Different styles to make an artistic work - Research Paper Example

3rd March Introduction Juana Ramírez Asbaje also referred to as Sor Juana was an extraordinary figure that shaped the history of Spanish America and Spain among other regions. As a renowned poet, she offered quite a number of literary works that looked at the dynamic world of the 17th century Hispanic literature. Having been a Mexican nun, she wrote the La respuesta, one of the well recognized pieces that were polemic in nature and that was known for disapproving Church authorities. According to Sor Juana, silence is something that we should listen to. Additionally, she depicts that silence is a persuasive entity that provides an early instance of a protofeminist as well as nondominant new world rhetoric. On his part, Stanley Fish, who was born in 1938, is an American theorist and is the author of How to Write a Sentence: And How to Read One, Surprised by Sin: The Reader in Paradise Lost and Save the World on Your Own Time among other books. In the book How to Write a Sentence: And How to Read One, Fish is seen as someone who appreciates fine sentences. As a renowned columnist in the New York Times among other publications, Stanley Fish has for a long time been an enthusiast of languages. Just like an experienced sportscaster, Stanley Fish sees as amazing thing a well crafted sentence. His intention is to break them down into digestible information that makes the readers to have a candid understanding of the sentences. This paper aims at examining Sor Juanas polemical style and use of subordinating style sentences as well as to argue whether or not Sor Juanas polemic is effective. Sor Juanas "Response" was written as a critique to the bishop’s critique of the Sor Juana critique of a well recognized Jesuit sermon. La respuesta, which deals with religion, interplay of gender as well as identity, is seen as rhetoric of belonging based on the manner in which it use vocabularies when people dissociate or comes together with others. One of the notable issues that Sor indicates in the La respuesta is correspondence between cooking scientific speculation and the feminine art she attained at the convent. ‘What can we women know save philosophies that of the kitchen? It was well put by Lupercio Leonardo that one can philosophize quite well while preparing supper. I often say, when I make these little observations, had Aristotle cooked, he would have written a great deal more’ (La respuesta 75) remarks Sor Juana. These remarks, which tend to apply the subordinating style of sentences, indicate a key polemical issue that Sor portrays between the church and the female education. According to Stanley fish, great sentence is just similar to a great athletic performance. Additionally, he indicates that there is no limit that can be reached through the use of words. Fish indicate that for a good word combination entails the “parallelism of clauses that also feature the patterned repetition of consonants and vowels” (La respuesta 46). The use of polemical style in Sor works is also evidence in the literacy letters. For example she seemed to be a critic of the sermons that were delivered in various places. For example, in 1690, she wrote a critique of a sermon that was delivered forty years earlier by Padre Antonio de Vieyra. On his part, the bishop indicates that ‘it is acceptable for women to study as long as they remain obedient”. According to the bishop, Sor should stop writing yet he continued to publish her critique additionally, the bishop urges Sor to put her focus on divine subjects yet she criticized the topics that touched on the God’s gift. Another notable aspect that Fish supports in making sentences and combining words is that there should be “shape and ring” of sentences (Juana et al 25). Fish also indicates that “Language is not a handmaiden to perception; it is perception; it gives shape to what would otherwise be inert and dead. The shaping power of language cannot be avoided. We cannot choose to distance ourselves from it. We can choose to employ it in one way rather than another (How to Write a Sentence: And How to Read One 42). This implies that there should be a perfect adaptation of form to achievement. Notable, Sor Juana use the aspect of power and authority and uses strong voice while responding to the letters from the bishop. For example, she indicates “My Most illustrious Lady” while referring to Sor Filotea (La respuesta 39). Sor Juana also at the closing of the letter indicates that the “distance between myself and tour most distinguished person” (La respuesta 103). This was used by Sor to portray the level of power she had over the bishop despite her low level of education. According to Fish, “Verbal fluency is the product of hours spent writing about nothing, just as musical fluency is the product of hours spent repeating scales.” (How to Write a Sentence: And How to Read One 26). Within their conversation in the form of writing, Sor Juana and the bishop makes sure that they put down their verbal fluency in a careful manner (Fish 24). They also publicly minded missive to each other while taking into consideration of what they spoke and read in the letters. Sor Juana La respuesta indicates a polemical approach is portrayed while taking issues on the subject of women. Having been a hegemonic as well as a countercultural figure, she her complicated subjectivity on the women issues generated a complex rhetorical theory that is also contradictory in nature. In her response to St. Paul indication that let women should be left to keep silence in the churches, Sor argues that ‘It is permissible for women to study and interpret scriptures in private” (La respuesta 31). The La respuesta additionally indicates that Juana stand as far as gender issues were dismissive in a troubling manner. The author indicates that her choice of using letters was not her wish even though it was justifiable (Juana 17). Her intellectual urges emerged while she was young after she followed her sister to school and soon “caught fire with the desire to learn” La respuesta 49. Sor indicates that “I study because I must” (La respuesta 77). Even though she claimed to claimed to be born a poet, Sor indicates that until she was shown otherwise, she believed that every person “lisp’d in Number” (La respuesta 73). Additionally, she thought that “everyone speculated about the diversity of human character, saw geometrical proportions and shapes in the spinning of a child’s” (La respuesta 74). Sor Juana text provides a perspective on rhetorical training whereby gender is back grounded. Sor also indicates that she “Joined the convent because it was a way to avoid marriage and pursue salvation” (La respuesta 51). She indicates that fellow nun like to interrupt her, an aspect that she calls “noise” (La respuesta 51). Additionally Sor is concerned by the interruption that occurs within the communities. Her remarks indicate “And instead of explanations and exercises I had interruptions, posed not only by my religious duties, but by all those other things incidental to life in a community” (La respuesta 59). One of the major contributions by Sor Juana in the community is that she indicates herself as a historical woman who is a source of inspiration. She is also a proof that women have been noted as intellectual leaders in spiritual as well as secular realms. Sor recognizes the contribution of notable women in the society. For example, Esther is recognized for her gift of persuasion, Aspasia as a teacher of rhetoric and Nicostrata who educated Romans on the alphabet. As indicated by the conversation between Sor Juana, bishop and other nuns, there is a polemic aspect in the text. As a nun who should be in the first line in defending the church doctrines, Sor embarks on criticizing the sermons that were given by the bishop and the padre. In Sor Juana text, polemic is effective. This is due to the fact that the text as noted by the author expresses a strong desire for change that is supported by ethical, political and moral critique. In addition, as noted the text expresses a dissatisfaction and disagreement that are attached to conditions. Conclusion Based on the above discussion, it is clear that individuals use different styles to make their artistic work achieve the needed result. For example, as a born poet, Sor decided to emulate the writing rules as set by Stanley Fish. Similarly, through the use of polemical style, readers are in a position to understand the relationship between parties. La respuesta is a publication that touched on gender identity and religion matters. Through the text, Sor portrays the gender disparity that existed within the members of the church and the women. The author has adopted the polemical style to create awareness among the women even though she did it by making criticizing the sermons given by the padre and bishop. On his part, Fish is overwhelmed by great sentence that he equates to great athletic performance. In this regard, Sor has used Fish principles and ideas to deliver her point and make the reader comprehend her text. Works Cited Fish, E. How to Write a Sentence: And How to Read One. New York: Harper, 2011. Print. Juana, C., Margaret, S., Peden and Ilan, S. Poems, Protest, and a Dream: Selected Writings. New York: Penguin Books, 1997. Print. Read More