A&P

I rather enjoyed this piece of writing. The overly critical and detailed descriptions of the girls really made me connect with this piece. I often find myself describing people in much the same way in my mind, but not so much in my writing. If my inner thoughts were to spew onto paper it would look something like Updike's writing.

I also feel that being kind to people is far more important than any job in the world, although he may have been intereseted in being more than kind. In my experience being a good person gets you alot furthur in life than always being a stickler for the rules or even being arrogant.

If givin hte same situation I probably would not have done the same as him, and thats simply because he overthought the situation. I liked his passion but it was a little misplaced. He was hoping to impress that girl, but personally I have bigger problems than that, bills and what have you. In conclusion, I like the writing, like the personality behind it, but would not have the guts to quit myself.

A&P (The people watchers)

I enjoyed reading this story because I used to talk to people and also write like the author did with intense detail, except for me it would be grammatically incorrect in the eyes of "error" by Williams. I feel like "people watching" can almost be a hobby for some people, however I do mean that as you just watch people without having any desire of poking fun or scrutinizing them. I know for a fact in Georgia sometimes when I go to the mall with family or friends we will eat in the food court but in the middle where you see everyone pass by while eating. We essentially will talk about those people while eating but not in a rude manner.

For instance, I am someone who rarely uses the word "cute" in anything, no pun intended, but when I was at the mall one day I ended up seeing two little twins about 3 years old eating in big chairs pretending to be there parents. When one of the brothers had dropped his napkin I heard the other one say to him, "it's OK brother I'll get you another one." and they just went on pretending to be adults. That to me is something I had considered cute.

My depiction from above is kind of what I used to type and write like except worse. Lastly I also feel that sometimes just observing people who might not be wearing or acting like what you might think is normal, can help open one's eyes to how different we all really are and that we do in fact have our own identity's.

A & P

I really enjoyed Updick's piece. The way he described the girls was unique and very entertaining. It had a 'cool' way of describing what he saw and it was very creative. I also think it was very brave yet stupid of him to quit. He was young and needed that job so to go to that extreme over girls in bathing suits shows how young of a man he really was. The last sentence of the story, i feel, shows a sign of regret. And who knows, he may have even felt that way if the girls were still outside waiting for him. I don't know what exactly the point of the story was, whether it had a point or if it was just purely entertainment but I did enjoy it.

A&P

I enjoyed reading A&P. I thought it was a good story with a lot of detail.He was really able to draw you in and make you feel like you were there.I also thought that his nickname for some of the people were vary funny.
However the weird spacing and random dots through out the paper got rather annoying after a while. Which is weird for me because usually mistakes don't bother me because I know I make plenty of my own.

Somewhere Someone is Thinking About You

Once I read this piece by John Updike, I couldn't help but fall in love with the way he describes the girls. Sometimes readers skip over huge paragraphs of text just because it is boring and describes something insignificant. But I find beauty in text like that. The author puts so much effort into describing all of the senses he or she is experiencing and all of the the beauty or horror or other feeling that they are encountering. In those few pages that Updike wrote, I felt the yearning that Sammy felt. I felt the embarrassment that Queenie endured. At the end, I was even able to feel the same exact way Sammy would after he walked out and "felt how hard the world was going to be to [him] hereafter."

I have read a piece written by Henry Rollins that I thought of when I realized Sammy tried but did not get what he desired. He put all of this effort into explaining the girls but never was recognized by them after he "heroically" quit his job. Rollins also describes his muse in such detail that the reader can feel it and that sensation, no matter what it is, follows them for a little bit. The piece is:

Somewhere someone is thinking of you. Someone is calling you an angel. This person is using celestial colors to paint your image. Someone is making you into a vision so beautiful that it can only live in the mind. Someone is thinking of the way your breath escapes your lips when you are touched. How your eyes close and your jaw tightens with concentration as you give pleasure a home. These thoughts are saving a life somewhere right now. In some airless apartment on a dark, urine stained, whore lined street, someone is calling out to you silently and you are answering without even being there. So crystalline. So pure. Such life saving power when you smile. You will never know how you have cauterized my wounds. So sad that we will never touch. How it hurts me to know that I will never be able to give you everything I have.

Even though I think he was trying to do something morally right, Sammy put himself under the bus by quitting his job. If the girls were unattractive, I think he might have not stood up to his boss and would have continued his monotonous job and mundane life as it was before. I'm not sure what Updike's purpose was for writing this piece, but I think he did put out a message, whether good or bad, of watching what and for whom you stand up.

