Moveeeee out for PB2B!

Moves, which might be a surprise, do not only exist in sports but in academic settings as well. Whether on the writing or reading end of a piece of literature, moves can help develop writing skills that best fit one’s style of writing or be analyzed to figure out how these moves were effective in producing an effective piece. In essence, the importance of moves lies on the ability to analyze them and make them your own. In They Say, I Say by Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst these authors have been able to show some common moves that follow similar structures and how they each have a unique purpose that ranges from simply becoming more credible to creating an informal tone because they want the reader to feel more comfortable reading the article. The moves are not limited to simply academic articles but are found in a wide range of pieces including the article “When To Let Your Teenager Start Dating”.

In Navigating Genres by Kerry Dirk there is an enormous amount of moves similar to those of They Say, I Say including these:

1.     “As a result, I decided to make this essay a mix of personal anecdotes, examples, and voices from teachers of writing” (Voice Marker)

2.     “In other words, knowing what a genre is used for can help people to accomplish goals, whether that goal be getting a job” (Explaining quotes)

3.     “You are already probably familiar…” (Standard Views)

4.     “Devitt argues that ‘people do not label a particular story as a joke solely because of formal features but rather because of their perception of the rhetorical action that is occurring’” (X argues)

5.     “I will admit that the word genre...” (Voice Markers)

            To prove that moves could be found in almost any piece of literature and not just in academic pieces like Navigating Genres, the article “When To Let Your Teenager Start Dating” is dissected for some of its more effective moves. This informational article is meant to provide help for parents who are looking for advice in the field of teenage dating which could be some of the hardest times for a parent. In return, the author uses his moves to make his article the most clear and effective.

One move that I like to call “section 5” is used by the author to get into specific types of dating and so the article has five different sections all responsible for different levels of dating. The use of this is important to note because it makes it clearer for the reader (typically a parent) to read this and understand that there exists different intensities of dating and each should be treated properly. For example, section one is on “group dating” that seems to exist and is recommended for 14 year olds. At a more intense stage of dating, “solo dating” exists too but is recommended by professionals to not start until the age of 16. Altogether this shows how the use of different sections allows for the different recommendations according to the intensity of the dating.

Another move, which I like to call “Calling you out”, exists under the category of “First Heartbreak” which the author in a bold phrase specifically gives directions on how to treat a teenager post- breakup followed by an example of what one can say. The use of this allows the article to be easier to dissect and read so if a parent wants to come back for advice from this essay, the directions will be clear and bold for them to find and treat their child properly with the help of examples. Not only this but it serves as a hands-on section of the article that can appeal to parents because it makes it easier on them too simply follow directions.

The Stereotype- This move would probably be a child favorite. In this move the author acknowledges that most “adults generally take a cynical view of teenage romance… ‘It’s all about sex’” which allows him to connect to the parents by acknowledging some of the common misconceptions of teenage dating exists within the parent community and simply follows by stating that this cynical view can be seen as unhealthy for the relationship between parent and son or daughter. The author’s acknowledgement of common misconceptions and showing some cons to them make this more effective and discourages parents from doing it using almost a scare tactic. 

One of the more satirical moves used I call “The Fake Conclusion” and starts because the author has given the reader (the parents) directions on how to treat their child according to the different intensities of dating, the author chooses to include some of the positive reactions their child could have. For example, the author believes that a child could react to a story (which is recommended telling after a break up for any anyone who has children) by saying “Now I’m thankful that she broke up with me. Because if she (Dad’s ex girlfriend) hadn’t, you’d never have met mother!”. This possible reaction that the author chooses to include could be considered an “ideal reaction” and so parents should find excitement out of this and follow the article’s recommendations making it an effective move.

Last, “The Ultimate Seller” is used by the author to include information stated by a professional, a pediatrician, who recommends to allow the children to be involved in “group dating” because of its effective transition onto “solo dating”. However, the author was very specific in including and possibly even choosing the pediatrician by including that this pediatrician is “the father of two grown children”. This move allows for even more credibility to a professional in this field because he too has gone through the same situations with his children and so parents should feel less nervous about following the author’s recommendations.

            All in all, moves are found in all forms of literature and altogether these moves in a single piece of literature help the reader form their arsenal of moves and the writer help the purpose of the piece.