Blog #3 "Gee"

The “Discourse” means “ways of being in the world; they are forms of life which integrate

words, acts, values, beliefs, attitudes, and social identities as well as gestures, glances, body

positions, and clothes,” (Gee 526), describing an identity which one would put themselves into.

Gee also explains the “identity kit,” he explains that the Discourse is a combination of on how to

talk, act, and often write. (Gee 526) From what I got out of it was, you are taught to write, read,

and act in a certain way. Then again, the “discourse” is s connection which is stretches of

language where it would make sense , in other word “discourse” is part of “Discourse.” (Gee 526)

Everyone have their own way of expressing themselves through different style of language,

putting up an act to fit in, in a certain group, etc.

From a personal perspective, the discourse I have would be the discourse with a capital “D.”

Reflecting back to the definition to the Discourse, when it explains the combinations which is

comfort into an “identity kit,” as a Hispanic woman given the title to be a house wife and not

being able to educate myself. Living in a world or country of stereotypes and discrimination, by-

passing all of the negativity and proceeding to go to the highest level of education and given the

opportunity to work for my own belongings. Have witnessed the discourse of the language in the

education area and back at home. Having that discomfort from not being understood at home,

but being able to speak my mind and having others at school understanding me from when I

started to the end of the conversation.

I could say I agree, from my understanding from Gee essay, of the mastery in literacy or a

fluent control over a secondary discourse; when Gee goes on and explain his definition of

“literacy,” he goes on and say that “a socially accepted association among ways of using language,

of thinking, and of acting that can be used to identify oneself as a member of a socially

meaningful group or 'social network' ” (Gee 537), explaining oneself has their own identity and a

group the belong too. Social network influence people to speak and write. For a example, a lot of

people love to write in short hand, what I mean by this, is the word “school and tomorrow”, in

short hand it would spell “skoo or skool and tmrw,” for those who don't know how to short hand

through the social network. I agree with the mastery of literacy and the in fluent it has on the

people as a secondary of Discourse. In a way it did not change my opinion on literacy, because

without the training on how to speak and say certain things, people would be confuse on

understanding ones opinion. Also, without the different language and dialects, a majority of the

people wouldn't be able to learn the different cultures and lifestyles.