A and P

I'm jealous of the characters in this story just for the fact that the story is set in the summer! I hate the winter haha. I hate it so much that I may move south someday. I might be exaggerating a bit, but it's quite a production to get ready to go outside sometimes. You gotta put all your gear on and psych yourself up for the weather that awaits you. I like the line where he explains it's much cooler to make an exit in the summertime than in the winter.

"One advantage to this scene taking place in summer, I can follow this up with a
clean exit, there's no fumbling around getting your coat and galoshes..."

I think the funniest part of the whole thing was when he thought those three girls would hear him say "I quit!" and think he was the most dreamy guy ever.

I find it amusing that he nicknames everyone not 5 seconds after they come into his line of vision. Then, he varies people's nicknames between Queen and Queenie or Stokes and Stoksie. The way he describes things is amusing as well. It's very descriptive, and I can picture and recall the scene very well.

It would be a bit of a spectacle to see girls in their swimsuits at a grocery store, at least when you first seem them. I imagine young people and old people have different views on this. We know the narrator didn't mind it. I would probably say, "Eww gross, they don't have shoes on. That's disgusting." Haha. Other than that, it's not a complete shock if it's a beachtown. Though, the girls were being rebels and not adhering to the no shoes, no shirt, no service policy the A & P probably has.

I wonder how old those three girls are supposed to be. My best guess is 15 bare minimum... since the narrator is 19.

A & P

I really liked this selection written by John Updike. I feel that so many people can relate to it regardless if you worked in a grocery store or some other type of retail. I know I’ve been in this position plenty of times just walking around campus or sitting down to eat somewhere. You feel like just by seeing someone you can figure out they’re personality or motives.

Another thing that I really liked about this selection was when he quit his job. The feeling of “coolness” he feels right when he quits is so quickly wiped away when the girls just kept walking out of the store. This is another thing that I feel a lot of people can compare to as well. There have been times when I at first thought that a decision I was about to make was going to be great, but then quickly regretted soon thereafter. Coming up with a joke in your head that you think will be great but turns out to be either horribly awkward or just plain old unfunny is a perfect example of this situation.

Updike's A&P

As I read this short story by Updike I felt like maybe I’ve read it before. I think that I had to read it in high school for something but I don’t really remember. Anyways I enjoyed this reading much more than Williams! I liked the amount of detail and descriptors he used though out this piece. As I read I found myself noticing errors. Mainly just a few spacing errors and maybe a few punctuation errors that I questioned, then I thought to myself these errors are more apparent from reading Williams article. Besides those, the overall story was entertaining. I really liked the detail he used, it kept me reading and being able to visualize what he was talking about was nice. I think that if he hadn’t used the amount of descriptors that he did, the story wouldn’t be the same. Not only would it be shorter but it would be boring. The detail took a simple event of quitting a job and the events that caused it into a five-page short story. I was not expecting the end at all, even though I believe I have read it before. I didn’t really care for the end though. I thought it was short and bland compared to the beginning. Updike did at great job painting a picture with his words. Stories that do this tend to be my favorite. I also like that it is just a short story and how entertaining it is. It is entertaining even though it is simply describing the events that led up to the character quitting his job.

A & P

I found this story very humorous, probably because it is so relatable. I've been working at a small grocery store for the past year and a half, and I get the same kind of customers. There are always old ladies waiting for you to mess up, and the second you do she calls you out on your mistake. There are always people who mosey around and stop to watch when something out of the ordinary happens. And, there are always people that catch your eye and you can't wait for them to be done shopping so that maybe, just maybe, they will choose your register.

While I'm at work, I notice the smallest things about my customers - the chipped nail polish on their nails, the slight stain on their collar, the grimace they always wear... I take all of those details I see along with the amount and type of food they are buying, and I imagine their lives before I even realize what I'm doing.

This woman came in the other day and bought ginger ale, popsicles, bananas, tea, and bread. I don't know if she has a family and I don't even know her name. All of the sudden I asked, "Is one of your children sick?" She looked at me quizzically and said, "Yeah, my 5-year-old has the flu." I wanted to ring up her things as quickly as possible so that she could get home to her child. It may not seem that odd to you, but it was the weirdest thing. For a second, it was like I knew her - but I don't.

