Defining Genre

Blog Post #3

Joshua C. Cook English 1001 (006)

Before I read Bazerman’s ideas on genre and speech actions, I would define genre as a grouping texts based on styles or traits that are distinctive to that grouping. Having read many westerns, action adventure, and fantasy books I seen that specific plot points, and character archetypes define genre. For example in westerns it is. typical for there to be a strong message about overcoming hardship and doing what must be done because it needs doing. Fantasy plots tend to follow battles between an ultimate evil and a band of intrepid heroes how fight despite the overwhelming odds. Now, most people might think setting is a key to defining genre but I would argue it isn’t, for you could set a western in space and not in a desert or you could have a fantasy story set in 1950’s New York and still have it follow a typical fantasy plot.

After reading Bazerman’s Definition of Genre which is “communicative patterns that other people are familiar with, they may recognize more easily what we are saying and trying to accomplish.” The main difference in Bazerman’s definition is that it focuses on communication and is easily recognizable. The fact that it is a pattern that works for delivering certain messages or stories is the main similarity between the two definitions.

Commencement speeches have a couple defining traits such as giving friendly advice or warnings, and trying to leave the audience with some hope for the future. A common commencement speech has a story coupled with it about the trials the speaker has dealt with and overcame. From the three commencement speeches that I’ve read they all share the first two traits that I mentioned (friendly advice and hope).

In Steve Jobs speech there was three stories that helped reenforce his message. The first story was about “connecting the dots” was about his early life dropping out of college and finding his passion. While looking for his passion he joined a calligraphy class and that is how 10 years later the Mac had typography. The message behind the story was how you couldn’t see the future and you just had to have faith that the dots connected when looking back. The second story was about “Love and Loss”, his story was about how he was fired from apple the job he love. Yet, he felt a weight lifted and started a new company called NeXT. Which was bought by apple, Jobs later says that this is all do to him doing what he love and “If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it”.(Jobs) The final story was about death, Jobs had a cancer scare that prompted him to share with the audience a quote he lived by “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.”

Mr. Rogers also has some antidotal stories, but the difference with Rogers is he had multiple stories that relaid the same message and strengthened the emotional impact. The advice was ” To appreciate our life – and do what we can so others might appreciate theirs.” (Rogers) Rogers ended his speech with a song that perfectly encapsulated the message that his speech meant to get across this song is called “It’s You I Like.” This is different to jobs speech, but it shares a similar vein to Collin’s speech where he shared a poem.

Rogers, Fred. “Fred Rogers Commencement Speech.” Fred Rogers Commencement Speech // University Honors // Marquette University, 2001, http://www.marquette.edu/university-honors/honorary-degrees/rogers-speech.php. 

University, Stanford. “Text of Steve Jobs’ Commencement Address (2005).” Stanford News, 12 June 2017, news.stanford.edu/2005/06/14/jobs-061505/. 

Text of Steve Jobs’ Commencement address (2005)