My thoughts on the article

I think one of the important things to notice in Raymond Williams' article is his goal in informing and teaching us about his thoughts on culture. He spends quite some time vividly describing the place where he grew up and lived, while making a point that it is much different than the academic community he is now also familiar with. I think this does a good job illustrating the fact that culture is ordinary in that it is found everywhere, with all people. Culture is inescapable, so you must take it into account when studying any person, place, or group of either. While I was reading Williams' descripition of where he grew up, it was easy for me to see that I could spend just as much time reflecting on the places I have lived, the relationships, changes, and progressions that I have witnessed and been a part of. He allows us to identify and then explains in detail what he means with the phrase "culture is ordinary". On page 6 he mentions that he insists on using the word "culture" to mean both a whole way of life and the arts and learning as well. He says these definitions go hand in hand, and I think he is correct when saying you cannot look at one without the other. When you see a community, you are looking at its culture and what that culture has produced as a changing, progressive, working body.