Roger Chartier – The Practical Impact of Writing
Prodding through the innumerable statistics was difficult at first, but when these figures were pared away from the essay, Chartier had a very valuable message to convey to the reader: silent reading has drastically shaped the behaviors of every individual. The ability to read to oneself, to read in solitude, has enabled the reader to achieve a level of introspection, of self understanding that was otherwise unheard of.
November 6th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
Chris,
As you’ve always done so well in your reading responses, here too you have captured the principle aspects of Chartier’s article; you have winnowed the chaff and left us with the pearls of grain, all ready for human consumption. I won’t reiterate your well told summary here but highlight that I appreciated how even in emphasizing the power of the word to liberate the silent reader from communal constraints, from a mediator, for the purpose of self-cultivation and introspection, you don’t forget the pleasures of reading with company for the purpose of cultivating kinship. Such a note could easily be overlooked in Chartier, but it is there.
And your frame, perhaps even your persona–the ramblings of a romantic reader–was well played. Love the nudge at John Locke in the end.