A diary in many cases
is used as a medium to express ones ' "true self"... unaltered,
unmediated and truly private' (McNeill, 2011). The diary is a place, a
confidant, a reflection of what has been and what could be. A home to the most
raw and naked of thoughts. Of dreams and aspirations, of fears uncertainties
and struggles. According to McNeill (2011) this is the view of diaries in the 20th
century, portrayed as intensely personal and confessional, meant purely for the
diarist to view.
As mentioned by Frow (2013), in the week 6 lecture, genre enables
and restricts meaning. Blogging also enables and restricts meaning, and
focusing on reflection, like a diary, has the "ability to capture the
small details of life, it privileges the viewpoint of the private citizen as
well as the famous" (McNeill, 2011) and gives anyone the option to be
heard. This contribution can be made publicly or anonymously. Blogging can, in
many ways be considered a modern day diary, and could almost certainly fall
under the genre of
journal entries.
The diary writer, like a mum, can be desperate for answers, for someone
to listen, and physically expelling such frustrations, for example, often puts
things in perspective, especially as a mother. If you are unable to say the
words aloud, then writing them down is the next best thing. In
saying this however, the words in a diary are so personal that the writer keeps
them for her eyes only. She questions her parenting abilities and would
therefore, due to societal judgement, keep them locked within the pages of a
tightly wrapped or well hidden diary. Cafemom enables the virtual answering of these questions.
Confirmation or challenging of the statements. The writer is able to physically
ask questions, write a 'diary entry' and send it into cyberspace to be answered
by a face she will probably never see.
References
A Brief List of Genres: Retrieved from http://multigenre.colostate.edu/genrelist.html
Dictionary.com. (2010).
The Hot word.Dear diary . . . What’s the word for the qualities
that make your writing unique? Retrieved
from http://hotword.dictionary.com/diary/
McNeill, L. (2011). Diary 2.0? A Genre Moves From
Page To Screen, Language and New Media: Linguistic, Cultural and
Technological Evolutions. Cresskill,New Jersey: Hampton Press Inc.
Van Luyn, A. (2013). BA1002: Our space: networks, narratives and the making of place, Week 6.Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au
Van Luyn, A. (2013). BA1002: Our space: networks, narratives and the making of place, Week 6.Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au
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