Writing to Change the World Chapter 2 Reflection

In Chapter 2 of Writing to Change the World, Pipher emphasizes the importance of knowing oneself in order to know what you stand for. The majority of your opinions will originate from previous experiences and from within. As Pipher states, looking inward will "allow you to write with your own grand themes, your own passions, even your own flaws at your service (Pipher 32)." Without knowing what you stand for you cannot know the struggle behind what you say. Although self reflection contributes to writing, writing also helps you realize your own opinion. Pipher mentions how throughout her career as a writer she now recognizes her overlying themes and how she commonly resorts to the same ones. Through trying to figure out what to say, one realizes how they truly feel towards something.
Pipher takes the effort to show how diverse her exposure was when she was a child and how her extended family shaped her current views. In the end, each person is just a compilation of all of their stories, so looking into your past can give you a sense of how you feel. Through different stories, people get a sneak peek into what it is like to be another person, and this can create connections through empathy between people who could not normally understand one another.
Pipher ends the chapter with a call to get to know yourself so that you can figure out what causes call your attention and your own view points. This approach is very interesting because many people see writing as something that is detached from one's own experiences, but Pipher makes sure to emphasize that the best writing is a reflection of the author. Through previous experiences, power to speak is gained. Sharing experiences creates more connections among different people, and can make the world just a bit more understanding.