Dynamic Literacy In Scott Sanders's Essay 'Two Words'

“There is more pleasure to building castles in the air than on the ground.” This quote by Edward Gibbon illustrates the intensity of writing and what gratification it can hold. When one writes, they are not confined to one certain formula. A person is able to express their thoughts and feelings in any way they choose. Language is a border for many people in that some cannot comprehend a certain language, understand how to use it, or recognize what is being said to them. On the other side of the border, they are not viewed as equals or as important compared to those who are not competing with this barrier. In his essay “Coming into Language,” Jimmy Santiago Baca uses his personal experiences to demonstrate how much

LaDwaina Barron-Lillard Mrs. Gage ENG 1301 14 September 2014 A Rhetorical Analysis of “The New Literacy” Clive Thompson Thompson employs the rhetorical appeal of logos and pathos effectively in his attempt to persuade his audience of the positive effect that social media and its platform has played in reviving literacy in the new generation. Although Thompson delivers a vivid picture of the progression of literacy; then and now by using factual statements and examples along with his warm tone, dissecting all of his persuasive appeals, shows that the lack of ethical appeal may cause his target audience to doubt his credibility.

At first I believed that the “fly tracks across the page” (Allende, 2), were significant because she learns that they are words on a newspaper. This alters the course of her life because she no longer is doomed to become a prostitute or a servant. This one conversation changes the remainder of her life. During the class discussion everyone agreed that the “fly tracks across the page” (Allende, 2), are words on newspaper and that it saved her from a life as a prostitute or a servant (Sept, 20). Many individuals agreed that this gives her the power of language and a future which alters the remainder of the story allowing future events to take place (Class discussion, Sept 20). Many peers pointed out that this moment changed Belisa's life, giving

“Learning to Read”: Rhetorical Strategies Critique “Learning to Read” is a compelling excerpt from The Autobiography of Malcolm X, where Malcolm X conveys his experiences through nostalgic storytelling about how he went from being an uneducated prisoner to an articulate national leader, a section meant to inspire the reader. He explains how he had accomplished this by excessive reading and persistently educating himself in prison. He did this by studying the dictionary, for example. By the same token, he distinctly credits his empowerment to reading - particularly books about historical racial injustices such as slavery. He explains how this had awoken his dormant passion to fight against black adversity, an issue that he deeply connected

I have worked as a Carside To Go Specialist and a Sever at Applebee’s Neighborhood Bar and Grill from January 2015 until now. As a Server and Carside Specialist, I provide excellent customer server to my many guests throughout the day. I cater to their every want and need. I make sure their drinks stay full and that they have a wonderful time during their experience at Applebee’s.

Knowing this, she takes her experience and uses it to write this piece and uses it to spread her message and her feelings toward the topic.

Literacy plays a huge role in my daily life. Every single day I read and write. Whether it’s writing an email or reading a text message, class assignment, discussion board, etc. My literacy journey is unique because I have had different experiences. As a result, this is how my literacy journey has let me to be the reader that I am.

The classic definition for culture was proposed by Tylor (1871/1958) and still commonly cited: Culture is “that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, arts, morals, law, custom, and many other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society” (p. 1). This definition focuses on attributes that are acquired through growing up or living in a particular society, rather than through biological inheritance (Kottak, 2002). In Giger and Davidhizar’s (1991) Model for transcultural care, culture was defined as a patterned behavioral response that develops over time as a result of imprinting the mind through social and religious structures and intellectual and artistic manifestations.

There is a magic that exists in this world. We use it every day, but we tend to overlook it. This magic that I’m talking about is the use of words. Words are very powerful. They can build up nations or tear empires down. The power of words is prevalent in Isabel Allende’s short story, “Two Words.” She is able to convey her message that words have a magical power to them through literary devices. I believe that the strongest of these literary devices is Allende’s use of imagery, specifically imagery that conveys the character’s personalities, the feelings between Belisa Crepusculario and the Colonel, and the sense of mystery behind words.

When reading this short story I think that we are suppose to feel surprised after reading the story from Belisa’s accomplishments because Belisa went from being unpopular and poor to being the most widely known and the most powerful at the end of the story. The message in this story is aimed to the reader and it says that anyone can do anything they want if they put there mind to it, and if u have the determination you can accomplish a lot no matter what you are dealt with in life. Another message in the story is that no matter how strong or powerful one is there will always be someone bigger and better.

“COMING INTO LANGUAGE” by Jimmy Santiago Baca portrays how literacy can bring light into life and forever changed a person’s world. Baca, a ninth-grade dropout, before his 18th birthday Baca was arrested for refusing to explain the wound on his forearm. This unfortunate event exposed how powerless he was. In prison, the reading of the prisoners enlightens Baca. The words of different writers influenced his original thought toward reading. Two years later, as Baca was arrested again, he fell deeper into the art of language and the art of reading and writing. Throughout “Coming into Language”, Baca used many rhetorical strategies such as, metaphor, Imagery, description, asyndeton, and dictions that appeal to emotions to persuade readers of the effect of literacy toward a person’s life.

Before one ever starts attending school, their very first lesson is to become literate in the language they speak. From reading sentences to reading paragraphs to reading novels, we try to achieve literacy. However, some of the greatest public speakers and writers did not achieve it through the way most people did. This is shown in the literary works of Frederick Douglass, Malcolm X, and Sherman Alexie. Like these people, literacy isn’t achieved by simply going to school. It’s achieved through great perseverance and through great tenacity.

Belisa is empowered by using words that can change the society in the background of patriarchal society. Specifically, It is the power of two words. The Colonel wants to be cheered everywhere instead of feared and he prefers to win people’s heart by winning the popular vote in president election. Apparently, Belisa is the victim of Colonel.

Aminata Diallo is the main character in the book ‘Book of Negroes’. She is a woman who is dark skinned, she is in her 40's, she is beginning to have grey hair and she is physically built to withstand the harsh workload that she has to do throughout the various environments that she encounters. In her current situation, Aminata is travelling along with a slave trader in an inland route hoping to find her home village named ‘Bayo’. As a possibility, one can predict that Aminata will eventually locate her home village and she could find that the village is being run by slave traders or it could possibly be destroyed with nothing left from her childhood. Hence, making her feel devastated and internally hurt.

Literacy plays a huge role in many people’s lives everyday, whether it is learning how to read and write for the first time or writing a five-page essay for the hundredth time. We experience literacy differently and have our very own unique stories on how it has impacted our lives and had made us who we are today. It is an essential aspect that I use in my everyday life, such as in relationships, daily interactions with others, and learning. It has become such a powerful aspect and human right in which it allows one to speak his/her mind and in some cases express their opinion to the world. My personal literacy history has shaped me into who I am today because without my experiences I would not have been able to gain the confidence and