Post 3:Intertextuality and the Discourse Community

Porter talks about intertextuality, the idea that writing contains text that are related to other texts. Writers get ideas from other pieces of work. Porter even mentions how Thomas Jefferson used text from other writers in writing the Declaration of Independence. When writing it's important to write in relation to a certain audience, and use ideas that are related to a certain discourse community. A writer must write in relation to some discourse community. Porter defines discourse communities as forums where everyone writes within certain rules and uses the same style of thinking. The harm in imagining writing as individual and isolated is that it’s not individual. When writing, text is borrowed from other text that we have read in the past. When thinking of writing as being heroic, one must understand writing needs to be within some social context for others to read and understand its meaning. Porter believes writing is part of a larger process that extends beyond anything individual. Writing relates to a certain discourse community and the content of writing lies within the community. Writers will use phrases to influence the audiences reaction. Porter gives the example of the Kent State article using “two women shot” instead of two men. When the author mentions how two people killed were women, the readers will feel more emotion. In our American society the majority of people view killing women to be more shocking as Porter puts it, than killing men. Even the most skilled writers write within a certain social context. When writing its important to have an audience you hope to influence with your work.