Writing in Society

Camille Franchine
February 22, 2009
English 3
Mr. Fiorini
Writing in Society

I would think that writing does have the power to enact social change. Writing is a form of speech. People can speak their thoughts and feelings just as well as they can write them. Writing can sometimes be more effective than speaking. When a person speaks their thoughts or feelings, they are only heard once, however when they are written, they can be read several times by several different people.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream Speech” was put into writing and had a huge effect in the U.S. The Constitution of the United States is a form of writing that works as the guidelines of our nation. All of the readings that we read this week by Thoreau, Gandhi, and king were very powerful pieces of writing that enacted social change. They all wrote their opinions and now we are able to read and think about what they wrote. They’re writings can effect our opinions and make us think about what’s right and what’s wrong.
Other written pieces that somewhat enact social change are children’s fables. Little Red Riding Hood is a story that was written by someone and is still used today to teach children not to talk to strangers. The Three Little Pigs was written to show children that if you take your time on something, it would be worth it in the end. These writings are fun and effective ways to teach children what to do and what not to do.
All in all, I agree that writing has the power to enact social change. Some people are better at writing than at speaking and by writing they can effectively share their ideas. By sharing ideas people can learn from each other and help each other. Writing is a big part of society and will continue to be as long as society exists.