Chapter 1

Before reading chapter 1, I viewed genre more as the way it is associated with music. I knew there were different genres for books, literature, etc. but I thought of it more as categorizing it as romance, action, comedy, etc. After reading, I have a much better understanding of what genre is and how broad it can be. I also learned a lot more about rhetorical appeals, their effect when writing and how and when to use them effectively in getting your specific message delivered to your audience as well. The text provided a great example by using the two pieces about the Wall Arch in encompassing how there are many different elements of genre and how they come together to deliver a specific message to readers. I took a journalism class in high school where we learned about the importance of grabbing readers' attention very quickly by putting the most interesting points first. I remember reading about this in the chapter and how one should always try to to draw the readers' attention through design and then be able to keep their attention by organizing it into something all kinds of people would want to read. It reminded me of when I personally had to use that piece of advice in my writing.