10/3 Reading

Malcolm X:

Questions for Discussion and Journaling:

1.       It seems that Malcolm’s audience could be a different number of people. In one way you could say that his audience is young black men in jail or young black men struggling on the streets that want to drop out of school. Men that went through the same thing that he went through and he wants to show them the difference an education can make. Another audience you could say was black people in general because they can relate to every argument and every book he ever read on slavery or oppression of African Americans. Though, I think I anybody can relate to this reading. We can all relate to having struggles that we have had to push through and show resilience. Everybody at some point in their lives has a wakeup call that can truly change your life.

3) Malcolm’s literary sponsors include Charlestown prison, his letters, Mr. Elijah Muhammad, Bimbi, Norfolk Prison Colony’s Library, and Parkhurst. I think the two biggest that stand out of these groups were the prison and Muhammad. Malcolm lived a life on the streets before going to prison and weirdly enough, if he did not have that opportunity he wouldn’t have gained all the knowledge and maturity he has after he gets out. Prison opened him up to a place where he had almost fifteen hours to write and read each day. It was a safe environment with free, available all the time, books! Prison is what started his interest in reading. The other motivator, Muhammad is a man that he mentions and continually goes back to so much in the reading. He wrote to him all the time and he felt embarrassed of his writing skills. Therefore through his letters he wanted to change. He took away so much knowledge from Muhammad’s teaching.

6. When I am truly motivated to read, I will read up a storm. This is my thing; I am so much more motivated to read when I am not forced to a time limit or a book that I just really do not want to read. On the contrary and example like college, I am truly motivated to read because it is something I have to do to get my education, broaden my knowledge and become a well-rounded individual in society. I think there are so many motivators to my reading but the main one is I. I know what I want to read and when I want to do it. I know what I have to read and when I have to do it.

Applying and Exploring Ideas:

1.       Technologies such as the World Wide Web, text messaging, Skype, Facebook and Twitter have totally changed the literacy in the United States today. Instead of writing talk to you later, you can write “ttyl”, instead of laughing you can now write “LOL” and instead of saying see you later, you can write “cya”. When you read a text messaging conversation between two teen girls it seriously can seem like there are illiterate. Technology is faster and more efficient so we have found faster and more efficient ways to communicate, read and speak to each other. I can still sit down and write a well thought out and correct punctuation essay but when I am texting or tweeting my friends it sounds nowhere near that.

2.       The biggest literary sponsor I had early in my childhood that had the most impact on my life and my reading and writing today would definitely my mother. While I went through pre-school, kindergarten and first years of elementary school I struggled with reading. I truly could not really catch onto the concept of it. I was put into special classes and after school groups. I was taken out of class to do extra help. I took lunch and recess time to try to grasp the concept. I carried myself through all of this while my mother watched as I continued to be unsuccessful. She watched my frustration and tears as I realized everyone around me was starting to read bigger books then me and faster than me. I just didn’t understand why I could not get it. So one day she finally got fed up, she took me out of all the extra help and decided to take the task on herself. She worked as a cleaning lady and got to schedule her own hours so whenever I needed her to be there, she was. So it began, every day after school we walked down to the library a couple blocks from my house. We would talk out sentences or words that I didn’t understand that day at school. Instead of shoving in down my throat like all the help at school seemed to do, she had the time and the patience to really explain it to me. Once we got into the library it was like a giant jungle gym to me. Books high and books low, places to sit, computers, activities and so many things to look at! That is finally where I got to experience freedom in my writing and reading. So my mom set me loose to pick out any book from any section I wanted. It could be about butterflies or it could be about dinosaurs but the most important thing was that it was MY choice.  After that we sat down in a place where I was comfortable. A place where I could focus but at the same time I was relaxed. I wasn’t forced into a classroom with screaming kids around me. I got to go at my speed not what some instructor expected me to do. The most important thing about all of this, everything was my choice. She sat with me for however long it took and we looked at each individual word and each individual sentence. She put things together and explained things to me in a way that made sense to me. I was learning but at the same time I was enjoying it and it did not have to feel like learning. There was no pressure just me and my mom spending time together. So every day I began to learn new words and new meanings. I started to learn what words should go with other words and put images to my words. Instead of being scared and afraid or reading, I actually began to like it. All I needed was someone to be patient and show me that reading is fun and a way to open up your world into endless possibilities. My mom showed me this world with a way that I could enjoy. She took the time, she had the patience and she actually cared about my understanding. Although it was a long process and was at many times difficult my mom helped shaped the great reader I became into. Throughout the rest of my schooling, I loved reading. Every summer my mom would pay my five dollars for every book I completed and at that age that was big bucks!! She encouraged me to read in a way that was enjoyable and truly shaped the literary person I am today.

Meta Moment:

I think what you get out of this reading is definitely an individual thing. He isn’t trying to teach you a topic or prove a point, he is promoting learning. What you get out of this article is almost personal. So whatever my teacher would say that I could get out of this could be completely different than what I take out of it. For me, I can relate to the story because I’ve gone through a lot of bad things in my life to get to really good things. So I can relate to Malcolm’s resilience and hunger to learn.

 

Alexie Reading:

Applying and Exploring:

1.       I totally agree that anyone can truly overcome poverty and discrimination if they just have enough determination to read and write. It all has to do with what is inside of you. If you really want to do something and put your mind to it then it is as simple as that, accomplish it. It does not matter where you were born or who you grow up with, if you set a priority for it, it can always happen. In this day and age, reading and writing is always around us. It is harder to avoid it then find it. It’s on every road sign, billboard, magazine, article, advertisement, food. So to say that it is not available is crazy. Brandt shows us examples of people who overcame obstacles and had the opportunity to get educated. She shows us that no matter who you are, there could be literary sponsors all around you, like your dad working at a college or you find a random Spiderman comic book. There is no reason to deny the opportunities that are out there no matter what shape or form they come in.

Hooks Reading:

As You Read:

1.       I think some memories that I actually make up in my mind that I think are real are my dreams. I feel like I do not remember  a lot from my childhood just due to my forgetful nature so sometimes I start to confuse my dreams with reality and I have to call my mom or dad or my brother and see what really happened. I have memories of things that used to happen at my house or with some of my childhood friends when it reality most of them are dreams.

Questions for Discussion and Journaling:

4) At the beginning of her writing, she is very hesitant and afraid. She states that she is scared to give away her family secrets. It is like they are looked in a chest and for only her family to know. She does not want to be the one who breaks the seal. She tried to write it but she couldn’t remember. As she got the first reminder from the young black man she met, she starts to open up. She starts to remember things and it opens up her mind to all that she has been missing. A smell or an idea brought back all the memories slowly back into her head. Her mind then lets her heart go of all the memories so she can write them down. She uses real memories and imagination to comfort her. By the end she is confident in her mind and to express all her memories and ideas down.

Applying and Exploring:

3) I think that when you write down your memories or traumatic events, the idea of them changes. Instead of listing the exact order in which things happen or exactly how they happen, you are writing the feelings that came along with them. Things are over exaggerated based on how your emotions where effected by that event. If it was a huge life changing event that you can now long back on, it will be described so much differently later on in life then when it first happened. Writing allows our memories and our hearts to let go of the hurt or the strain it had on us. If the memories are holding us down, expressing them gets them out of your head and allows you to heal. The memory becomes then easier to address and to face. It is something easier handled a huge burden sitting on top of your head. Once it is out, it is out and you have room to heal your hurt or happiness.