(The) Writer's Mind: Mamet
Cohesion and CoherenceWhat Mamet draws our attention to is the problem of the background context from which we always and already project our range of possible understandings onto the world. A background context gives us a way to create coherence and cohesion (see "Lesson 4" of Williams' book Style for a demonstration of these two important registers).
For instance, read this paragraph, and notice how the lack of cohesion between sentences impacts the overall coherence of the passage--the way we put it all together into a single meaning: |
A newspaper is better than a magazine. A seashore is a better place than the street. At first it is better to run than to walk. You may have to try several times. It takes some skill, but it is easy to learn. Even young children can enjoy it. Once successful, complications are minimal. Birds seldom get too close. Rain, however, soaks in very fast. Too many people doing the same thing can also cause problems. One needs lots of room. If there are no complications, it can be very peaceful. A rock will serve as an anchor. If things break loose from it, however, you will not get a second chance. |