Discourse: Writing and Critiquing It

Introduction Discourse Writing

Discourse, as a rhetorical or literary device, refers to the structured and purposeful use of language to convey ideas, persuade, or engage an audience. It involves the artful arrangement of words and sentences to create a coherent and persuasive narrative. It is a fundamental element of rhetoric, literature, and communication, allowing authors and speakers to shape meaning and influence their audience’s perception and understanding of a given topic or theme.

Literary Examples of Discourse

Novel	Example	Explanation of Discourse Style
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee	“There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County.” (Chapter 1)	In this novel, the author uses narrative discourse as the narrator, Scout Finch, tells the story of her childhood. The discourse is characterized by vivid descriptions and colloquial language, reflecting the Southern dialect of the characters.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald	“In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.” (Chapter 3)	This novel employs descriptive discourse to immerse the reader in the extravagance of the 1920s Jazz Age. Fitzgerald’s use of sensory details and figurative language paints a vivid picture of the characters’ opulent lifestyle and parties.
1984 by George Orwell	“Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end, we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible because there will be no words in which to express it.” (Part 1, Chapter 5)	George Orwell utilizes argumentative discourse in this dystopian novel to critique the totalitarian regime of Oceania. The discourse relies on logical arguments and evidence to emphasize the dangers of government control, censorship, and the importance of individual freedom and free expression.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger	“I’m quite illiterate, but I read a lot.” (Chapter 3)	This novel employs a distinctive style of discourse characterized by informal and colloquial language. It reflects the teenage narrator, Holden Caulfield’s, fragmented and disjointed thought process, highlighting his feelings of alienation and confusion.

These examples showcase how different styles contribute to the unique storytelling and themes in each of these classic novels.

Creating Effective Discourse

1. Identify Your Audience: Tailor it to your audience’s background, beliefs, interests, and knowledge level.
2. Choose Your Type: Select from descriptive, narrative, expository, argumentative, or persuasive discourse based on your purpose and audience.
3. Use Clear and Concise Language: Ensure your language is clear, simple, and easily understood, avoiding complex jargon and convoluted phrasing.
4. Support Your Arguments with Evidence: Back up your claims with evidence such as statistics, examples, personal experiences, or expert quotes.
5. Consider Your Tone: Align your tone with your goals and emotional impact, choosing the appropriate tone for your intended message.
6. Engage with Your Audience: Encourage dialogue and exchange of ideas by asking questions, seeking feedback, and valuing your audience’s perspectives.

Benefits of Discourse

Discourse can have a wide range of benefits, including:

1. Facilitating Communication: It serves as the foundational mechanism for interpersonal communication, enabling the articulation of ideas, expression of emotions, and the exchange of information in a coherent and efficacious manner.
2. Building Interpersonal Relationships: Discourse contributes to relationship-building by nurturing empathy, understanding, and mutual respect among individuals and within groups.
3. Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills: Engagement in discourse cultivates critical thinking abilities, prompting individuals to systematically and logically evaluate and analyze information, ideas, and arguments.
4. Promoting Educational Endeavors: It functions as a potent tool for learning, as it facilitates the exchange of information and ideas, the sharing of knowledge and insights, and the receipt of constructive feedback and support.
5. Fostering Creativity: It also fosters creativity by encouraging individuals to explore novel ideas, think innovatively, and engage in inventive problem-solving.
6. Reinforcing Community Bonds: It contributes to community cohesion through the promotion of open and respectful dialogues, the facilitation of collaboration and cooperation, and the encouragement of collective efforts toward shared objectives.

Discourse and Literary Theory

Literary Theory	Critique of Discourse	Practical Example
Feminist literary theory	Examines how gender and sexuality representations in literature are influenced by broader cultural and social discourses.	Example: Analyzing how the portrayal of female characters in a novel reflects societal norms and challenges traditional gender roles.
Postcolonial literary theory	Explores how colonialism and imperialism shape literary discourse and its impact on contemporary literature.	Example: Investigating how a novel reflects the complexities of cultural identity and resistance in a postcolonial context.
Marxist literary theory	Analyzes how literature reflects and challenges dominant capitalist ideologies, promoting potential social change.	Example: Examining a novel’s depiction of class struggle to reveal the economic disparities within a capitalist society.
Psychoanalytic literary theory	Uses psychoanalytic concepts to uncover unconscious motivations and desires underlying literary discourse.	Example: Interpreting symbolic elements in a story to reveal characters’ hidden fears and desires based on psychoanalytic theories.

These literary theories incorporate its analysis to provide deeper insights into the construction of meaning and interpretation within literary texts.

Suggested Readings

1. Fairclough, Norman. Language and Power. Routledge, 2015.
2. Gee, James Paul. An Introduction to Discourse Analysis: Theory and Method. Routledge, 2014.
3. Hall, Stuart. Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices. Sage Publications, 2013.
4. Jaworski, Adam, and Nikolas Coupland. The Discourse Reader. Routledge, 2006.
5. Van Dijk, Teun A. Discourse and Power. Palgrave Macmillan, 2008.
6. Wodak, Ruth, and Michael Meyer. Methods of Critical Discourse Analysis. Sage Publications, 2009.
7. Widdowson, Henry G. Discourse Analysis. Oxford University Press, 2007.
8. Yule, George. The Study of Language. Cambridge University Press, 2016.