Berlin

Berlin was interesting and helpful to me in several ways. First, his examination and interpretation of Derrida and Saussure were enlightening.

Early on in the first chapter he brings up the fact that poetics and rhetoric are always vying for the position of "top dog" in the English department. What I would like to find out is why? Is this part of the way Mathematics departments are set up as well? Does geometry take precedence over algebra and then vise versa? Is World History challenging European History to see which one is more important or applicable? It's just that as it appears to me both are of equal worth and interest when studying. We have personal preferences, but that does not necessarily make one more important.

Now we composition vying with rhetoric and whether one is more important than the other. Both appear to be a necessary part of the learning process to me, especially in helping to educate young writers.

I just find the competition somewhat lacking in purpose.