The Human Cost Of An Illiterate Society Rhetorical Analysis

As the world advances through the modern age of information and connectivity, having a literate society is crucial to being able to work effectively with the outside world. Jonathan Kozol’s book, The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society, portrays the life of illiterates in the modern world and argues that society has an ethical obligation to fix the problem of illiteracy. Kozol believes that illiteracy has the greatest effect on the education of current and future generations, the way food is consumed and wasted, and various economic costs to both illiterates and those around them. Kozol’s main point throughout his book is that society as a whole needs to face the problem of illiteracy, as not one single group or person can do it on their own.

Illiteracy is a problem that cannot be ignored. As the population of the world continues to grow at an ever increasing rate, and technology makes humanity more connected than it has ever been before, the necessity for an illiterate society has reached an all time high. In order to ensure the success of current and future generations, society must come together and put an end to illiteracy.
Education and the lack thereof is one of the major disadvantages that illiterates face everyday.

Kozol argues that the lack of education not only inhibits the lives of illiterates, but greatly affects the lives of their children as well. He states, “Illiterates cannot read the letter the children bring home from their teachers. [...] they cannot help with homework. They cannot write letters to the teacher. They are afraid to visit in the classroom. They do not want to humiliate their children or themselves” (188). Ensuring that the next generation is literate and prepared with the knowledge to function out in the world is crucial to stopping the spread of illiteracy. As the references state, illiteracy complicates matters of education for the children of illiterates, making it more difficult for them to overcome the shortcomings of their parents. Illiterates themselves also face their own struggle with education. Kozol states that “Illiterate mothers, as we shall see, already have been cheated of the power to protect their progeny against the likelihood of demolition in deficient public schools and, as a result, against the verbal servitude within which they themselves exist” (189). His statement reinforces the difficulty that illiterates face when it comes to educating their own children, and how they are completely helpless to provide any meaningful help when it comes to ensuring a proper education for both themselves and their

children.
Food, an item essential for life in its most basic form, is also complicated by illiteracy. All aspects of food suffer from preparation, to consumption, to disposal with the illiterate population. As Kozol states, “ Illiterates cannot read instructions on a pack of frozen food.” leading to a large amount of wasted food. Kozol later points out how an “inability to read recipes commonly leads to ruinous results” and “scarce funds [are] wasted as a result” (191).
Not only does the inability to read recipes and instructions have a health cost with improperly prepared food, but a steep economic cost as well. Ruined food must be disposed of and replacing the ruined food can be costly as, “ They must depend on photographs or the familiar logos that are printed on the packages of brand-named groceries. The poorest people, therefore, are denied the benefits of the least costly products” (191). Name-brand items, while easier to identify, are also costlier. Illiterates cannot properly identify off brand items or even similar items that will save them money. The money that is wasted from inefficient shopping and ruined food preparation takes a large toll on an already limited budget, straining the lives of illiterates even more.
The most basic concepts of economics such as balancing a checkbook or paying bills proves to be extremely difficult for illiterates.

One women in Kozol’s article states, “ I couldn’t understand the bills [...] and then I couldn’t write the checks to pay them. We signed things we didn’t know what they were” (190). As they cannot read effectively illiterates are often trapped by unfavorable contracts or missed payments. Illiterates’ tight finances are due to their inabilities to properly manage their money causing them to stay in poverty. Their low income does not allow them to afford the education that is necessary for themselves and their children. Even while in poverty the struggle is further worsened for illiterates as Kozol states, “ Illiterates cannot read the notices that they receive from welfare offices or from the IRS. They must depend on a social worker—or from other persons whom they have good reason to mistrust” (190). Illiterates have great difficulty finding gainful employment leading them to rely on welfare and their families as a sources of income. This puts an economic strain on both the families and the national economy. Their children are also affected because their parents cannot provide many of the services that are beneficial to a child's development. Children in turn have to pay back the mounting debts of their parents while trying to pull themselves out of poverty, creating a cycle that is difficult to

break.
Kozol’s concern for global literacy is well founded and still relevant in today’s society. However, as his book was written in 1985 many of his statistics are dated. Global literacy rates have been on the climb since 1985, and are currently in a much better place than when Kozol wrote his book. A research paper done by UNESCO, titled Adult and Youth Literacy: National, Regional and Global Trends, 1985-2015 states that in 1990 the global adult literacy rate was only 76%. The following decades show a steady increase, in 2000 the global literacy rate was 82%, followed by 84% in 2011. This is a promising increase, however the article attributes the diminishing increases in global literacy post-2000 to increases in testing accuracy. As of 2011, 21 countries have reached the EFA goal of a 50% reduction in the adult literacy rate, and many more are expected to reach the goal by 2015. This is excellent news, as it allows efforts to be more concentrated in the remaining third world countries that need the aid the most. As Kozol states in his book, adult literacy is important to solving society's current problems, but to ensure that literacy rates do not decline in the future, society must focus on youth literacy as well. The UNESCO paper gives promising results, as global youth literacy averages at 90% for 2011, 6% higher than adult literacy that same year. Kozol fails to state what he defines as literacy, thus UNESCO’s results could leave a lot of discrepancy. The UNESCO article defines literacy as “...the ability to read and write, with understanding, a short simple statement about one’s everyday life” (23). As of 2008, this is the UN’s definition of literacy that all testing has been standardized around, hopefully Kozol had a similar definition in mind. An 84% global literacy rate still leaves a decent amount of room for improvement, and Kozol states it is very important that society tries its best to push the rate closer and closer to 100%.
As the world literacy rate approaches 100%, it is getting more and more difficult to close the gap. The few remaining countries that have not made a sufficient improvement in literacy are all third world nations that require extra funding and support. That is why now, more than ever, it is crucial to still give attention to the issue. Illiterates cannot vote effectively, they cannot travel outside of a small area around their home, nor can they seek the proper medical attention if they were to become injured. Illiterates cannot defend themselves in court, nor can they properly advocate for themselves outside of a courtroom. Literacy gives illiterates an identity that they were previously denied, an identity that is crucial to helping third world countries and societies pull themselves out of poverty. Everyone deserves to be able to speak for themselves and to articulate their thoughts with the rest of the modern world, and that is why literacy is so crucial to society.