Participation In Literature By Dana Gioia Analysis

Throughout this article, Gioia discusses that literacy is declining with people from “ages 18-24.” This is found mostly with younger adults in america. Dana includes that with the decline of literacy “It signifies deep transformations in contemporary life.” This evidence gives us the idea that without reading, the lives of many will take a turn for the worst. It persuades his

Larissa MacFarquhar’s essay titled,“Who Cares if Johnny Can’t Read?” , was published in the Slate magazine in 1997, rebuts the misconception that Americans in today’s society don’t read as much as people did in the past. MacFarquhar presented factual information to back up her claim that Americans do read and that they read more now than they ever did. In addition, people do not read classics as much as they read genre fiction and self-help in today’s society. MacFarquhar also stated that reading books is better than television. According to MacFarquhar, she believed that reading can stimulate emotions and allow people to participate unlike television. Later, she acknowledged that certain television can also stimulate emotions and allow people

In the article, “Why Literature Matters,” Dana Gioia predominantly focuses on the use of logos, logical fact-based evidence and stimulating, emotional-based language to entice the audience. Gioia elaborates on the theme of correlation between young adult Americans and the decline of literature in this age group. He continues his argument with the consequences with the decline of literature in the lives of these Americans.

In the passage “Why Literature Matters” by Dana Gioia, Gioia states that the decline of interest in reading in America is decreasing. She then claims that this lack of interest will hold negative effects on the future of our society. Gioia uses facts and evidence to support her claim.

She does not understand why the older and well-known authors are not being read in high school. Prose uses a personal experience from her son’s sophomore English class. He had to read a “weeper and former bestseller by Judith Guest” (424), about a dysfunctional family dealing with a teenage son’s suicide attempt. “No instructor has ever asked my sons to read Alice Munro, who writes so lucidly and beautifully about the hypersensitivity that makes adolescence a hell,”(424). She again mentions books she approves of that should be read in English classes.

It is agreed that if an author is stating his assertion to a topic, then he should incorporate what the opposing view has to say; therefore, without the other view he writes nothing but fallacies. However, in Gurdon’s case she offers support from the other side allowing them to state their claim. She recognizes the use of first person in these particular YA books, permitting the reader to take on the “persona of the narrator” (Gurdon 2). Then, she detects the claim of the book industry writing that “kids have a right to read whatever they want” and that “the world is a tough place; and that there’s no point shielding children from reality” (Gurdon 3). Refuting this assertion she calls out the incorrect logic of the claim stating that in other words the authority adults have over the content children absorb should “somehow vaporize when it comes in contact with the printed word” (Gurdon 3). The things children read teach them what to presume about the world around them, and that “books don’t just cater to tastes. They form tastes” (Gurdon 4). Subsequently, she offers her proposal that people associated with the publication of books would “exercise better taste” (Gurdon 2) than that of every teen experience. The comprehension of Gurdon’s claim becomes clearer after integrating the opposing view and using it to support her

Meghan Cox Gurdon’s article has many varying points of attack, while Sherman focuses all of his resources on one point; young adult (YA) literature isn’t detrimental. Gurdon contends the argument that youths being exposed to darker themes makes the themes less effective and ultimately undermines the intensity of the subjects, as well as spread them. She states this as “Self-destructive adolescent behaviors are observably infectious and have periods of vogue. That is not to discount the real suffering that some young people endure; it is an argument for taking care” (par. 13). Gurdon says young adult literature takes away a child’s innocence and negatively affects moral development (par. 6). In contrast, Sherman believes that YA books help people dealing with those troubles to overcome and accept them. He states, “... Does she believe that a YA novel about murder and rape will somehow schock a teenage

Giona includes negative diction that allows the reader to infer his critical tone toward the decline in rates of reading literature because the critical tone emphasizes the importance of the issue. His tone is negative, illustrating the negativity the decline in reading America has had to face. He illustrates this by embedding the phases, “A strange thing has happened… the interest young Americans showed in the arts- especially literature- actually diminished… The declines have been most severe… a troubling trend.” This phrase exemplifies the author’s use

Dana Gioia calls out millennials and younger generations in america, to spark a conversation about the increasingly declining and destructive behavior of NOT reading! Gioia makes very many fantastic points and uses very many persuasive elements on why literacy actually is vital to to our society and the negative effects that come from this lack of literacy. She gives us factual evidence and credible sources to pull the reader into her side of the argument.

Gioia starts his piece with an explanation of the problem at hand. “The interest young Americans showed in the arts - and especially literature - actually diminished,” he informed us in paragraph one. By clearly identifying his topic and issue of choice, we know exactly what to expect from the rest of the essay. His first piece of factual evidence, found in paragraph 2, tells us that “arts participation by Americans has declined for eight of the nine major forms that are measured,” but he focuses his concerns on “the declining percentage of americans, …, reading literature.” These statistics are true and accurate,

Dana Gioia builds an argument to persuade american citizens that the decline in reading in america will have a negative effect on society. The decline of reading in the point of view of dana will decline americans knowledge

In Why Literature Matters Author Dana Gioia expresses and supports his opinion on why schools should support and teach arts and literature. Gioia shows the rapid decline in Americans not reading literature anymore, he shows the consequences you will face in the real world, like when you try to get a job. Gioia uses facts and statistics throughout the essay, as well as appealing to your patriotism.

Nowadays, people are facing an important problem of inheriting the interest in reading. In the Article “Why Literature Matters”, the author, Dana Gioia persuades his audiences that the phenomenon of Americans being deficient in reading effects the nation negatively. He strengthens his claims by using comparisons,quotation from compelling author, supportive evidences, and forceful words that can catch readers’ attention. The utilization of ethos and logos also give credits for backing his assertion. In the first paragraph, Gioia starts with “a strange thing has happened”, that gives people the sense of mystery.

Gioia opens up the article by giving the readers an allusion to a survey from Public Participation in the arts. By doing this, it brings the readers attention up and interested in how the declines have affected younger adults all over America. ¨The most worrisome finding in the 2002 study, however, is the declining percentage of Americans, especially young adults, reading literature.¨ This quote makes the reader interested and curious on why this is happening, and wants them to keep reading.

In the excerpt from “Why Literature Matters”, Dana Gioia uses evidence-based phrases that detail how a lack of reading has affected society. One of the strategies used to illustrate his point is to present a paragraph about why the use of literature, or lack thereof, is important, and then making a new paragraph to support his claim with evidence. An example of this is in the paragraph beginning with “The decline of…” being followed by “It is probably”. The first paragraph states that without literature,”[Young people's] appreciation and support of American democracy is limited”, and the next backs it up by saying that citizens who read take up other civilised acts more commonly as compared to those who don't.