Genre
Genre is not limited to the basic, fiction, non-fiction, mystery or whatever you have heard. Genre is actually redefining itself
everyday! Previously, I thought of genre in a limited box, defined by what I have been told in previous classes. I believed genre was steadfast as I had only read the same genres over and over without realizing that much more can be included. However, I've come to see genre as something that is unique and characterized by social influence and discourse community perception. Genres vary greatly but have been molded by communities sending feedback on what they do or do not like; this in turn has created rules, norms and expectations from genre. Let's take a look at one of my blog posts and deconstruct this idea some more!
In this blog, I responded with my thoughts and questions after reading Dean's Explaining Genre Theory. Dean begins his work by saying "genre theory emphasizes the idea that writing is socially constructed" (2). Already by the end of the first paragraph, my mindset regarding forms of genre began to shift. Genre is not just a classification system, it's a way for authors to speak their mind's and communicate with readers. Due to the fact that no situation is the same and every author is not thinking the exact same thoughts, genre recreates itself daily with Dean remarking, "They may share characteristics over time or in different situations--in fact, a certain amount of stability is essential for genres to carry out action--but they are never exactly the same because no two situations are exactly the same" (10). The choices regarding rhetoric, context, inquiry and critical thinking all shape the way genre is defined in norms but unique in when applied in environments. For example, an essay has specific standards regarding conventions but the context and message being relayed can change; here is where we can see that genre can become an infinite amount of things. Further, this change in genre relates to discourse communities. As said previously, communities have differening expectations and these standards include the uses of genre in that community. What genres can you identify in your daily reading? What do you expect from the genres as it applies to you or your community?
My Perspective
No matter if you enjoy literature or not, genre is an important part in the communications of society. Without even realizing, genre impacts us everyday based on our social situations and discourse communites we partake in. It's critical to understand the fact that some parts of genre must be concrete in order to serve a purpose but fluid with the idea that genre will serve differing purposes based on social occurences. Expand your education of genre; you're exposed to it everyday and that won't ever change. Break whatever mold you have of genre and introduce yourself to this new concept, it will open your mind and create new ideas or exchanges of communication between groups.