By the Fire and In the Market

There are several ways for people to communicate, especially with the development of technology.  There are two different main types of communication, communication with others and communication with one's self.  In "Writing as Self-Revelation", Luella B. Cook uses the scene of a fireplace and a market place to represent different kinds of communication. Sitting by the fireplace is described as a very intimate setting, a place where people come together with close family and friends. In this intimate setting one is more likely to share private details and emotions, especially when surrounded by people they trust and love.  In contrast to the Cook uses the picture of a market to describe a less personal form of communication. In the market, it is not customary to tell strangers our most personal details about our lives. Markets are a place for "politeness without intimacy, consideration that is appropriately impersonal" (pg. 247),  according to Cook. This comparison interests me because it can also be applied to the online and handwritten diary.
The handwritten diary can be equated to the fireplace scene. A handwritten diary has no intention of being read, it is a place for self-reflection and a safe space for a person's most honest thoughts. As Cook writes, this "fireplace" is a space where we can share "the uncensored expression of honest feeling...we can relax from the conformities, the conventions, and the pressures of business and social affairs,"(pg. 247). While online diaries can be seen as a sort of market place. A place that is public and people are meant to be seen, similarly online diaries are meant to be read. 

This differentiation between ways of communication is important to understanding others and oneself. A balance of understanding both these forms of thought can help a person understand where they are comfortable in expressing their emotions. Many people lean toward one side, introverts tend to keep their emotions more private. Extroverts are more expressive with their emotions and often open up to people easier in public situations such as a market or in public diaries. There are questions about which type of communication is more valuable in today's world. Both types are equally valuable. Cook writes that each is important and that it would be irresponsible to ignore any type of communication. We learn different things from each of these scenes, the fireplace and market, every part of which is important to understanding ourselves and our own modes of communication better as well as how to communicate with others better. Whether in a market or sitting around the fireplace with those we trust, making a connection to yourself and those around you is always important, no matter how small and insignificant that connection seems.

Works Cited:

Cook, Luella B. “Writing as Self-Revelation.” The English Journal, vol. 48, no. 5, 1959, pp. 247–253. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/809913.