I recently glanced over the article on the need for a creative writing major and its faculty response.

When I applied for this school I had one thing in mind: Creative writing. My regional Whitman representative told me I could use the create-your-own major avenue to pursue my ambition. Not so. In the last two weeks I have run into two people (plus myself) who changed their English major because they thought the faculty does not focus much on the writing aspect of English outside of expository blah blah papers.

I would disagree with the staff that the English major overlaps creative writing. Yes, it is obvious that to understand good writing we should read it, but English classes (or those I have encountered until now) are more about context and underlying meanings over appreciation. I have taken intro to creative writing. This was great (Yay Katrina Roberts!); it stressed technique and styles galore. But outside of that oasis (which is fine arts, not even an English class), it’s just “write a five page response on modernism/social landscapes/the role of gender/etc.”

Where is the creativity in that? All we look at is the text at hand and we must avoid “taboo” writing and experimentation which is what makes English so great! It really is disappointing for me to meet this brick wall. I have lived and breathed poetry for the last seven years of my life. I knew since ninth grade I would major in English with particular emphasis on creative writing, but here I am a heavily disillusioned student who thinks the Asian Studies department will overlap more in terms of literary appreciation and style than any English class. Don’t get me wrong, there are some great profs out there, but they just don’t delve into the realm of our writing potential. Whitman professors, I seriously think you should reconsider your stance.

The Disenchanted,

Reese W. Ishmael