Gere, Discourses

In "Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics: Introductions and What is Literacy?" James Paul Gere describes the difference between Discourses with a capital D and discourses with a lower case d. "What is important is not language , and surely not grammar, but saying (writing)-doing-being-valuing-believing combinations. These combinations I call "Discourses", with a capital D (discourse with a little d, to me, means connected stretches of language that make sense, so discourse is part of Discourse)"(526). Discourses are you're "identity kit", they're forms of life including words, acts, values, beliefs, attitudes, social identities, gestures, glances, body positions, and clothes. My personal Discourses include my student Discourse, dragging myself out of bed and attending class, then putting in the work to pass the class. My athlete Discourse (which i love) which involves me putting in over 20 hours of practices per week and doing so with a positive attitude. I have my around-my-friends Discourse which is me being comfortable and fun. Then there's the parent's Discourse, where I'm polite and appropriate . I have had to witness the babysittter Discourse where they are responsible for another human being.

Gee defines literacy as the mastery of or fluent control over a secondary Discourse (529). How we interact in public is our secondary Discourse. You have to be a master of several discourses, such as tone, attitudes, and beliefs. It's not just being able to read and write. My philosophy is: It's not what you say, it's how you say it. You have to be able to put it all together, bring out that identity kit. Your gestures, glances, body positions, beliefs, etc... So clearly i agree with Gere's definition. I never believed literacy was only reading and writing, it involves so many other forms.