Authorial Devices

After our original discussion regarding authorial devices used in politically driven pieces of writing, I was able to read the articles and sample papers provided in our course pack with a different perspective. This was particularly true for me when I was reading "The City and The Pillars" by Adam Gopnik. Exploring this masterful piece with an objective standpoint helped me evaluate the article from the author's perspective which fostered a certain understanding in his uses of authorial devices, particularly his avoidance of drama and his use of metaphors. Both of these devices, along with many others helped propel and articulate Gopnik's purpose.

In contrast to Gopnik's removed and undramatic tone, "The Fate of The Earth" by Jonathon Schell employed almost the exact opposite devices. Schell used a lot of dramatized language and a theatrical approach where he panned in and out of his chosen scenery. These devices created a tone that was rousing. This gave the piece a certain ability to penetrate its readers and instill a type of fear that may help promote his purpose which was to stop nuclear proliferation. Schell could have chosen plenty of other devices, but the drama and theatrics propelled his article in a way that makes sense in accordance with his purpose.

Our discussions on blogs furthered my comprehension of such devices. Although I was previously aware that there were certain tactics used to determine particular tones, I never necessarily considered visual components as their own devices. Thinking in terms of blogs, however, these visual components seem as if they may be some of the most important devices. As you mentioned in class, it only takes a fraction of a second to make a judgement on the physical appearance of a blog, If a blog is decided to be aesthetically pleasing, it is more likely that a reader will stay on the blog to explore its content and possibly respond or continue to come back. Besides the visual devices of a blog, the content of each post is also crucial. The author of the blog would presumably want to keep an approachable tone that is open to conversation since this could be a device to encourage interaction from its readers. Furthermore, the blog needs to have a reasonably easy navigational system. Without this, a visitor may be confused and therefore turned off to the entire blog including its content. This particular instance is a prime example of the importance of authorial devices. If each device is not employed mindfully, the audience may not be able to acquire every aspect that the author intended. Because of this notion, most every author is extremely careful of the devices they use and how they use them. Learning about this has changed the way I read peoples' writing and also the way I write to my audiences.