Learning To Read And Write By Sherman Alexie

As Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” . Education is the key to fixing human inequality, reducing poverty, shaping the world for the better, and stopping us from being extinct. Education is like an investment and it is the most critical investments we can make in our lives. The only person who can control how educated they want to be, is them themselves. This is magnified in the three excerpts “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me” by Sherman Alexie, “Learning to Read and Write” by Frederick Douglass and “Learning to Read” by Malcolm, share a similar experience, viewing the importance of being educated and how it has played a significant tole in their lives. Furthermore, …show more content…
Sherman Alexie in his text, “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me” emphasizes that at a young age found interest in reading, and getting educated played a important role in the development of his life and made him who he became to be. Firstly, Alexie in his excerpt conveyed that he understood why non-Indians feared of educated Indians because they think a educated Indian can overpower them and seize them thats why they forbid educated Indians, but that didn't stop him from expanding his knowledge of reading and writing, quoted on page 13 paragraph 3, “As Indian children we were expected to fail in the non-indian world… I refused to fail. I was smart. I was arrogant”. This quotation explains how Alexie knew the importance of being educated, and wasn't going to put a skill at waste because of the non-Indians, but he is smart and is going to expand his knowledge for the better. Additionally, Alexie knew that education was the only way to survive and be successful in his society, stated on the first paragraph on page 13, “I read with equal parts of joy and desperation… I am still surprised I became a writer”. This quotation magnifies that Alexie knew that education was the only road he could of taken to be successful and survive in his society, and turned out as beneficial, made him who he became to …show more content…
In addition, in Sherman Alexie excerpt Indian kids had their future planned out already and have no knowledge they’re getting controlled over, “We were Indian Children we were expected to be stupid … They were monosyllable in front of their non-indian teacher”(3rd paragraph, Page 13). This quotation emphasizes that the kids didn't care about being educated or not, they were being ignorant. Furthermore, Douglas has viewed reading as harmful than helpful, stated on the first paragraph in page 1, “I would at times feel that learning has been a curse rather than a blessing… I have often wished myself a beast”. This quotation stated by Douglas, emphasize that reading made him regret his existence because books throw out the nasty untrue facts about African- Americans. However, with this knowledge helped him get free, benefited