"Have something to say, and say it as clearly as you can. That is the only secret." - Matthew Arnold
I liked this quote first of all because it was short and I didn't want to read all the long ones. After I did read it however, I thought that he had a good point that would be good to consider.
I believe this quote is dead on when it comes to writing. When I’m listening to or reading someone else’s writing, the last thing I want to do is sort through pointless information while looking for what is important. Long speeches and essays are tiresome and by the time I am done, I’m lucky to remember more than three things from what I have just taken in. It is much easier to determine the author’s purpose without all the extra information. Writing that is clear and to the point is easier for me to understand, therefore the purpose is simple to identify.
As a busy college student, large amounts of reading are not exactly something that is at the top of my list. In today’s society I do not think there are many people that would disagree with this statement. People are constantly on the go and wrapped up in their own lives too have a lot of down time for meaningless literature. Our lifestyles do not match up with extensive, heavy reading. An idea that is stated clearly and to the point would be more likely to be read, absorbed and remembered than something lengthy. This also pertains to long speeches. The audience would probably begin to think about other things going on in their lives or tasks they should be doing instead of paying attention to what the speaker is saying.
Finally, a clearly stated argument is much more affective than a case stated with random, rambling points. Information that is pointless to me is usually disregarded and thought of as an unprepared statement. I would be less likely to take an argument seriously if it is not presented in an organized and clear manor.
A clearly stated point will get you farther than something blurted out of impulse. I think Matthew Arnold’s secret to writing is something we can all use to improve ourselves as writers. However, the only part of his quote that i don't completely agree with is: That is the only secret. I don't think it is fair to include the word only. There is more to writing than just saying something clearly.
I liked this quote first of all because it was short and I didn't want to read all the long ones. After I did read it however, I thought that he had a good point that would be good to consider.
I believe this quote is dead on when it comes to writing. When I’m listening to or reading someone else’s writing, the last thing I want to do is sort through pointless information while looking for what is important. Long speeches and essays are tiresome and by the time I am done, I’m lucky to remember more than three things from what I have just taken in. It is much easier to determine the author’s purpose without all the extra information. Writing that is clear and to the point is easier for me to understand, therefore the purpose is simple to identify.
As a busy college student, large amounts of reading are not exactly something that is at the top of my list. In today’s society I do not think there are many people that would disagree with this statement. People are constantly on the go and wrapped up in their own lives too have a lot of down time for meaningless literature. Our lifestyles do not match up with extensive, heavy reading. An idea that is stated clearly and to the point would be more likely to be read, absorbed and remembered than something lengthy. This also pertains to long speeches. The audience would probably begin to think about other things going on in their lives or tasks they should be doing instead of paying attention to what the speaker is saying.
Finally, a clearly stated argument is much more affective than a case stated with random, rambling points. Information that is pointless to me is usually disregarded and thought of as an unprepared statement. I would be less likely to take an argument seriously if it is not presented in an organized and clear manor.
A clearly stated point will get you farther than something blurted out of impulse. I think Matthew Arnold’s secret to writing is something we can all use to improve ourselves as writers. However, the only part of his quote that i don't completely agree with is: That is the only secret. I don't think it is fair to include the word only. There is more to writing than just saying something clearly.
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