Fortunately, nowadays everyone understands that all people are unique and can freely express their thoughts. However, when it comes to writing, people notice the lack of uniqueness or so called creativity. Many think that writers tend to copy existing styles rather than expressing themselves because they are taught to do so. Bartholomae and Anzaldua consider the issue of creativity and come to the same conclusion that writers should be creative, but the authors have a bit different attitude towards academic conventions.
Both authors admit that the major point in writing is expressing one’s thoughts, ideas or feelings. Bartholomae and Anzaldua state that creativity is often suppressed by academic conventions. Writers try to follow the necessary formats rather than dare to create something new, unexpected and revolutionary. Academic world kills incentives by rejecting any novelties. Bartholomae and Anzaldua believe that writers should keep trying, developing their writing skills.
Notably, Anzaldua compares writing with breathing, i.e. living, arguing that writers simply cannot stop writing. Bartholomae only insists on the necessity to practice since, according to him, only after many attempts writers will be able to achieve certain proficiency in writing. So, Bartholomae and Anzaldua articulate the same idea that creativity and academic conventions cannot go hand in hand.
Nevertheless, both authors criticize conventions in different ways. Thus, Bartholomae does not reject the power of academic conventions. He only states that novice students cannot write in accordance with those conventions even though they try really hard. He claims that this trying is the key to the loss of creativity. Students lose themselves trying to copy academic style. Basically, Bartholomae praises academic style since it is concise and clear enough, so it serves to express any thought.
However, he states that it is essential to educate novice students and help them to become proficient in academic style. Bartholomae stresses that teachers should not be too strict.
He even admits that it is possible to forgive some minor mistakes and imperfections if the teacher sees that a student is in the right direction. For example, grammar mistakes can be forgiven while students are mastering academic style. Basically, Bartholomae only states that creativity can be suppressed by the desire to sound academic, but students can be taught to write academic papers without losing themselves.
On the contrary, Anzaldua argues that academic conventions destroy creativity and make writers keep silence. She states that there are so many conventions which are trying to make her, and women like her, stop writing. However, Anzaldua claims that it is necessary to forget about conventions and rules, it is important to express some inner thoughts and feelings. It is important to reveal oneself in the Universe. Anzaldua believes that writers should be immediate and even intimate in their writings.
In fact, this is the reason why she has chosen the form of a letter for her writing. She feels that no other form can reveal the importance of being herself and saying loudly that she does exist. Basically, Anzaldua completely rejects academic conventions pointing out that those rules destroy the essence of writing, which is expressing oneself.
On balance, Bartholomae and Anzaldua express their concern about the negative influence of conventions on creativity, but their criticism has different scale. While Bartholomae thinks academic style is the appropriate form for writing but some rules can be evaded, Anzaldua is against any conventions in writing.