1. In one sentence, summarize the thesis of the article.
This article outlines that students tend to disregard the importance of further improving their
reading and writing skills since they tend to believe that thinking is a skill which does not require
practice. Frye argues that the articulation of the ideas one has plays a significant role in
conveying the accurate meaning of one’s thinking.
2. Who would be an appropriate audience for this piece? Explain.
I believe that the appropriate audience for this article is students and their educators. If presented
to students in highschool and university, students may reconsider the importance of articulation,
ultimately inspiring them to pursue further practice in their communication skills. Educators
should also attempt at assigning students with assignments which push students to analyze
literature, as these can greatly broaden their vocabulary and improve their ability to articulate
their thinking.
3. Identify an allusion in the article, and explain its effect.
An allusion present in this article is “Until that point you don’t know whether you are pregnant
or just have gas on the stomach”. This allusion refers to the author’s claim which is, “ideas do
not exist until they have been incorporated into words”. This allusion implies that before
articulating your ideas you are unsure if your thinking makes sense or not, and the contrast
between pregnancy and gas in the stomach portrays the difference between good articulation and
poor articulation of one’s thinking.
4. According to the article, most students believe that “inarticulate ideas” can exist while
the author contends that “ideas do not exist until they have been incorporated into words.”
Select one of the stances and fully explicate your opinion regarding the thinking process.
My opinion regarding Frye’s claim that “ideas do not exist until they have been incorporated into
words” is that this is partially true. I think this way because I believe that the words used to
articulate a certain idea is not what provides the value of that idea. The thinking behind an idea is
something more valuable than how that idea is articulated. However, Frye’s claim is partially
true because articulation does bring additional value and meaning to one’s ideas, which can make
one’s idea recognizable to society.
5. Northrop Frye feels that the development of verbal competency is left to the individual.
Do you agree with Frye’s premise that our society has an anti-intellectual drive? Explain
your answer.
I agree that our society has an anti-intellectual drive because the majority of people tend to stay
hidden in the masses, since they will complete their education and start working as employees
rather than leaders. In schools students are taught how to become workers. Due to this students
do not feel the need to think critically or articulate their ideas since these jobs which people work
as employers do not require ideas at all.
6. To what extent does this article reflect the type of humanities (e.g., history, geography,
English, etc.) education you have received in this school?
This article relates to what we learn in world religion, since this course teaches us about ethics
and morality. Through our lessons we learn about social injustices, these injustices are things
which negatively impact our world and have been ignored by society for a long time. Frye’s
article teaches us that critical thinking in correlation with effective articulation of our ideas can
catch the attention of society and possibly make a change in the world. This is how this article
reflects the education received from grade 12 world religion.