Writing Technology Final Essay

Upon my first reading of the assignment for my English class, the invention of a writing technology, I thought it would be rather quick, easy, and simple. I was mistaken. From the influence upon, the decision of word selection, and the application of the writing technology, I was able to make direct connections to my own writing. The entire process of this project, from beginning to end, has led me to develop a deeper appreciation for the meaning and purpose of writing.

As with many things, some tasks appear straight forward on the surface level. However, as we begin to delve into the task at hand our knowledge base regarding the particulars of the project increases. As complexities emerge we realize that we must apply more physical and mental energy. Creating my own writing technology followed this model of starting off with initial surface assumptions that led to a more substantial understanding of theories and practices that can then be applied in an array of real world settings.

The charge of inventing my own writing technology seemed to be a basic way to pave the way for the content of the course. What better way to start a writing and technology course than to come up with your own writing technology project? First things first, a writing technology is basically anything with which you use to write and we cannot use any modern writing convenience, such as pencil, pens, or paper. I began to think of how I could physically construct a text without using any modern conveniences, especially my personal computer. The instructions were pretty clear. Use something or some things to convey a message of some sort; but what am I to say and what am I to use?

In exploring the various unorthodox materials I have personally used to communicate, I discovered an almost unending list of off art supplies, food items, and electronic technology. Working in an elementary school and having three children of my own has presented me with a plethora of opportunities to step out of the traditional methods of communication. From creating a Christmas present for grandparents to celebrating another year of my children’s lives through frosting, chocolate syrup, and whip cream, I became a little hard pressed to find a novel method of writing a text.

To assist in the process of locating materials, I asked myself how I would manage to do this if it were only up to me. Answering the question of what could I access naturally and use effectively without any type of modern device or product. Not fully believing that the total absence of modern convenience was necessary for the project, I was convinced that this line of thinking would truly lead me to my own ingenuity and would lead to a process in which my text could be successful.

Finding the materials was simple enough; I used resources found in nature. The acquisition of black cherry juice, birch bark, a feather, and a rock was assisted by the plentiful environment of Grand Traverse County. Fresh in season, the cherries were dark and ripe. The birch bark was found in abundance upon the forest floor. Feathers actually floated towards me, propelled by a breeze along the shore line. The material came together seamlessly. Even the rock I plucked out of my cottage’s garden was easy enough to acquire.

Although the identification and acquirement of the materials did not produce any major obstacles, the actual application proved to be rather tricky. As I began to use a spoon to mash up my cherries in a plastic container, I realized that I subconsciously chose manmade resources even though I set out specifically to do the exact opposite.  As Ong (1986) points out, “The fact that we do not commonly feel the influence of writing on our thoughts shows that we have interiorized the technology of writing so deeply that without tremendous effort we cannot separate it from ourselves or even recognize its presence and influence.” I was pretty surprised by this discovery and quickly problem solved by grabbing two rocks that lay nearby to grind my cherries into a pulp.

Believing that not only did a dark cherry indicate sweeter juice but also that darker pigment to be used in place of ink quickly led to my decision. I knew that I would need a dark stain in order to effectively write my text. One of the requirements of the projects was that the text needed to be visual as opposed to tactile so that the other students as well as my professor could actually experience my invented technology in an electronic format. Having personal experience with the staining effects of black cherries, I was certain that it would work.

The thing I should have been certain about was that creating my own “ink” was not going to be as simple as sliding my quill into the cherry and plucking it out and it being suitable for my needs. Apparently, the pigment is basically in the skin of the cherry. If one cherry is ground together between two three pound stones for about 2 minutes, about enough stain is produced to write four letters. Not only did time management become a factor, but I also had to manage the flow of the stain. When straight cheery juice touches birch bark it tends to bleed a little bit. Just as people used bread crumbs to rub off graphite (Baron 1999), I tried to use the smooth side of the feather to guide my stain.

The manual labor that went into creating my technology was also beyond my basic assumptions. The birch needed to be prepared a few days in advance as it was water logged from the previous night’s rain, spotted with moss, and still had pieces of the wood which initially composed the bulk of the tree and was now in a state of semi decay. In my mind, I pictured a pristine white surface that would serve as a near perfect surface for my writing. Once the bark dried out and the imperfections in the surface became apparent, I realized that only a small portion of the bark would be salvageable.

No handheld size shaped book for me. The advancement of my technology into the portable and practical volumes, outlined by Manuel (1996), did not seem likely at all given that only a small portion was usable.. Luckily, my advanced planning on obtaining an extra-large piece of bark in hopes that I would be able to practice my technique provided me with just enough space upon which I could write my text. The usable area turned out to be roughly one fifth of the entire piece.

Choosing the actual text provided its own complexities. At first I thought I would be clever and come up with a witty retort to tie into the overall concept of the project. However, upon further reflection of my word choice, I examined how my writing would be received by the reader and if the reader would understand the actual meaning and purpose of the text. Since additional explanation may be required to interpret the text to my intended meaning, a complaint dating as far back as Socrates (Ong 1986), I decided to choose words that could be easily understood by any audience and would stand on their own in the absence of further explanation.

The absence of meaning renders any text useless, as the overall purpose of a text is to convey on idea (Ong 1987). By using the objective text of the names of my family and my children’s birthdates, the reader automatically receives information that can be applied to the real world. Upon reading the shared “Thomas” name, it is clear that the names are linked together. The use of our common last name implies a filial relationship. To further supply context, the use of birthdates identifies a time period in which to place my family. With the provided context, the reader can successfully take the outlined text and obtain accurate information that they may not have otherwise known.

Even though figures of speech, as in “love grows deep”, could be interpreted in a variety of ways the context of its use provides useful information. The physical proximity of the subjective trope relation to the objective content provides a specific context in which the trope can be applied. In regards to my specific text, the placement of my family’s information alongside a figurative form of speech supports the presence of love amongst my family members.

Why did I not go with my first impulse to write something that I thought was funny but other people may not understand? Why did I go with writing about my family in a loving way? Honestly, I did not want to waste time on something without a purpose. Just as the first written markings documented important and meaningful information such as land sales and business transactions (Baron 1999), I too wanted to write something with a value. There is nothing without more meaning in my life than my family and the purpose of my writing was to convey that sentiment. As the function of writing is to convey information or an idea, I believe my project was successful.

References

Baron, Dennis, “From Pencils to Pixels: The Stages of Literacy Technologies” from  

Passions, Pedagogies, and Twenty-first Century Technologies, Ed. Gail E.

Hawisher and Cynthia L. Selfe. Logan: Utah State University Press, 1999. 15-33.

Manguel, Alberto. “The Shape of the Book.” A History of Reading. New York: Viking,

1996. 125-148.
Ong, Walter. “Writing is a Technology that Restructures Thought.” Literacy: A Critical

Sourcebook. Eds. Ellen Cushman, Eugene R. Kintgen, Barry M. Kroll, and Mike

Rose. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001. 19-31.