SQR 6 Brenda Carmona

Brenda Carmona

ENG 1320/1301.161

Trang Phan

10/4/10

SQR #6

Author: Peter Elbow “Closing My Eyes as I Speak: Argument for Ignoring Audience”

Source: College of English, Vol. 49, No. 1 (Jan., 1987), pp. 50-69

Summary

It is said that while one speaks they close their eyes to ignore the audience and arguments so that they can avoid audience awareness. Peter Elbow belives that an audience is a field of force. He also says “the effect of audience awareness is somewhere between the two extremes: the awareness disturbs or disrupts our writing and thinking without completely blocking it out.” (pp.51-52) Different people may not close their eyes as they speak but at times I catch myself doing that and it helps me block out everything and it makes me think better maybe not for everyone but for me it works. It sometimes becomes an overload when speaking in front of an audience so start by ignoring them and focus on your thinking when done thinking you can turn to the audience. When I feel overloaded is if I hear the audience I lose my focus and don’t know where to begin from.

Question:

Peter Elbow argues that the audience is a field force. What do you understand? Have you experienced it?

Response:

I belive that the audience is a feel of force because an audience can distract you or make you nervous. We can make a statement infront of the audience and they can react in a bad way so you can become afraid or go blank. The audience though is good because they can judge your speech but you may not like what they have to say about it. It is something that one has to deal with when having an audience.