The art of reading essay #2

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.

“School made us ‘literate’ but did not teach us to read for pleasure.” -Ambeth R. Ocampo

Memory is a powerful concept. Often when an individual undergoes a traumatic situation, the ramifications of these actions seep into an individualfs psyche unknowingly. In effect this passes through memory and becomes sub-consciously buried within a personfs behavioural patterns generally. The Reader by Bernhard Schlink explores the concept of a young mans subconscious desire for a woman whom he gcanft remember to forgeth (1Memento) as she is so deeply inlaid within his soul.

Throughout Malcolm X's "Learning to Read" his tone and attitude frequently changes. Although the emotions are faintly projected, his tone and attitude are caused by a change in his own emotions, which correspond with the beginning, middle, and end of the passage. The essay not only expounds his lack of reading skills while young, it expounds upon the importance of reading to him today. If a thorough assessment is made, he exclaims that reading is important to readers' lives as it was to his, aiding to shape ones morals and principles. Without the ability to read, a basis for intellect and perception, it becomes increasingly difficult to build your own ethical views.

Prose assumes that most high school students do not read on their own and that students do not enjoy the literature they read in school; she also assumes that many students stop reading in their adult life and that what books students read in high school affect them for the rest of their lives.

Both your Huck Finn assignment and your nonfiction assignment must be turned into turnitin.com before the first day of school. Your assignments will not count if they have not been turned in!

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.

This articles is about his friend that had received a letter from his daughter. Watkins didn’t know that his friend was one of millions that can’t read. Not only that but he doesn’t want to learn or feel it’s necessary. It made him want to help his friend learn to read, because at one point in time Watkins was the same as his friend. He was out in the streets, until he found a books worth reading. He said, “I went from a guy who solved problems by breaking a bottle over someone’s forehead to using solution-based thinking when resolving issues ⎯ reading instantly civilized me. And if it can work for me, I believe it can work for anybody”

Dana Gioia claims that the decline of reading in america will have a negative effect on society. Gioia uses studies and facts to appeal to her audiences logical and emotional sides. By adding these studies, Gioia strengthens her claim and makes her audience worry for the future society of America. Throughout the essay, Dana Gioia uses surveys, studies, and facts to draw her audience's attention to the issue at hand.

The essay “Disliking Books” by Gerald Graff gives reason to why so many kids and young adults dislike reading. Graff mentions things from his childhood, and things from his time as a college student to explain his reasoning. Being a part of a middle class family, Graff explains the stigma surrounding studying and enjoying books in his childhood. Graff then shows us his experience that changed his mind. Graff uses details from his life to give meaning to his ideas.

Richard didn’t like to read not only because he couldn’t but because it made him feel alone. One quote that explains what he’s trying to say is,”To console myself for the loneliness I’d feel when I read, I tried reading in a very soft voice”(2). Mr.Rodriguez did not like reading at all, because he spoke very little english, so the school set him up with at tutor. He would meet with this tutor and she read so well he started to actually like reading,”Our sessions pleased me: the smallness of the room; the noise of the janitor’s broom hitting the edge of the long hallway outside the door; the green of the sun, lighting the wall; and the old woman’s face blurred white with a beard” (2). This quote is saying that it started to not make him feel alone anymore. After the days went he began to read more and more and he started to love it. In Strange Tools he says, “Didn’t I realize that reading would open up whole new worlds? A book could open doors for me. It could introduce me to people and show me places I never imagined existed” (3). When Richard realized the importance of education and how important it was to read he began reading and got a B.A. at Stanford University, got a M.A. at Columbia University, and was a Ph.D. candidate in English Renaissance literature at the University of California,

Dana explains in more than one way how if you don’t read it can affect you life in today’s society. Like even in art some things that you would never imagine having to read there are words in art today in this world and it doesn’t always have to be easy reading either it could be the hard reading that you don’t know and have to ask. He says how young american woman noticed the words in the art. So it could be kids that don’t even know much. If you read you can still try to make out with what you are saying.

As I read, “The Dark Night of the Soul” by Richard E. Miller, I found it to be an interesting read. He inquires, why we read, why we write and what might literate arts be said to be good for? In his essay he describes the school massacres that have occurred throughout the years. As he describes these events, he asks a deeper question, “What is the point of continuing to read, write and learn in the face of such underlying dangers. I think that with all that is happening, individuals/students should continue with education because reading, television, writing and communication makes a difference in the lives of individuals around the world. The bottom line is that literary art has a way of touching students unexpectedly one way or another and students should not just throw the art away because of society’s perception.

I wouldn’t say that I am a good writer, and I really don’t like to read books either. Through my years in school I became literate in these two categories. I was and still am not interested in writing, or reading books in my spare time. The only writing I have ever done is for school. Writing just does not interest me, and the only reading I do out of class is reading about sports in magazines, or reading the news, or looking at web pages. I have only read a couple of books on my own, 95% of all the books I have read have been for school. The reason for not writing out of class is probably attributed to the fact that I am a very impatient person, and I have a short attention span. I have no interest in writing and reading so when

Reading has at all times and in all ages been a source of knowledge, of happiness, of pleasure and even moral courage. In today's world with so much more to know and to learn and also the need for a conscious effort to conquer the divisive forces, the importance of reading has increased. In the olden days if reading was not cultivated or encouraged, there was a substitute for it in the religious sermon and in the oral tradition. The practice of telling stories at bed time compensated to some extent for the lack of reading. In the nineteenth century Victorian households used to get together for an hour or so in the evenings and listen to books being read aloud. But today we not only read, we also want to read more and more and catch up