I tend to agree with a lot of the points brought up by the critic in this article. I can personally vouch for a lot of the counterpoints to “the Five-Paragraph Essay”. For as long as i can remember this method has been the golden standard in all of the public institutions I’ve been a part of. Although, that’s the way I’ve been taught to write, most of the articles and pieces taught in higher education and seen in journalism and the media differ from this method. “one finds them only in the captivity of the classroom”. This systematized standard of writing does not fully prepare the writer for the full extent of the world. A more ideal way, in my opinion, of writing and learning to write is a freestyle way. Of course, there need to be rules and parameters for the “small” stuff but we should “take the training wheels” off of our bikes.
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Thanks Raynier. A lot of interesting metaphors here for writing and the writing classroom, a place of captivity and bicycles, it all makes me think structure can quickly become a crutch and prevent critical thinking. I like the idea of a freestyle method, I just wonder what that would look like.
This is true Raynier, I haven’t really gave it much thought on how we are so used to following the rules of the 5 paragraph essay. Now that I go back and think of the times I’ve written essays, this seems very familiar. Most of the time I’m trying to make sure I have all the rules correct. I try to make sure that I have the correct number of sentences in a paragraph. I re-check to make sure that there is a beginning, middle and end. But, yes, in doing this I am distracted of my real and deep thoughts. Like being a machine that does what it’s programmed to do. Rather than freely exposing ideas and like you say, following the rules for the “small” stuff. Although, for not not very experienced writers, like myself.. putting these thoughts and ideas freely into writing might not result as intended.