Reading & Composition

Writing strategies and expectations vary among cultures. Spanish speakers, for instance, may discover that their thoughtful attempts at emphasizing an idea are sometimes seen by English readers as unnecessary repetitions. They may find themselves wondering why a general reflection, intended to highlight the argument’s complexity, can be perceived, instead, as a digression. Also, why do sentences in English need to be so short and paragraphs so long? And when did using the passive voice become an unforgivable sin? The class will encourage students to ask this type of questions and to use them as an incentive to become better writers.

In particular, the course will explore key conventions of English academic writing by comparing the characteristics of the literary essay in the English and Spanish traditions. We will read a series of representative essayistic texts in each tradition, paying special attention to the central role the essay acquired in the definition of cultural identities in Spanish America, and to Jorge Luis Borges’s creative development of the fictional-essay genre. This historical overview will help us see that writing requirements are not universally valid principles. Instead, we will treat them as conventions and tools that we can learn to use in order to better convey and test our ideas.

This is a reading and composition course. It is designed for native Spanish speakers and bilingual students, as well as for English speakers seeking to gain a more critical understanding of writing conventions from a comparative perspective. Students will acquire practice in the different stages of the writing process through in-class writing exercises, drafts, revisions, and the completion of short-essay assignments.