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Tess Catalano "Take Back the Night" and other academic essays, 1982

Summary

#10
T. Catalano
For me, writing the paper is about finding a voice for anger. The paper was written/re-written 5 or 6 times. First it would be angry, satisfying - but slightly incoherent, slightly sloppy. As it was refined - it lost its spontaneity, it's anger - and its satisfaction. It became polite, staid, grammatically correct - an easy paper for an audience to read. That's not what I want.
It becomes a dichotomy between what I want, what the audience wants. It raises questions about what is acceptable in content/form. About compromising anger for clarity. Clarity for whom?
That is the ultimate feminist question. Finding a coherent (for whom) voice for our/my anger. Certainly a lot is discovered through talent, and ability - but a=often I feel stifled by the conventions of "proper" prose form.
Specifically, interchanging the use of "men" and "you." "Women" and "I". This was no accident. It is the recognition of the male/male-identified audience. The style (as well as content) draws lines. (I hope.)
of the two pieces I would prefer that this one be read in class.

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#10 T. Catalano For me, writing the paper is about finding a voice for anger. The paper was written/re-written 5 or 6 times. First it would be angry, satisfying - but slightly incoherent, slightly sloppy. As it was refined - it lost its spontaneity, it's anger - and its satisfaction. It became polite, staid, grammatically correct - an easy paper for an audience to read. That's not what I want. It becomes a dichotomy between what I want, what the audience wants. It raises questions about what is acceptable in content/form. About compromising anger for clarity. Clarity for whom? That is the ultimate feminist question. Finding a coherent (for whom) voice for our/my anger. Certainly a lot is discovered through talent, and ability - but a=often I feel stifled by the conventions of "proper" prose form. Specifically, interchanging the use of "men" and "you." "Women" and "I". This was no accident. It is the recognition of the male/male-identified audience. The style (as well as content) draws lines. (I hope.) of the two pieces I would prefer that this one be read in class.