She preaches and encourages that you can change who you are, and it is okay to be a “pretender” as Gee puts it, because that is just the first step on the road to becoming a master. However if these words were to fall on Gee’s ears he would be unconvinced, as he explains his rational in straightforward terms; “you can’t be let into the game after missing the apprenticeships and be expected to have a fair shot at playing it” (Gee 10) highlighting once again that some people are in a Discourse and some people are not, and there is no perceivable way to enter into one no matter the circumstances. Gee and Cuddy’s ideas come into direct contact with each other, however, I believe that Cuddy’s point holds more merit.
ENG110I