The narrator of that story felt so in tune with those three girls ("Queenie" especially) that he quit his job because his manager had embarrassed them. That is a creepy kind of dedication.

Despite the different annoyances and injustices that transpire throughout my day, I am comfortable there. I got the job because my best friend's mom is one of the office managers. My best friend works there as well. I would not have the same courage and audacity to just quit my job like that. I hate it sometimes, but I haven't gotten to the point where I would just say, "I quit," and walk out the door. While I know it would be a good decision for me to get out of IGA and do things on my own, I need to muster a little more courage first. I do admire the narrator for being so spontaneous like that. It wasn't until he had actually walked out that he even gave his actions a second thought.

A&P

The author was right on the money with this story. I laughed while reading the entire thing because I too can relate to everything he described. After reading his trivial, but detailed, descriptions of the characters in his story, I realized that I do the same while I am at work. I'm one of those "people watchers" when I'm out in large crowds. I am especially fond of the fact that the author even included the clever little nicknames while continuing the story. One part that stood out to me the most was the line pertaining to the customers not reacting to a bomb being dropped while shopping. All attention was on the girls that were scantily clad while shopping, but if something huge and drastic were to occur, it wouldn't stop them from getting their applesauce. I laughed the most at the first paragraph because I have dealt with many a "Salem" witch in my time working three years of retail. Not only is the author spot on about the "register watching" that this particular woman happened to be wrapped up in, but her reaction to his mistake couldn't be any more correct. This story really made me look at my own job in a different perspective. I am constantly observing the odd variety of customers I see daily, and I am always hearing their life stories while ringing them up. Honestly, it's like working retail brings on a whole new breed of human. What I can't understand is who actually wakes up in the morning and decides they would like to get free life counseling after they purchase a gallon of milk? The author goes on to explain the group of girls that seem to be what takes the story to it's prime. It's interesting how vivid his description is and how the descriptions of the girls continues until the end. I would say the main character was a stubborn, but courageous superhero without a cause since the girls ended up not even getting what they wanted when they left the store. Overall, the story was humorous and placed a very descriptive image in my mind while I was reading.

A&P

I thought the story was very interesting. I really enjoyed the build-up. Updike used a lot of details and allowed the store clerk, Sammy, to make a lot of well thought out inferences about the girls walking around the A&P. At first, I wasn't sure what to think about the reading or where it was going, I thought the story was just going to sort of drag on. Then the incident with Sammy's boss really pulled me in. My dad is sometimes like Lengle. He used to comment on other peoples' attire and actions when he would take me to school functions. It was really embarrassing back in middle school and definitely not his place to be making comments. So I can see how Sammy felt the need to say and do something that allowed him to dissociate from his boss.
Now, as much as I admire Sammy for having the guts to quit his job, a job his parents got for him I might add, I think he made an irrational and immature decision. I do not know what will be of Sammy's life thereafter; I think some would say that now he can go and do something more meaningful and more enjoyable but I'd say that Sammy is destined to continue living a mundane life in that small town.
The last line "...my stomach kind of fell as I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter," says to me that from then on Sammy will feel inclined to always be a man of his word and follow through with everything he says, no matter the consequence. And that there can be a very daunting prospect. We all think things and want to act on them, especially if we feel that an unfortunate identity is being forced on us (such as a cashier at an A&P) but many of us don't. And those of us that do act on them are seen as immature and irresponsible. I think Sammy was faced with a lose-lose situation....and the impact of which loss is more detrimental is entirely subjective and many readers will view it differently.

John Updike's "A&P"

“[M]y stomach kind of fell as I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter.”

After nearly five pages of incredibly precise detail, I feel this last line is really the whole purpose for the story. Drawing a situation like this out is something I have a hard time doing as a writer, because I like to get straight to the point. I envy Updike’s eye for detail, and also his patience. He is keen in seeing that some topics are more easily digested when they aren’t served in such a straight forward manner.

What I mean is, I interpreted this closing statement as the realization that, in quitting his job, the protagonist is taking an advancing leap of faith. Working in a place where you disagree with the procedures or coworkers so you can keep your pay check is a common issue. It seems like the appropriate thing to do is stay where you are, stay secure. And Sammy’s parents knew his boss - he was fairly secure where he was. Sometimes we need to break out and take a risk, though. Life can be hard, but how boring would it be with out some change and risks?

