Writing Ecologies

In “The Ecology of Writing” Marilyn Cooper explores the subject of writing theory through an ecological lens, and provides information and interpretation regarding the changes in literary theory and criticism over the years. Cooper writes, “What I would like to propose is an ecological model of writing, whose fundamental tenet is that writing is an activity through which a person is continually engaged with a variety of socially constituted systems” (367). Like a web, the “ecological model” can demonstrate and recognize the connections between texts (intersections of the web), while also allowing for individuality (each separate strand of the web). According to Cooper, this particular approach “encourages us to direct our corrective energies away from the characteristics of the individual writer and toward imbalances in social systems that prevent good writing” (373).

Similar to Stuart Greene, Marilyn Cooper stresses the vitality of the reader-writer connection. Rather than listing facts and statistics, both writers aim to create life and engagement within their articles. While Greene stresses “framing” and “scholarly conversation,” Cooper stresses the “web” and the “ecological model.” Though they are not completely identical, both approaches favor a type of overarching, joining structure that links ideas into a working entity. Additionally, like Storey, Cooper recognizes the complexities and instability of the term “culture,” and points out that the “ecological model” is not necessarily an ideal one; however, it is a helpful perspective.

Personally, I find Cooper’s article to be fascinating, fresh, and enlightening. Viewing writing through an ecological lens opens up various ideas and approaches to analyzing text. What I favored most about the approach is that it allows for flexibility while still maintaining a somewhat organized structure. Writing –like nature – is constantly changing and evolving to meet the times, and attempting to approach it in a constrictive, rigid way will not produce the best results. Therefore, I believe that the “ecological approach” is more effective, and is also a great lens for viewing writing.