Punctuation: A World of Causes and Effects

       I never thought quotations could have such a great impact of a piece of writing. After thoroughly reading Q As In Quotation, one can realize that the use of quotations, which is most commonly known to be very beneficial, is actually harmful in conveying a message. Usually, I thought of a quotation as a way to reinforce my point and provide evidence to make my text more profound and credible. However, when a quotation is inserted into a writing piece, “…another voice, a thinking significantly different from yours, will cast a shadow, making everything you’ve written so far as well as everything you will have to say in the future appear in a different light” (Q As In Quotation, p. 76). It is truly remarkable to analyze this perspective, since it contradicts many of the ideas that schools and other academic institutions instruct. The real challenge in writing a credible paper is being able to analyze the sources at hand and interpret them so they can be used implicitly in the writing piece. Placing a quotation simply tells the reader that the writer could not completely and profoundly analyze that important idea. The writer is in a sense submitting his perspective to another one that he may not necessarily agree with. Every individual is unique when it comes to proposing a point of view concerning a certain topic. Therefore, when two viewpoints (even if they are very similar) are joined in a piece of writing, neither of them is effectively transmitted to the reader, since he would not know which one to go with.

       In Survival of the Fittest, Nicholson Baker examines the nine most important marks of punctuation. Although they seem common since we use them daily, most of them have a history of evolution that is described in the essay. I found it very interesting to observe the concept that “pointing was viewed from the beginning as a form of ornament, as well as a means of what Parkes calls ‘disambiguation’” (Baker, p. 6). Punctuation serves the purpose of clarifying the author’s message in the sentence or paragraph. It is therefore essential for a well-written text to have correct punctuation, since it will allow the message to be clear and direct, without any room for misinterpretation. This relates a great deal to the topics being discussed in class. When learning how to deal with quotations, commas, and other punctuation marks, one is, at the same time, learning how to write effectively and not be subject to misunderstandings. In order to be an accurate writer, one needs to have the clarity to be able to avoid quotations or at least make excellent use of them and have the knowledge to visualize the effects certain kinds of punctuation marks have on the audience.