If this reading, however, had been straight forward and made a point like “Life is going to be hard, but you have to grow-up and take some risks,” it would be short, boring and many people may disagree. With the detailed, enticing anecdote attached to it, however, this reading can be interpreted many different ways and be enjoyable in doing so.

A&P

This weeks reading took place inside a grocery store. It told the story of the store clerk and three young girls who entered the store wearing nothing but bathing suits. I enjoyed this reading much more than I did the others because it was more of an entertainment read. The outcome for the clerk ended unfortunately because to impress the girls he quit in front of them to his manager who embarassed the girls. The girls ended up not seeing this act and the clerk was left jobless and in no way did he accomplish his goal of impressing the girls. I liked the story because it was told in such great detail. I liked how the author described each girl and her own personality. There was the chubby one with the two piece, the tall one, and there was the queenie. He could tell she was the leader just by the way she carried herself. I found it interesting how in the few minutes that the girls were there and the little time the clerk had spent watching them, that he could develope such a bond with them to where he would quit his job in their defense.

A&P

The light-hearted, almost comedic tone of the piece is a juxtaposition to the overall theme of the story. I felt that throughout the story, the author included many comedic elements in order to evoke a sense of reality to the reader. The ridiculous terminology used is further evidence to the silliness of the story. However, even though the beginning seems quirky and funny, the tone changes. The author is trying to convey the realities of life. Some people want to move forward and have the opportunity to, while others just stay miserable; some by choice, others not so much. The metaphor of sheep with the girls that walk in is not only humorous, but has meaning as well with following one another. The protagonist finds this extraordinarily mundane. And so by the ending he ends up quitting his job at the grocery. I interpreted this as him moving on, possibly to better things; however, the ending paragraph he comes to the realization that he is just going to end up fatigued by a second-rate job; "checking the sheep through", just like Lengel.

A&P

So, I thought this was a really different piece compared to some of the other things we have been reading in class. I thoroughly enjoyed it up until the very end. I felt like the ending was a little misplaced. The whole time he is in the grocercy store, he doesn't seem concerned with his future, then in the ending it's like all of a sudden I-realized-how-much-my-life-is-gonna-suck-from-now-on to conclude it. It just seemed like the whole article was too detailed for such a broad and general "my life is over as I know it" moralized ending. I thought it was extremely detailed and that helped to have a full understanding and knowledge of the setting and to better convey Sammy's thoughts and feelings as he is apparently making drastic life-altering decisions. Also, I don't know if it was done purposely but the typographical errors and weird spacings in some places really detracted from the reading which made it a little difficult to completely follow. However, on the whole, I thought that this was a good, light read and a nice change of pace from reading 18 pages of errors.

A & P

Something I picked out pretty fast from reading A & P was the level of detail used to describe the main character’s surroundings was very precise. The way Updike described many of the characters provided a clear depiction of them, allowing me to form my own judgments. I feel like I know Lengel and others beyond the accounts given to me, because I know people just like them. People may be predictable or common, or maybe I’m oversimplifying it.

I don’t know if it was Updike’s intent or not, but I felt the whole situation was kind of depressing—from the florescent lights to the ‘sheep-like’ people Sammy had to witness. This might have been an alternative motive to his resignation; instead of aiming to impress the girl, he might have been driven to commit an act of defiance against this environment. Whatever the case, the reader is the one to make a final evaluation of Sammy’s character and why he did what he did. Is he a hero, or a fool? In this case, there doesn’t seem to be that much of a difference.

A quick comic I made composed of internet memes.

Shitty First Drafts and Why I Write

The first article that I read was the shitty first drafts. I really enjoyed this article, as it made me think about when I write a first draft. I agree that the main goal when I am writing is to get everything I have to say out on paper. I am also scared that some people will find my first draft and read that before I ever even have the chance to go over it again. I realized that I do exactly what the author does, I like to get a written draft with all my thoughts and ideas, then I like to go over it another couple times before I feel as though it could be turned inn and graded. The hardest part about starting a paper is getting the first draft done. However, I do realize that as long as I can get my thoughts on paper, I can go over it again and reorganize my thoughts as needed.

The second article was why I write. This was also a very interesting article as it addressed why the author wrote, and how she did it. What I liked most about this article is that she would have mental images when beginning to write a book, and she would go off of what she saw in her mind. It was as if she had nowhere to go with it, all she had was an image in her mind and then took this image to the next level by expanding on ideas that she has created. This really made me think about why I write, and how I will continue to write in the future.

