Summary
In “The Writer’s Audience is Always a Fiction” Walter J. Ong clarifies that there has not yet been a discussion that engages in the relationship between a speaker’s audience and a writer’s audience. In fact, he notes that ‘audience’ is incorrect when depicting a writer’s recipients since they are not presently there with the writer. For this reason, Ong states that a writer approaches his readers differently than a speaker does. A speaker is in front of his audience therefore he is able to interact with them in different ways such as with corporal movement and gestures. The audience receives these gestures and movements in the same way which all come to apprehend quite equally. An audience is a unit of receivers that witness the same information that is being projected. In contrast, a writer’s recipients are individuals that are not present during the writing development for which the writer needs to fictionalize. The writer fictionalizes his readers not “in their particularities” but as a personification of the readers themselves. The writer molds his writing in a way in which the reader will take the role that the writer has assigned him. Ong announces that each reader will acknowledge the material differently for the reason that there is no one guiding them, thus everyone understands the material regarding their own experience and level of ignorance.
Moreover, Ong provides Hemingway’s style as an example of reader personification. Hemingway followed the concept of creating a ‘you-and-me’ relationship. He utilizes pronouns such “the” and “that” which the reader implies that he knows what its going on and that there is a history that he knows. Furthermore, Ong explains the transition of oral expression to written expression during the emergence of print technology. He announces that it began as orally scripting to more enhanced/proper techniques to engage their readers.
As Ong goes on, he continues to address the readers’ role in written communication. He notes that in a letter, the writer writes to one recipient and yet needs to cast a role for both-the reader and him. The writer must engage in the humor that most likely, will appeal the reader, as well as the reader must fall into that wave of that emotion.
Finally, Ong states that “masks are inevitable in all human communication, even oral”, thus the writer/speaker provides the mask and the reader/audience follow the personification, although writer and reader relationship becomes less implied.
Synthesis
Ong studies the differences between a speaker’s and a writer’s recipients in the manner in which they are presented the information. Transmitting information from a speaker towards an audience is more specific in relation to what he wants to project. In the other hand, a writer depends in the style he uses to cast his readers. This depicts that the writer is more self-reliant concerning what he writes and is not as attached to his recipients. The writer in a way builds his audience. Readers fictionalize into this audience.
Ong points that every individual will not be able to follow the cast that has been provided. This depends on the level of knowledge they are at. “These gradations of admissible ignorance vary from one level of scholarly writing to another, and since individual readers vary in knowledge and competence, the degree to which they must fictionalize themselves to match the level of this or that reading will vary.” Ong demonstrates that one might not always successfully engage in the reading as a consequence of age or intelligence. For this reason, a writer must write according to the reader’s educational level in order for them to fully engage in the fictionalization.
Moreover, one can consider that writing to an educational community differs in this sense. When writing within a science community, the writer does know how his readers will perceive the information. In contrast to Hemingway, his readers were not as specific.
To conclude, Ong asserts that a writer fictionalizes an audience in his imagination and the reader plays the role, converting the audience in fiction.
In “The Writer’s Audience is Always a Fiction” Walter J. Ong clarifies that there has not yet been a discussion that engages in the relationship between a speaker’s audience and a writer’s audience. In fact, he notes that ‘audience’ is incorrect when depicting a writer’s recipients since they are not presently there with the writer. For this reason, Ong states that a writer approaches his readers differently than a speaker does. A speaker is in front of his audience therefore he is able to interact with them in different ways such as with corporal movement and gestures. The audience receives these gestures and movements in the same way which all come to apprehend quite equally. An audience is a unit of receivers that witness the same information that is being projected. In contrast, a writer’s recipients are individuals that are not present during the writing development for which the writer needs to fictionalize. The writer fictionalizes his readers not “in their particularities” but as a personification of the readers themselves. The writer molds his writing in a way in which the reader will take the role that the writer has assigned him. Ong announces that each reader will acknowledge the material differently for the reason that there is no one guiding them, thus everyone understands the material regarding their own experience and level of ignorance.
Moreover, Ong provides Hemingway’s style as an example of reader personification. Hemingway followed the concept of creating a ‘you-and-me’ relationship. He utilizes pronouns such “the” and “that” which the reader implies that he knows what its going on and that there is a history that he knows. Furthermore, Ong explains the transition of oral expression to written expression during the emergence of print technology. He announces that it began as orally scripting to more enhanced/proper techniques to engage their readers.
As Ong goes on, he continues to address the readers’ role in written communication. He notes that in a letter, the writer writes to one recipient and yet needs to cast a role for both-the reader and him. The writer must engage in the humor that most likely, will appeal the reader, as well as the reader must fall into that wave of that emotion.
Finally, Ong states that “masks are inevitable in all human communication, even oral”, thus the writer/speaker provides the mask and the reader/audience follow the personification, although writer and reader relationship becomes less implied.
Synthesis
Ong studies the differences between a speaker’s and a writer’s recipients in the manner in which they are presented the information. Transmitting information from a speaker towards an audience is more specific in relation to what he wants to project. In the other hand, a writer depends in the style he uses to cast his readers. This depicts that the writer is more self-reliant concerning what he writes and is not as attached to his recipients. The writer in a way builds his audience. Readers fictionalize into this audience.
Ong points that every individual will not be able to follow the cast that has been provided. This depends on the level of knowledge they are at. “These gradations of admissible ignorance vary from one level of scholarly writing to another, and since individual readers vary in knowledge and competence, the degree to which they must fictionalize themselves to match the level of this or that reading will vary.” Ong demonstrates that one might not always successfully engage in the reading as a consequence of age or intelligence. For this reason, a writer must write according to the reader’s educational level in order for them to fully engage in the fictionalization.
Moreover, one can consider that writing to an educational community differs in this sense. When writing within a science community, the writer does know how his readers will perceive the information. In contrast to Hemingway, his readers were not as specific.
To conclude, Ong asserts that a writer fictionalizes an audience in his imagination and the reader plays the role, converting the audience in fiction.