How Authority Can Impact Your Writing

In Penrose and Geisler’s “Reading and Writing Without Authority”, the article opens with the introductions of two writers discussing the tpic of paternalism. First, there was Janet who had defined what paternalism is and the justifiable conditions of paternalism. Then, following Janet’s introduction, there was Roger’s. Roger introduces the topic with no true explanation of what paternalism is or isn’t. Roger’s article places people like doctors, patients, the authors of other texts about paternalism, other paternalistic relationships, and a “we” who share an upcoming task of exploration. The difference between the two article introductions shows a clear difference in authority.

In the third page of “Reading and Writing Without Authority”, it’s revealed that Roger has experience with this term and has gotten is doctorate and is thus an expert in the field of paternalism. While Janet, at the time of writing her article, was only a freshman in college with little to no information about the term paternalism and was an outsider in the field. So understandably, she went into more detail about what paternalism is while Roger didn’t. He expected those reading his article to already have an understanding of paternalism.

I would say I’m can be both Roger and Janet depending on what the topic is. If the topic is mythology, ancient history, writing essays, debates, etc. I would say i’m more like Roger but when it comes to things like discourse coummunities, literacy/fluency I would definitely consider myself to be more of a Janet or somehwere in-between being Roger and Janet because I am informed about the topic somewhat but not enough to be considered an expert within the field.