Against the Odds by Wendy Bishop

Wendy Bishop has me almost convinced that teaching Composition and Rhetoric is too difficult to be undertaken by all but those who enjoy marginality and choose it willingly. These "red-headed stepchildren" of English departments seem to be worn out. Indeed, it is exhausting to simultaneously desire stardom and believe oneself to be too special for center stage. I think Bishop’s quote of Joe Harris summed it up well – “I have long been one who preferred to be among others only if I can choose my own way.”

Bishop’s comments for the NCCC are not so different from addresses at many conventions I have attended. In any vocation, dedicated people are in danger of sacrificing themselves on the altar of their egos. We work hard, bringing everything we have to the table and giving more than we should. If we are honest, we know that we find tremendous value in the work itself, even if we toil in obscurity. But as time passes, we begin to feel unappreciated and may become bitter that we aren’t being congratulated for our brilliance and our selflessness. We want it all; we want to do work that we love and we want to be loved for it. We want to choose our own way.

It seems that teachers of Composition and Rhetoric, like everyone else, want higher pay, less work, and greater esteem. Bishop’s remarks don’t dwell on this. Instead she offers glimpses into the joyful and goofy-nerdy world of the NCCC convention. She skillfully validates the fatigue of some while engaging the hopes of all. I’ll bet Bishop’s address was well-received.