Learning to Read
“I read with equal parts joy and desperation. I loved those books, but I also knew that love had only one purpose. I was trying to save my own life”(Alexie 18). The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me and Learning to Read both consist of stories recalling the author’s journey learning to read and using that knowledge to help their own race. The authors struggle with illiteracy but use learning to read as an escape from their troubles and it ends up becoming the answer to them. Alexie and Malcolm X contained a strong level of determination and persistence when teaching themselves to read and write. Throughout their lives, Sherman Alexie and Malcolm X broke down the barriers of systematic racism and eventually helped persuade others to do the same, which proves that overcoming a disability gives one the confidence needed to thrive. (self-confidence is acquired...?)
By overcoming stereotypes, one can …show more content…
Malcolm X explains, “Not long ago, an English writer telephoned me from London, asking questions. One was, ‘What’s your alma mater?’ I told him, ‘Books.’ You will never catch me with a free fifteen minutes in which I am not studying something I feel might be able to help the black man”(265). By including the question asked by the writer adds emphasize to the answer. When Malcolm X is asked where he learned all of his knowledge, he answers with the simple word “books”. He answers with one word to show the importance of the one object in his life. He taught himself to read them and in return the books taught him how to live. He carries on the favor by continuing to read to help the other people in his race. He knows that he is educated and he uses this power for the good, helping others in his prejudiced race to fight the racism and stereotypes. The two authors use their knowledge for good and that power is greater than they could ever get from
“I read with equal parts joy and desperation. I loved those books, but I also knew that love had only one purpose. I was trying to save my own life”(Alexie 18). The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me and Learning to Read both consist of stories recalling the author’s journey learning to read and using that knowledge to help their own race. The authors struggle with illiteracy but use learning to read as an escape from their troubles and it ends up becoming the answer to them. Alexie and Malcolm X contained a strong level of determination and persistence when teaching themselves to read and write. Throughout their lives, Sherman Alexie and Malcolm X broke down the barriers of systematic racism and eventually helped persuade others to do the same, which proves that overcoming a disability gives one the confidence needed to thrive. (self-confidence is acquired...?)
By overcoming stereotypes, one can …show more content…
Malcolm X explains, “Not long ago, an English writer telephoned me from London, asking questions. One was, ‘What’s your alma mater?’ I told him, ‘Books.’ You will never catch me with a free fifteen minutes in which I am not studying something I feel might be able to help the black man”(265). By including the question asked by the writer adds emphasize to the answer. When Malcolm X is asked where he learned all of his knowledge, he answers with the simple word “books”. He answers with one word to show the importance of the one object in his life. He taught himself to read them and in return the books taught him how to live. He carries on the favor by continuing to read to help the other people in his race. He knows that he is educated and he uses this power for the good, helping others in his prejudiced race to fight the racism and stereotypes. The two authors use their knowledge for good and that power is greater than they could ever get from