Gee, Tang, Lu

Gee, John Paul. (1999). Introduction to Discourse Analysis: Theory and Method. New York: Routledge 1-39.


John Gee's, Introduction to Discourse Analysis: Theory and Method argues the distinctions between discourses and the importance of how they fit into our life. Gee explains what a discourse is, how we use them, and the difference between discourse and Discourse. The argument about discourse is meant to give people a better understanding of who we are in order to better know ourselves and why we use the rhetoric we do. Gee created this piece for audiences of all people, in order to learn more about the human discourse and how it effects our lives. 

"Rather, they are meant to be “thinking devices” that guide inquiry in regard to specific sorts of data and specific sorts of issues and questions. They are meant to be adapted for the reader’s own purposes" (Gee, 6). I like this quote because Gee gets across the true meaning of discourse, and tells that is is different for each person. 

"When “little d” discourse (language-in-use) is melded integrally with nonlanguage “stuff” to enact specific identities and activities, then, I say that “big D” Discourses are involved. We are all members of many, a great many, different Discourses, Discourses which often influence each other in positive and negative ways, and which sometimes breed with each other to create new hybrids" (Gee, 7). This is the description of the difference between discourse and Discourse in a thorough yet to the point way. 

Tang, Patricia. (2012). The Rapper as Modern Griot: Reclaiming Ancient Traditions. Hip Hop Africa: New African Music in a Globalizing World. Ed. Eric S. Charry, Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press 79-90.

Patricia Tang's, The Rapper as Modern Griot (2012) argues the similarities and differences between modern day rappers and historical griots. Tang starts by explaining a griot and then explains the modern day rapper, connecting them through what they are. Tang connects the modern day rapper and the griot in order to show the way ancient literature and argument style recycles itself into today's world over and over. This piece is meant for people studying how language and history repeats itself, where rap comes from, and many others. 


"Due to their ability to praise or critique individuals with their oratory skills, griots have traditionally held an ambiguous social status, both revered and feared" (80). This quote gives an introduction to griots, and it is clear just from this quote alone how you could compare the modern day rapper to a griot. 

"Both Senegalese griots and rappers work to connect rap to taasu, but this connection seems to be oversimplification" (86). This quote begins to show the differences between griots and rapper and how Tang sees the important aspects that make these two things different. 

Lu, Xing. (1998). Conceptualizing Yan and Ming Bian: The School of Confucianism. Rhetoric in Ancient China, Fifth to Third Century B. C. E: A Comparison with Classical Greek Rhetoric, Columbia, S. C.: University of South Carolina Press 154-194.

Xing Lu's, Conceptualizing Yan and Ming Bian discusses the importance of Confucian thought. Lu does this by going through different key aspects of Confucian thought and important works that came out of the School of Confucianism over time. This importance of this piece is to make readers aware of Confucius' works, in order to understand how rhetoricians under him worked. This piece is vital to anyone trying to understand historical rhetoric, Confucius, Yan, and Ming Bian. 

"Confucianism has lost its place as a state ideology and Confucian texts are no longer taught to schoolchildren in mainland China" (154). This quote is interesting because it shows the way history has changed recently in the importance of such a key rhetorician.

"Confucian philosophical views are essentially moralistic and humanistic in nature" (157). This gives a broad description of the way Confucian thought works and what people will be getting when looking into the school of Confucianism.