Freedom in Writing

I think I was surprised by how the author or writer wrote her own essay. I find it more free and expressive. It was my first time to read that type or style of writing, and at first, honestly, I was confused about what would be the writer wanted to deliver to the readers, but when I read it and analyze it for the second time, I found it very creative in expressing her thoughts and the message she wanted to deliver.

I was intrigued by how she used metaphors to describe or to present other subjects, because for me I find it hard to use metaphorical words or phrases. The metaphors; “docile bodies” which refers to students or learners being controlled or have to be obedient, “student wearing a pink dress”, and the title itself “The Reluctant Debutante” which refers to a reluctant student that is entering the ‘academic world’ (being static and pushed to traditions of writing)(if I’m not mistaken). I was also fascinated by the use of words and by the essay itself.

After reading it, I was disturbed by the message it conveyed. In my own understanding and interpretation of the essay, it shows how difficult it is to be “creative” inside an institutionalized university. In this line; “You can write a poem but you can’t write a personalized essay” it shows that creativity is difficult to express in rigid traditions. “I think about the university. The university wants to be creative. It wants to be creative now. But it isn’t creative. Not yet” these lines show also that the university is portraying that they are open to creativity but in reality it still follows old traditions. By those self-interpretations, I find it disturbing somehow.