In the passage, "Reading Literature Makes Us Smarter and Nicer", Annie Murphy Paul uses evidence from actual research and studies to support her claims about the importance of deep reading. She lays out specific statistics, then she continues to use those statistics to make a point that seems true and inarguable. Murphy first starts off the passage by stating an opposing view that, "There is no compelling evidence that suggests that people are morally or socially better for reading...", a point made by Gregory Currie. She instantly states her disagreement afterwords, with evidence from studies published in 2006 and 2009 from the University of Toronto that say, "individuals who often read fiction appear to be better able to understand other
Andrew Solomon has some valid arguments in his article, and he tries to persuade the readers through logos, pathos, and ethos. Solomon wants the readers to understand the importance of reading, and how its decline can be harmful to the nation. To reinforce his arguments, Solomon shares a variety of examples, for instance, he mentions that reading helps improve memory and concentration, and the decline of reading is causing mental “atrophy.” He also calls upon the readers to take some sort of action to raise reading rates and help the society. This can grant the readers a form of power and control over the crisis that will lead to an em...
that constant reading can improve writing ability, whether if it’s a fine literature or a poor literature.
In How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Thomas C. Foster states that there’s “... a certain set of patterns, codes, and rules that we can learn to use when we’re reading a piece of writing” (Foster 3). These patterns can be used to identify the true meaning of literature in a variety of ways. In Edgar Allen Poe’s short story, “The Cask of Amontillado,” several ideas can be represented with Foster’s claims. In “The Cask of Amontillado,” connections can be made to Foster’s second chapter, “Nice to Eat With You: Acts of Communion,” and his eighteenth chapter, “Is he Serious? And Other Ironies.”
readers a dose of reality and human experience. People read literature and end up learning
In “Reading and Thought” editor Dwight MacDonald emphasizes that everything we read on a daily basis is worthless. MacDonald defines functional curiosity as a habit of reading rather than giving valuable information. MacDonald also alternates that people read too much material in a limited time frame; which results in hollow reading and thinking. Although, MacDonald encourages us to read more to become brilliant, I partially disagree with MacDonald’s argument because we waste time reading unimportant material, do not have time to reread and understand the material and we can now read our books electronically.
.... Le Guin has found that there are many different reasons for why this is happening and they say what some of the reasons are for the decline in reading. They discuss the seriousness of the issue but are not in complete agreement about how serious this issue should be taken and what needs to be done to start solving the problem of declining reading. While reading is definitely in decline, Le Guin does not think that this declining reading issue is a situation that is completely hopeless. There may not be as many people reading books but someone will always want to read so they would never disappear completely. She believes that books will always have a purpose (If a book told you something when you were fifteen, it will tell it to you again when you’re fifty, though you may understand it so differently that it seems you’re reading a whole new book. (Le Guin p37)
Stating that the scholars examined computer logs documenting the behavior of visitors who chose two sites that have several information outlets. The results showed that people showed a form of ‘skimming activity’, which supports him main argument of having troubles with deep reading (737). Further down on the same page, he states “It is clear that users are not reading online in the traditional sense; indeed there are signs that new forms of ‘reading’ are emerging as users ‘power browse’ horizontally through titles, contents pages and abstracts going for quick wins. It almost seems that they go online to avoid reading in the traditional sense.” This statement supports his pathos appeal of how the reader will be able to relate to it, including himself. Another pathos tactic would be when he states “Once I was a scuba diver in the sea of words. Now I zip along the surface like a guy on a jet ski.” A use of imagery to differ how he used to be able to thoroughly read a book, rather than now due to the convenience of the internet. An ethos appeal is when he uses a quote of Maryanne Wolf, an author, and a developmental psychologist at Tufts University, “We are not only what we read, though we are how we read. (737)” This is yet an additional credible support to his
If you had the choice between your phone and a book,you would probably without thinking grab your phone. But what if you knew that reading is crucial to a future. In “Reading for pleasure Is in Painful Decline” by Stephen L. Carter and “Twilight of the books” by Caleb Crain, both authors argue about the state of reading in The United States. Within both passages they give valid points as to why and how the state of reading are negatively affecting the country. Stephen L. Carter represents how the decline in reading for fun is the main concern, while on the other hand, Caleb Crain shows it’s technology and social media that actually are the main contributors.
In “The Lonely, Good Company of Books,” by Richard Rodriguez, you learn that Rodriguez had read hundreds of books before he was a teenager, but never truly understood what he was reading. His parents never encouraged him to read and thought the only time you needed to read, was for work. Since his parents never encouraged Rodriguez to read it effected how he perceived books.
Dana starts her exerpt with her claim then facts to prove her point she states “the most worriesome finding… is the decrease in percentege … in young adults, reading littutare.” She used evedence from a Public Patrticipation in the Arts survay for support. Having that in mind she moves on to how this is most common
The article by Gerald Graff was written to inform the readers that reading is a key factor of becoming a more intellectual person. Reading text that fits ones interests is a great way to get used to reading. Eventually as ones reading skills improve then they will be able to read more difficult texts. Reading is an extremely important skill to have because it allows one to obtain information on topic that are in and out of their scope of interest. Consequently, reading broadens a persons perspective on the world. Nonacademic interests can be tied into academic interests that are learned in school. Reading on topics that interest a person will eventually lead them to start reading more on the topics that may not have interested them in the
Carr says, “The deep reading that used to come naturally has become a struggle.” When the author says this, the reader can tell how he feels and he is not pleased about the issue. Carr also explains how every time he reads, it seems he is constantly having to drag his brain back to the text all the time, because he cannot stay fixated on the internet, due to so many distractions. Then, Carr moves into using logical appeals to prove that the argument is true, and there have been studies to prove that the internet can be a corrupt way of researching and reading, because people bounce around from site to site too much, and this has become a big concern over the years. At the beginning, Carr lays the foundation of the argument by explaining how some people have recently been experiencing a weird modification in their thought process and how their minds are changing and dragging down and he is wondering why this is happening. He continues by explaining that he knows the problem and goes on to explain that this has been happening since the internet has become better-quality, and it has slowly over time pulled us away from
"A Study of Reading Habits," is Philip Larkin’s poetic warning that escapism and ignoring reality only makes real life less fulfilling. Larkin develops this idea via a narrator who prefers to escape from life rather than deal with it, as well as through changing use of language and subtle irony. Larkin’s most direct expression of his warning comes through the narrator’s experience with escapism through books. The narrator reveals his changing attitudes toward books in three stanzas, representing three stages in his life: childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. As a child, reading as an escape enabled the narrator to feel better about "most things short of school" (line 2). As an adolescent, books continued to be a form of escape for him, this time for his unfulfilled sexual desires. However, as an adult "now," the narrator embodies Larkin's warning. He is bitter and resentful that life is less glamorous than books, now only able to relate to the secondary, less important characters. The method he once used to escape now makes reality painfully obvious.
"And no doubt that is what reading is: rewriting the text of the work within the text of our lives."
...wan believes, one of the best things about our digital lives is the ease with which we can share ideas with others. It is now possible for readers to connect with each other worldwide, as well as recommend and share their opinions about a particular piece of literature. Our need to engage in “deep reading” will not go away, as Rosen believes. The act of how we read may evolve as it has been evolving since beginning of mankind. How we read and write has evolved from cave walls to stone tablets to paper to keyboards. The digital world will not change what we read, but how we read. Because the experience of reading, the love of narrative, and cravings for story-telling is instilled into our DNA. Reading is a basic human need, it is evolutionary. Even though our means of attaining information or story telling may change, the act of reading is literally forever-lasting.