Updikes A&P

This article probably has to be in one of my top lists for very confusing. I had to read it twice over just to make sure that I understood everything right. It seemed to me that it was a story about a guy working at a mom and pop store who gets a crush on some girl, who walks in with her friends. Then he's just sitting there and fantasizing about talking to them, his boss kind of embarrasses them because they barely have any clothes on and then he just decides to up and quit.

That is what I understood from it but everything in between was very confusing and hard to get through my head. Especially the part where it starts with "Oh Daddy" I'm guessing it was one of the girls talking to her father. I started to think that I was reading a completely different story. I felt like it was narrator jumping from character back to narrator, which is what goes on in a story. I don't know maybe its me, maybe I have a hard time reading things like this, it was pretty late in the night and I guess I got confused.

Although I have to admit that it was a pretty funny and interesting story I actually enjoyed reading this. It is a little better than the other articles we have read so far. I read this story all the way through. I think that this is a piece that many people can relate to. I know a lot of people who have worked at grocery stores and absolutely hate their jobs because of the customers that they have to deal with on a daily bases.

updike A&P

This was a fun little short story to read. It was mainly about some cashier at a grocery store who saw three girls walk into the store with bathing suits on. And he kind of had a crush on one of the girls that he found to be very attractive. He watches the girls for a while and then they end up at his register after they are finished with their shopping. He was very happy that they went to his so he could talk to them and see them from a much closer view. Then his boss ends up coming out and telling the girls that next time they come in they have to dress more appropriate and not wear the small and very showing bathing suits. The cashier ends up getting mad that his boss embarrassed the girls that he ends up quitting his job, and he ends up walking out with kind of a scared feeling of how life is going to be now.

This short story had a very strong impact or connection on me because I worked at a small grocery store for about two years. And for a while I was a cashier. And I hated being a cashier more then anything because I hated dealing with all the customers. Just like the person in the story when I was a cashier there were a lot of people who always corrected me and watched me very carefully if I had made any mistakes while ringing up all of the things they purchased. After doing this a while everyday I worked there I always thought about quitting on the spot just like this kid did, however I didn’t want it to look bad if I wanted to get another job so I just ended up never quitting.

errors

During a casual conversation or a piece of writing, I focus on the main points however I do tend to get distracted away from the main point in the event of there being an error. Whether it be a typo or grammar problem, it throws me off. I usually correct the person's writing or speech but if I don't, the error is the only thing I can think about for the following 15-20 seconds. Errors are everywhere. Even the best writers create error. I think in those cases, their creative juices are flowing, they know the point they are trying to convey and even after reviewing their work, reading over it again, they still do not catch the error. I do think all the time with my papers. If I reread something as I continue to add to it, I seem to miss something that had gone wrong. This is because what I have set up in my mind for what I wanted to say outshines what is really there. I thought the reading for this week was a bit dry so it was hard to focus on the main point. However, I did find it humorous that some errors "do not offend him" while others drive him crazy. The idea that the way people speak or write could offend someone in the event of an error, makes me think William's should take some time off from reading so much.

Errors

I thought this was a very long and boring piece of reading to be honest! It was almost hard to read and take in everything he was saying. But I think I got mainly what it was about: errors. Williams made me realize how many errors there are to make and that everyone makes them even grammarians! I feel like Williams rambles on and talks in circles but to me that is his point. He is saying how everything can be or has an error because of the way people interrupt them. For example when he says “the experience of the writer who creates the error; in the experience of the teacher who catches it; and in the mind of the grammarian-the E. B. White or Jacques Barzun or H. W. Fowler-who proposes it. Because error seems to exist in so many places, we should not be surprised that we do not agree among ourselves about how to identify it, or that we do not respond to the same error uniformly.“ I like how he demonstrates how grammarians make mistakes as well. I think he does this to further prove his point of the existence of errors. I think he is saying how the error is both in the reader and the writer. But almost more so in the reader in my opinion because the writer obviously thought what he or she wrote was correct at the time and the reader is the one saying no I think it is wrong, then when he points out how grammarians are making errors it is hard to tell right from wrong! Overall this reading was confusing but really made me think even though it was dull after I pushed through it, it wasn’t too bad.

