Luis' Blog #1: Previous Readings and The Barn

Throughout this entire textbook I feel like the author, Ballenger, is talking directly to me. I hope I am not the only one that feels this way. Although I may not be able to challenge Ballenger in his many theories on writing and reading in inquiry, I do like the way he is presenting them. I makes it relatable, puts it in a certain situation that anyone can relate to. He is teaching that one should not be afraid to make mistakes while writing; DON'T BE PERFECT! I feel that he is making sure that the voices we may have lost will be found once again through writing without fear of judgement or ridicule from the reader.I love how he provides rhetorical questions thorughout the entire text to help us understand the point he is trying to make. In chapter 4 on the first few sentences of the paragrah, he provided a good way for us to comprehend a personal essay. He creatively said that a personal essay is basically a self-portrait and only provides the truth or part of a truth. But as we continue to write we will begin to see and learn something about ourselves that wasn't known before. One thing that I loved about this textbook is how he somehow, an a very effecient and easy way to understand, that images, writing and reading with inquiry are all the same. They don't start off with an answer, but a question. I am really liking how this guy is presenting these ideas, its like having a friend talk to you; very enjoyable.
In "The Barn", I like how it feels like a conversation between the author and me. It was amazing the way she described everything I could picture it, I could clearly see what was going on. Besides that, I could relate because I remember the first time the wind was knocked out of me. Analytically, I feel it was "deep", because at the end she no longer wanted to do risky things, she understood that she could die. Its so chilling to me.