Argues that authorship and not authority should be celebrated in the writing classroom. Argues that texts that students and composition teachers write should be considered not as definitive or authoritative, but open-ended, growing, and free. (RS)

Traces the author's internal quarrel while looking for "ethos" in "the text." Asks whether those who write theory are sheltered from other kinds of writing; if they inevitably think of themselves as theorists, not as writers; and if one can know a text or just one's reading of the text. (RAE)

Discusses an essay, "Cheerio," written to support the author's argument that there is no such thing as a dull subject. Reflects on the influence of "occasion" on the writing process. (JAD)