Grammar and Usage Errors

I don’t personally feel that we should compare social errors to grammar and usage errors. While I would be quite offended by someone making racist remarks at a party, I am not in anyway offended when a person says something like, “Hopefully you feel better soon.” I know it’s wrong, but I don’t correct it. Most people don’t know any better, and, even if they do, we all slip every once in a while. I may judge someone more harshly for confusing “there” for “their” or “too” for “to,” but I still like to give people the benefit of the doubt. I certainly wouldn’t call a person illiterate for using “which” in place of “that,” like Zinsser. I think a usage error could be in the eye of the reader, like beauty in the eye of the beholder.

Anyone going into journalism or broadcast has probably already taken, or at least heard about, the dreaded “GUP.” I took Media Writing last semester and the Grammar, Usage and Punctuation test was mandatory to pass the class. Many students in the class stayed up all night studying and still ended up having to retake it a few times over. Some of these students won’t even need these skills, because they’re going to become radio jockeys or video editors. To them, the difference between “who” and “whom” doesn’t seem important. And why should it? If we all wrote academic books, like Zinsser, perhaps we would value the parts of sentences and specific uses of words as much, but for most people, this seems like a waste of time, which could be better used watching sports or studying for a math exam, or anything, really.

"Subjective" Errors.

First of all, I would just like to say that I enjoyed his reference to Inspector Clouseau at the beginning of his second page. Mistakes, especially when in writing, are often piled one on top of another. I like that Williams called it the "Inspector Clouseau routine."

Secondly, I agree with Williams. Errors are everywhere; they are inevitable. I'm sure there will be several in this post by the time I post it. Perhaps errors are not a phenomenon in that people think, "Oh my word! I can't believe that person just made a mistake! That's impossible!" Instead, I think the phenomenon is that EVERYONE makes errors. No one is immune to imperfection. Even Williams himself said that he made at least one hundred errors just in that essay alone.

While I was reading through it, there were some things that didn't sound quite right, but I didn't think anything of them - after all, that was a published essay!

I like that Williams said it is strange that some mistakes jump off the page while others are hardly noticeable. Some errors are just more obvious to some people than they are to others. If I said, "I snuck in and took a cookie," some people wouldn't see a problem with that because "snuck" is what they are used to hearing. It is right - to them. To those same people, saying "I sneaked in and took a cookie," would sound wrong.

Errors can be subjective, I think. Not everyone talks or writes in the same way. While there are some things that really are just wrong, I do think there can be a little bit of wiggle room.

Maybe.

Writing faux pas

When reading a paper or article with improper grammar or errors, I only notice the mistakes that would disrupt my readings and make it hard to understand the concept. I only look for grammar errors when I need to fix a person’s paper, not when I am reading casually. I have had teachers that taught me to write in a certain way to get a point across, while others have told me to write with detail and explanation to get the feeling across. When I would write one way in a class, the teacher would say it was done incorrectly, even if the comma placement, sentence structure, and wording was flawless. Some people are really bothered by small errors but the only thing that bothers me is when people try to write their formal papers in a way that they would normally speak. It comes off as too casual and sometimes sentences and ideas seem to struggle. Teachers are told to educate their students on how to put together sentences correctly, using proper grammar, proper wording, and punctuation. It is their job to find mistakes and explain why they are wrong, but sometimes teachers cross the line. Like I said earlier, sometimes a teacher crosses the line when they try to dictate how a student’s voice should sound, even when he or she has their own way of writing. I think if students were to write more, they would get a better understanding of what kind of errors are okay and which ones need to be fixed, especially if it changes the idea of what the student wants to portray. Some mistakes can be forgiven, like when it comes to voice, but other mistakes have to be fixed.

Williams Error

A lot of the mistakes I make in writing, I don't even know I'm making. For instance, I would use "different than" instead of "different from" and not think that was wrong. There are many words and phrases in this language, so we're bound to make a mistake unless we're grammarians who really do our research about correctness.

I think, if you make enough common "errors" that the average person can recognize, that average reader will think you're lazy and judge what you have to say more harshly than if you made less mechanical errors. I personally think the error can be both in the writer and the reader. Though, Williams is saying the error is in the reader. He is saying this because he looks for the quality of someone's ideas, instead of the quantity of their errors.

"It simply feels more authentic when we condemn error and enforce a rule. And after all, what good is learning a rule if all we can do is obey it?"