Reading Vs Reading Marie Winn Summary

The end of the twentieth century and the start of the twenty-first century have been heavily influenced by the development of technology. Due to the incorporation of personal devices in society, it has created a society where people do not communicate with themselves to the fullest extent. However, of all of the age groups, teenagers have been affected the most by the new technological wave. Many believe handheld electronics have caused teenagers to have a disengaged “imagination”(Winn, 255). Although many writers claim that technology has assisted the general population, others argue that it has held back this generation back because it does not allow people to fully engage their imaginations, creates citizens that are lacking critical thinking

Reading,” she makes the argument that reading helps train the mind to become a better writer, develop “the power of imagination”(Winn, 255), and advance concentration skills. One of the major points presented by Marie Winn is that by reading children gain the “rudiments of writing”(Winn, 253). While reading, a child will recognize that a word is said in a certain way that will eventually translate into a child learning how to write words. For children gain writing skills by reading, Winn shows that by reading a child not only gains a beneficial experience but also a chance to improve their writing skills. In addition to improving their writing skills, a child can also develop an imagination through reading books. When a child reads a book, they begin to create pictures within his mind, which leads to a better imagination. On the other hand, viewing provides a child with images which do not exercise the viewer's imagination. Winn’s final argument is that reading allows children to gain improved concentration skills. When a child reads, he or she requires a higher level of concentration because he is required to decipher abstract figures into meaning. Throughout her paper, Winn provides contentions that prove how reading leads to a successful child while viewing is a detriment to a child’s

This is presented through Mildred when she is shown unconscious on her bed with “little seashells”(53, Bradbury) in her ears with an “electronic ocean sound playing”(53, Bradbury). Bradbury displays Mildred in this way to show how she does not have critical thinking skills, which is why she has listened to the voice in the seashells and taken the pills. Since the society Bradbury created has banned reading it makes sense that its citizens resort to destructive uses of their time such as swallowing pills for no reason. Through Mildred’s action, Bradbury is asserting the message that technology has created a society dependent on an authority figure to tell them what to do. However, this science fiction novel does not look far from the future, considering the new technology added to daily