Today, it seems as if it is uncool to read. Teenagers will never admit that they enjoy reading, even if they do. Many of these people are most likely “closet readers.” This phrase describes people who enjoy reading, but are worried that they may be judged for it, by their peers. In “Why Literature?”, Mario Vergas Llosa says it may not be cool, but it is essential to communicate effectively. He attempts to prove that literature is essential, and shouldn’t be an afterthought. Literature should be a cornerstone in every single person’s education. His purpose is to convince readers of the importance of reading, and literature; Llosa achieves this, by building a strong ethos, and targeting a specific audience.
In this essay, Llosa tries sharing
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He has achieved numerous awards for his writing in his lifetime, such as the Nobel Prize in literature, the Irving Kristal Award, and many others. Throughout his career he has been directly involved in literature, and he has plenty of experience to share. He displays his credibility at the beginning of the essay, by giving us a story of some of his book signings. He starts the essay off by saying, “It has often happened to me, at book fairs or in bookstores, that a gentleman approaches me and asks me for a signature.” His hope is that if he builds a strong ethos in the beginning of the essay, readers will take his word due to his abundant experience. This little scenario at the start of his essay, allows us to get an understanding of his accomplishments, and why it is worthwhile to continue and hear what he has to say.
Llosa gives examples throughout his entire essay, of the importance of literature. Llosa tried to convince his audience of the importance of reading, and literature. He is able to do this because he is an extremely successful scholar in the literary field. He has dedicated years of his life to literature, and is trying to share his appreciation, and knowledge of literature to anyone who is interested. He tries to explain to his audience, young men specifically, that literature should be more than just a form of entertainment. It should be desired by all people who wish to improve their
In Chapter 14, “What’s Motivating this Writer?” One key point is that the author can be writing based on an argument that he or she is responding to. They usually build arguments over issues that may be overlooked by their readers. Rather than having one argument, they have multiple and include the actual standpoint of the argument and also have their own response to it. Also, the reader should try to visualize what the author is arguing about so they can understand what they are retorting to or know what the argument is about.
In “I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read” (1999), Francine Prose argues that literature is not being exposed to and taught to high school students in the way that it should be and that students learn to “loathe” it due to this. Prose provides her audience with her personal experience as both a mother and a college professor along with her own research on the books and suggested purposed of them. She continues to expand on this topic in order to help illuminate the importance of literature itself, not being associated with personal experiences or morals. Prose’s position is valid and she makes her essay directed towards school boards, teachers, and students and continues to maintain a critical tone throughout her essay.
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...
When he was fifteen years old his mother died from appendicitis. From fifteen years of age to his college years he lived in an all-white neighborhood. From 1914-1917, he shifted from many colleges and academic courses of study as well as he changed his cultural identity growing up. He studied physical education, agriculture, and literature at a total of six colleges and universities from Wisconsin to New York. Although he never completed a degree, his educational pursuits laid the foundation for his writing career. He had the knowledge of philosophy and psychology. He attempted to write when he was a youth, but he made a choice to pursue a literary career in 1919. After he published Cane he became part of New York literary circles. He objected both rivalries that prevailed in the fraternity of writers and to attempts to promote him as a black writer (Clay...
Gioia identifies all that is at stake in a world where reading is obsolete in his essay On the Importance of Reading. He paints imagery to show the comparisons of readers and non readers as well as the affects literacy and illiteracy have on the world. Gioia asserts his opinions on why reading is losing the battle of popularity. According to Gioia a person who reads is civic-minded, active, empathic, and imaginative. Gioia expresses the opposite benefits are true of illiterate or semi literate people they lead passive lives, are less likely to volunteer, and less imaginative. Among all of these benefits of reading Gioia identifies, he writes in depth about empathy gained through reading. I also feel one of the greatest benefits of reading
Through his choice of style and structure, he is able to reflect the meaning of the short essay as a whole and get the point
Reading is on the decline and our reading skills are declining right along with the amount of reading we do. This is happening right across the board through both genders, all age groups and education levels, people are busy and they just do not have time to read books that they are not required to read for school or work. There are serious consequences to this neglect of reading that will continue to worsen if ignored. We need to take notice of what is happening to our culture and stop this situation from continuing, we must act to correct these issues that we are faced with. These things are discussed in the essay “Staying Awake’’ by Ursula K. Le Guin who uses the NEA essays “To Read or Not to Read’’ and “Reading at Risk’’ to support her argument that there is a decline in the amount of time that we are spending on reading and our ability to understand what it is that we are reading.
