Reading Response #18

Summary:

     In the article "Autism and Rhetoric" by Paul Heilker and Melanie Yergeau, the concept of autism as its own unique discourse community is discussed. This idea is connected and seen as basic rhetoric. This article goes into detail about autism; the authors try to get readers to understand autism and be able to comprehend their ideas. The idea of rheortical listening is introduced and used as an example.
 
     "...rhetorical listening allow us to generate a more productive discourse about autism and the rhetorical triangle" (265).

     The authors point out that knowing more about autism stems from thinking about the disorder rhetorically.

     "...adopting a rhetorical perspective on autism and rhetorically listening to autistics could radically revise what we think we know about autism, could fundamentally challenge some of our most foundational assumptions about autism and autistics."



Synthesis:

     This article can be compared to all of the other articles we read about discourse communities. Every author has something different to add to the conversation about discourse communities and has several unique, yet similar thoughts and ideas.
     Heilker and Yergeau add to the conversation by building on the definition(s) of discourse communities through their examples of the autistic community. This is traced back to the Swales and Gee articles because of their introductions to the definitions of what a discourse community really is and its importance. The other authors simply add on to each concept and theory, and expand the conversation through their own means of interpretation.




Personal Response:

     Each of these articles are helping me to understand discourse communities much more and in turn are helping me with Project #3. It is becoming easier to read the articles due to my newfound comprehension of what discourse communities are and how they are viewed through the literary world, as well as the society.
     This individual article was interesting to read because I have never really thought about autism as being a discourse community.