The Value Of Literacy In Reading The River By Mark Twain

Literacy: There's More To It Some might consider literacy to be nothing more than having the capability to read and write; in truth, there is deeper meaning to the word. We even unconsciously apply it in our daily lives. There is more to literacy than one would think at an initial start. The two works that portray the significance that literacy has are, "Literacy and the Politics of Education" written by C.H. Knoblauch and "Abby's Lament: Does Literacy Matter?" by Robert P. Yagelski.

Literacy is having an understanding that oral language can be brought to life through print. Thoughts, that are translated in text or through writing, are used to inform, entertain or persuade the reader. Literacy (the ability to read and write) is a much-needed tool to survive in today’s society. Without it, one would become a life-long dependent. The building blocks for becoming a successful reader begin with emergent literacy.

Two Ways of Seeing a Relationship Most people are blinded by flaws, at the very beginning at least. At first, everything is new and exciting, but when imperfections of the couple become annoying in life everything takes a turn for the worse. Mark Twain understands this behavior and recognizes that there are two ways of seeing things for what they truly are. In his essay,”Two Ways of Viewing a River”, he describes how beautiful the river was before he became a pilot and eventually sees the horrors that lay hidden in the water. In a relationship, it is known that the beginning is the most euphoric and is often referred to the honeymoon stage. After the bliss is gone and the flaws start to show, overtime the couple may realize that the relationship is not worth salvaging. The stages in a relationship can be compared to the magnificent river in the essay by the thrill of a new lover, the contentment of love, and the realization that sometimes it is not meant to last.

The power of literacy enables one to become self-aware and opens up new opportunities, leading to a better life. Not only does literacy have the capability to impact significant lives like those of Malcolm X and Frederick Douglass but also a mere individual like myself. Learning how to read and write allowed me to gain knowledge and opened up the opportunity to be able to attend college where I was able to gain even more knowledge. With that knowledge, I became more aware of the opportunities I had and how an individual like myself could contribute to society. I was able to forge my own path that will lead to a successful

Literacy has the power to transform us. By reading we learn new things and we are more likely to express ourselves to others. We can understand another’s language, other cultures, and know the way others way of thought.

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

As I think what literacy means to me, the most important thought that comes to mind is my understanding of it: the ability to read and write, I feel that without the ability to read and write, mankind is unable to properly function because there is no foundation for adequate communication. So literacy is reading development, a progression of skills that begins with the ability to understand spoken words and decode written words, and culminates in the deep understanding of text. Everyone has some moment which have the potential to influence the craft of understanding that directly has the undying impression for the lifetime. As for learning process which comprises the reading and writing aspect, there comes events that helps people to grasp the authenticity of learning which turn out to be moments of learning for some people in a very inspiring and motivating manner. In this essay I will talk about my literacy history and how it has been developed throughout portions of my life.

Since a child going up, literacy was not my strong suit. Literacy throughout my life seem not to cope with me. Later as I grew up, literacy meant to me that it is one’s ability to read, write, and speak. More importantly there is a more meaning of literacy, meaning that not only writing, reading, and speaking, but able to understand, analyze, and communicate with other peoples’ ideas. Soon enough literacy has made an impact on my life, it has been and will be a lifelong process. Literacy will always be with me, starting from my past and ending in my future.

I define literacy as being able to express my thoughts and emotions. I know everyone has different opinions and emotions. Therefore, everyone will write differently and read in a different pace. Also, everyone likes different types of books, for example fiction or nonfiction. As a result, everyone’s literacy journey is unique. Everyone has a different definition when it comes to literacy which is what makes it special. Some prefer to read and others prefer to write. It all depends on personal preference.

Literacy is fundamental to all areas of learning from an early age, as it unlocks access to the wider curriculum. Being literate increases opportunities for pupils in all aspects of life and lays the foundations for lifelong learning and work.

If you were to ask me what literacy meant to me when I was younger I would tell you, that it represented reading a book, and simply writing. The first thing that would come to my mind is English, reading and writing is what I do when it comes to that subject. Being young I was never taught the true meaning of literacy, and if you’re anything like me, you would eventually have to just learn on your own. Growing up I rarely thought what literacy truly meant, yet growing up it was a question I was always curious about, because this is when my writing became more serious. The more I began to write essays, the more it seemed to bother me. I asked myself, how could I truly write a good paper without knowing the basic true meaning of it all?

The message that comes out of the literacy narrative is that I started to enjoy writing once it was made simple to me. Also that I like it even better when the topic is not professional. When it comes to reading, I am very picky. I only read the books with specific genres. I do not go out of my comfort zone when it comes to reading because when I do, I do not enjoy what I am reading.

In Jonathan Kozol’s “The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society” and Malcolm X’s “Literacy Behind Bars” they both talk about the advantages of being literate, as well as the hardships that those who are illiterate goes through. Using these articles, we can see that it’s important to be as literate as possible because, a literate person would be more confidant in interacting with others, they’re less likely to be cheated, they don’t have to rely on others, and ultimately their world view is much bigger.

Literacy is not only knowing how to read and write. I believe it is much more than that. Being literate is more or less being knowledgeable in a specific area. That being said, it is hard to understand anything without first knowing how to read and write and that is why it's so important. I do not believe anyone knows their purpose in life if they are not literate in some area of life.

Everyday our lives are affected by literacy and most people do not even notice it. When I read a menu at a restaurant or a book from a library I do not realize how unbelievable it is to read such things. I do not notice how amazing and extraordinary it is to be able to have this privilege. Literature is everywhere and it not only changes our lives for the better but it also changes who you are and how you choose to see things.