I really enjoyed the piece by Edmundson titled “The Ideal English Major” because I agreed with a lot of the points that he was making. The main overarching point of English being a major that makes a person grow and change through the works they are reading was really relevant for me. I agree that English majors always seem to be changing who they are as a person. I find myself changing my views and opinions and being more open to others’ opinions because I am so used to doing this with my major and being open to books and different ideas that others have. It’s always nice to read something and figure out something that I would’ve never thought about had I not encountered that information.

The article titles “Humanities Past, Present- and Future” was very interesting for me and I found myself relating to it a lot as well. Edmundson said that he believed the humanities were more than just books, but also experience. I saw this as something that I can find true for myself with my studies and in life as well. I think that it is always more than just what you are reading in a book, in order to fully understand something I think it is important to experience it in many different ways and maybe even in all aspects of life. Humanities should be something that make us want to provoke change in the world, and after all, isn’t that what most people want to do anyways?

Edmundson tells us in his articles that we need rhetoric. We need it to promote change in the world and keep the world going and improving. Though he doesn’t outright state it, what I drew from his articles is that we need to use rhetoric. Without rhetoric we won’t be able to promote and carry out those changes which we as students, professors, and just anyone want to see in the world.