The book is not a static or fixed object, but rather a symbol of knowledge, ideas, and norms–one that is shaped by our cultural values, which have shifted and evolved since the dawn of time. This demonstrates that ideas are non-linear; through the decades, the book has changed, being adapted into different modes of media. Rather than viewing the book as a mere object, it should be interpreted as a mode of language–one that, in whatever form it takes, reflects our ways of thinking and our pursuit of truth and knowledge. One great example of this can be found in the Hebrew-Aramaic and Christian Greek scriptures: although there are different versions of these texts, they all accomplish their purpose–to guide, to educate, and to demonstrate the divinity of truth. Therefore, this raises the question: what does the book represent? It represents the conventions of human memory and guidance–something infinite that seeks to share a universal experience–offering, different ways of thinking, different ways in which we engage with the world as we know it. In this instance, we seek to deconstruct, to alienate, and to differentiate the materialistic qualities of the book and expand on the duality this represents–blurring the boundaries between media and language. “Knowles’s books, like her artistic practice, offer readers nourishment, reminding us that the book is an exchange” (Borsuk 108). In this instance, because the books exchanges with the reader it vividly paints an interaction, or more a transaction with the reader– one that creates a space for intellectual curiosity that collectively unifies individuals that seek to enrich their understanding not intellectually (not only in this manner), but feeds into the realm of human complexities– nurturing our curiosity and creativity. Further demonstrating that books are not just a vessel of knowledge but imparts in our modes of communication and exchange. Ultimately, the book lives not as an object but as a symbol for mankind– one that is present and allows us to learn , question and engage with the world in a different manner; one that interjects across our innermost needs and desires.
BOOKS!!
ECL 596. Fall 2025. Professor Jessica Pressman with Anna Culbertson
Hey Josue,
I enjoyed reading your blog post and the stream of consciousness style you used. I thought this worked super well as you went through all the forms a book can take for both the reader and writer, as if the book itself is a stream of consciousness and never bound by one individual thought. I love the word “transaction” you use in your description. Although this transaction does achieve a potential thirst for curiosity or creativity, as you mention, I like the inclusion that it creates a space, leaving the reader and writer to enter together and take away whatever they wish. With this stream of consciousness style, the takeaways seem boundless.
You write, “Further demonstrating that books are not just a vessel of knowledge but imparts in our modes of communication and exchange.” I’d be interested in seeing what you mean by having you trace this point across a close reading. I certainly agree with you that technologies exist in feedback loops with us, our cognition, and our concept of consciousness… I just would like to see the idea of pursued and interpreted in a media- specific way!
Hey Josue, I really liked how you describe the book as a kind of language that changes with us. The part about memory and human guidance made a lot of sense. It shows how books don’t just store knowledge but shape how we remember and pass ideas on. I also found your point about the exchange between reader and text really thoughtful. It makes reading feel less like consuming information and more like being part of an ongoing conversation that connects people across time.