Chapter 1, Concept 1.3

Subject matter problems are questions behind the thesis you are writing about and rhetorical problems are questions about the audience you are writing to. Not all good writing follows a specific set of rules and the rules of writing vary depending on the genre, audience, style, etc.

Thesis-based writing is more unified with topic sentences, support, and other elements that fit the typical "5-paragraph essay." While narrative-based writing is much more expressive and creative and doesn't follow the typical set of rules for writing. Closed form prose fits more under thesis-based writing and open form prose would be under the category of narrative-based writing.

Closed form prose is when you write in a structured way with points and details in support of an "explicit thesis." It is very predictable writing and it is the way that most essays in college are to be written. Typically in closed form prose writing, the writer states a thesis and introduces what he/she will talk about. This introduction is followed by topic sentences and supporting evidence.

Open form prose is quite the opposite. It "resists reduction to a single, summarize-able thesis." Open form prose is a completely different style that is more creative and story-like. There are many different literary techniques used in open form prose that help create writing that is more powerful and memorable that a typical, 5-paragraph essay. Many close form rules are broken in open form but it works because it is a different way of writing. Although this way of writing is more artistic and free, there is still a focus and it is still organized. 

I learned a lot from this section of the text but something that stuck out the most to me was when it stated that, "Exploratory essays are aimed at deepening the reader's engagement with a question and resisting easy answers." This sentence really sums up our problematizing a topic assignment. I also liked the way that it explained how the rules for good writing vary according to rhetorical context.