In “Why Literature Matters” the author, Dana Gioia, argues that literature is very important in today’s society. He talks about the decline of reading over the years and the effects it has on different companies and communities. Gioia uses many persuasive techniques, such as evidence, jingoism, and diction, to try and persuade the reader that literature is important.
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.
Although the greater picture is that reading is fundamental, the two authors have a few different messages that they seek to communicate to their audiences. “The Joy of Reading and Writing” depicts how reading serves as a mechanism to escape the preconceived notions that constrain several groups of people from establishing themselves and achieving success in their lifetimes. “Reading to Write,” on the other hand, offers a valuable advice to aspiring writers. The author suggests that one has to read, read, and read before he or she can become a writer. Moreover, he holds an interesting opinion concerning mediocre writing. He says, “Every book you pick has its own lesson or lessons, and quite often the bad books have more to teach than the good ones” (p.221). Although these two essays differ in their contents and messages, the authors use the same rhetorical mode to write their essays. Both are process analyses, meaning that they develop their main argument and provide justification for it step by step. By employing this technique, the two authors create essays that are thoughtful, well supported, and easy to understand. In addition, Alexie and King both add a little personal touch to their writings as they include personal anecdotes. This has the effect of providing support for their arguments. Although the two essays have fairly different messages, the authors make use of anecdotes and structure their writing in a somewhat similar
I began to read not out of entertainment but out of curiosity, for in each new book I discovered an element of real life. It is possible that I will learn more about society through literature than I ever will through personal experience. Having lived a safe, relatively sheltered life for only seventeen years, I don’t have much to offer in regards to worldly wisdom. Reading has opened doors to situations I will never encounter myself, giving me a better understanding of others and their situations. Through books, I’ve escaped from slavery, been tried for murder, and lived through the Cambodian genocide. I’ve been an immigrant, permanently disabled, and faced World War II death camps. Without books, I would be a significantly more close-minded person. My perception of the world has been more significantly impacted by the experiences I've gained through literature than those I've gained
his life where it has influences of his writing and how it did impact many people.
While I believe every child is a reader, I do not believe every child will be enthralled with reading all the time. All students have the capability to read and enjoy reading, but just like any other hobby, interest will vary from student to student. The students in my classroom will be encouraged in their reading, be provided with choice, taught how books can take you into another world but, my students will not be forced to read. This paper will illustrate my philosophy of reading through the theories I relate to, the way I want to implement reading and writing curriculum, and the methods I will use motivate my students to read and help them become literate.
Ever since I was a child, I've never liked reading. Every time I was told to read, I would just sleep or do something else instead. In "A Love Affair with Books" by Bernadete Piassa tells a story about her passion for reading books. Piassa demonstrates how reading books has influenced her life. Reading her story has given me a different perspective on books. It has showed me that not only are they words written on paper, they are also feelings and expressions.
Have you ever wondered why literature has become what it is today? Why people started to write literature in the first place, and why readers where so motivated about books? Philosophy, the word itself is not as complex as its meaning, but so is literature. Philosophy is a study that seeks answers to enduring questions about existence and reality. The aim of this curiosity for more is the sole purpose to discover the nature of truth and knowledge, finding what is life and its meaning. Philosophy not only examines nature and life, but also humanity as an individual and humanity as a society. These examinations intrigues not only the writers, but also the audience as well, for the reason that philosophy arises from pure wonder, curiosity, and the desire to know and understand, which is what people look for in literature. Philosophers who marked philosophy as it is are, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. These three great philosophers had their own individual judgment, but they all had a common objective, to expand their knowledge and views through the use of literature. As philosophy grew among society and extended throughout the world, people were developing logical reasoning, which became important and influential throughout nations such as Greece and India. Philosophers such as John Locke and Voltaire were the two leading figures in the Enlightenment to provide philosophical literature. Ancient philosophers and enlightenment philosophers both provided the readers a subjective view, using as examples matters such as logic and ethics, but with many more aspects of philosophy also presented by these men of thought. Throughout the years, the inclusion of philosophy has changed literature itself with the rise of curiosity and reasoning,...