Entering a Discourse
Take a look around a high school. The teachers hang around other teachers. The “cool” kids spend their time surrounded by other “cool” kids. The “nerds” are studying with other “nerds”. Most people in high school have a social “clique” that they belong to. Can you ever escape your cluque? What does it take to enter a new one?
A Discourse..?
A high school social “clique” is a great example of what James Gee calls a “discourse”. In modern language, the word “discourse” simply means written or spoken communication. However, James Paul Gee, author of Literacy and Linguistics has a different idea about this word. He explains in his writing that a Discourse (with a capital “D”) is what a person belongs to; who they are.
A Discourse isn’t just about how someone looks, it’s It can be thought of as a collection of people with the same beliefs or ideas, or have the same likes and dislikes about certain things. Although Gee offers advice on how to become a member of a Discourse, he explains that there is a fine line between the outside of a Discourse and being in one.
The Theory of the Fine Line
Gee tells his readers that there is a clear line between the members and non-members of a Discourse. He suggests in his writing that there is no such thing as a “middle”, meaning that no one can be in the middle of entering a Discourse. He says; “You are either in it or you’re not” (Gee 9). This theory of either being a full master of a Discourse or a complete non-member is not supported by my opinion. I believe that there are ways that someone can enter a Discourse, and as they are attempting to enter (or learn the “tricks of the trade”), they are in “middle”. The non-members of a Discourse who seek membership are not cut off by a clear line that separates membership and nonmembership of a Discourse.
Crossing the Fine Line:
Apprenticeship
Gee writes about gaining access into a Discourse by having a “tutor” type person to aide someone into that Discourse. Gee informs the reader about this concept as he says that “[An apprentice will] scaffold their growing ability to say, do, value, believe, and so forth within that Discourse through demonstrating your mastery and supporting theirs” (Gee 13). Having connections with someone who is in the Discourse is an important part in gaining knowledge and skills of a certain Discourse. The closest connection into a Discourse are the people in one themselves. Becoming an apprentice can provide insight to a non-member, so that they will have a smooth transition into that Discourse.
Amy Cuddy supports the idea of apprenticeship in her Ted Talk. She introduces the listener to an experience she had when a Harvard student confessed to her that she did not belong in such a rigorous academic environment:
“she came in totally defeated, and she said, “I’m not supposed to be here.”…I realized , oh my gosh, I don’t feel like that anymore. I don’t feel that anymore, and she does, and I get that feeling…so I was like, “Yes, you are! You are supposed to be here! And tomorrow you’re going to fake it, you’re going to make yourself powerful, and…you’re going to go into the classroom, and you are going to give the best comment ever.”…And she gave the best comment ever…”(TED 18:07–18:59).
Cuddy serves as the mentor to this student. She offers the same advice from her personal experience to this student and supported the student through the transition. Using Cuddy’s knowledge, the Harvard student was able to see herself in the Discourse by using the skills from Cuddy.
Mushfake: Another Key to the Closed Gate
Although Gee proves in his writing that entering a Discourse is quite the challenge, he shows his readers that there are manipulations that are used to open the gate to a Discourse, one of these being a “mushfake”. “Mushfake Discourse” means partial acquisition with…strategies to “make do””(Gee 13). A “mushfake” is when one uses skills or linguistics that are close replications to the actual Discourse.
Amy Cuddy demonstrated the concept of a “mushfake” by using body language. Body language is used by a non-member to “pretend” that they have the skills of a member. She states: “Fake it till you become it. Do it enough until you actually become it and internalize it” (TED 19:14). She means that if one is not in the Discourse, and he/she pretends and believes that they are in that specific Discourse, they will actually become it.
For example, I am a highschool lacrosse goalie, walking on to the Discourse of college-level lacrosse. Although I know that there is a lot I need to improve on, I mirror the actions of the other goalies on my team. They are loud on the field, so I raise my voice and act confident (even though I am nervous). I fake my confidence as a “mushfake” in order to appear to be as good as a normal college lacrosse goalie. Although Gee says that there is a fine line between the inside of a Discourse and the outside of one, I believe there are possible ways in, like using “mushfakes” to fake the acts of the chosen Discourse and believe that they are a real member.
Filtering
Gee serves the reader a concept called “filtering” that is used to enter a Discourse:
“FIltering is a process whereby aspects of the language, attitudes, values, and other elements of certain types of secondary Discourses are filtered into a primary Discourse” (Gee 15).
One can filter knowledge from the primary Discourse to skills into the secondary Discourse that they are entering to make the transition in the Discourse easy.
Amy Cuddy was always known as the “gifted child”. However, when she was 19, she was in a tragic car accident that lowered her IQ level dramatically. She was told that she could not finish college, but after 8 years, she finished and found herself working at Princeton. She did not want to continue because she felt as if she did not belong. Her advisor insisted that she go on. After a few years Cuddy found herself as a professor at Harvard University. She told the audience:
“I’m at Harvard, I’m not really thinking about it anymore, but for a long time I had been thinking, “Not supposed to be here””(TED 17:02).
For a long time Amy Cuddy believed she could not enter the prestigious academic Discourse that she aimed to be in, however, after a long time of working at it, she became an official member of the Discourse.
Cuddy’s ambition to finish college may have come from her primary Discourse; her being known as the smartest one in the room before the accident. I believe that Cuddy went through a long, stressful period in her life in which she had to gain access into this Discourse. She knew she was capable of achieving high academic status although she was told otherwise. The values of her primary Discourse filtered into this secondary Discourse she wished to master.
So, can you enter that “clique”?
Although James Gee makes it clear in Literacy and Linguistics that officially entering a Discourse is almost impossible, there are many little steps that can be taken to cross the line into full membership. The Ted Talk by Amy Cuddy serves examples as to how to achieve this. There must be an immense passion about the Discourse to want to enter one because it takes a lot of time and skill. I believe that entering a Discourse is no easy task, but it is certainly not impossible.
Works Cited
Gee, James Paul. “Literacy, Discourses, and Linguistics: Introduction.” Journal of Education. Volume 171 Number 1, (1989); 5–17. Print.
Cuddy, Amy. “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are.” TED. Edinburgn, Scotland. 2012. Film.
