Values in many classic novels are quite obvious even to the kid in the back of
Values in many classic novels are quite obvious even to the kid in the back of
Francine Prose, the author of “I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read”, develops her stance that present day literature is stunting student’s abilities when it comes to reading. Prose develops credibility on the subject as she is a mother of two sons in school and an active reader. Research has been done to support her claims as she supplies irrefutable evidence as tp why reading in school has declined. Overall, I agree with Prose’s point of view that literary standards are falling due to the fact that certain books appeal to the lazy teachers, and that present day literature does not develop enthusiastic readers. First off, teachers nowadays choose to teach their students about values through the reading rather than focusing on literary merit.…
In the story, I Know Why the Caged Bird sings, the character Marguerite is Maya when she was a little girl, whose childhood made her strong. She is a very smart girl who deals with new problems that she learns from and others she would try to understand what had happened. Maya lived with her grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas because her parents sent her along with her older brother Bailey and at age 6 and seven they both questioned why their parents sent them. She was sexually assaulted and later was muted by guilt. She finally met both of her parents, but they weren't what she had expected. Maya's life opened her eyes and made her realize what is really in front of her the whole time, although that is true, what still stays the same is that…
The art of literature will never die. Many people believe that there has been a decline in the reading and writing of literature, one of those people Dana Gioia wrote “Why Literature Matters” and she argues that the younger people of america although have had an increase in education their reading of literature has had a steep decline in recent years . Dana begins building her credibility with facts and sources, citing convincing facts and statistics, and successfully employing emotional appeal throughout the passage. Throughout the piece she uses many strong facts to strengthen her credibility and to appeal to logos, as well as build her argument.…
In the novel “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” Maya Angelou describes her life as a young awkward black girl in the American South during the 1930s and subsequently in California during the 1940s. when Maya is only three her parents divorce and ship Maya and her older brother, Bailey, to live with their paternal grandmother, Annie Henderson, in rural Stamps, Arkansas. Annie, who Maya and Bailey call Momma, runs the only store in the black section of Stamps and becomes the central moral figure in Maya’s childhood. It is actually interesting how much clout she has in the town for a black woman.…
In the book, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou, she shows rather than tells. She allows the reader to develop a mental picture of everything she explains. The descriptions of the characters are vivid and captivate the reader's imagination. Certain situations are explained perfectly by Maya Angelou, such as Momma's discussion with Mrs. Flowers. Because of such articulate descriptions, the reader is pulled into the story as if they were actually there. This makes reading Caged Bird more interesting.…
The novel, Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury, conveys how significant books are to society. The novel portrays a society that has clueless citizens because they lack literature. The government is able to control and manipulate their population because they do not have any access to books. The citizens believe the information the government has gave them without questioning it. Some societies today still cannot have access to books because of their gender, do not have proper education, or other situations. Bradbury reveals how essential books are to developing individual’s mindset and how books can help enlighten society.…
It is often said that every man is born equal. I disagree, however, some are born into more luxurious lives, some are born disabled with no way to recover, and some are born with a special “ticket” through life called talent. In fact, the only time that we are truly equal is in death. No one gets to buy, run, swim, jump, or debate their way out of death. This is a fact shown clearly to the reader in Maya Angelou’s book I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings in Chapter 26 when she states, “... and all the way I communed with death’s angels, questioning their choice of time, place, and person”, (page 163). I learned something from her quote that I can relate to my real life as well. We may not be able to escape death, and neither can those around us, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do great things that will leave behind a legacy in this world. I can’t say that I immediately moved forward after the incident, but I did manage to do great things that year despite the tragedy that occurred.…
When one writes a piece of literature with the ability of choosing what to write, one is unable to prevent putting their own self into it. Depending on how well the person knows he or herself, with experiences that are unique or even relatable will determine how well their piece will impact the world. One does not want to read textbooks that are all factual, unless forced too, they want to read stories within a event. The interest goes deeper than just the surface, we may not realize it, but we crave for information. We tend to want to know more than we need or should, but that curiosity drives us to places we wouldn’t expect to find ourselves. Whether the place is good or bad, we are to deal with it the best we can. John Steinbeck capitalizes…
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.” (Lee, 39). Authors have the power to show us others point of view, they can put us in their shoes. Literature teaches empathy, gives us a deeper look at things. To Kill a Mockingbird and “A Bronzeville Mother Loiters in Mississippi. Meanwhile a Mississippi Mother Burns Bacon” shows us things very differently than what we initially thought it would was. Things aren’t always what they seem, the truth is mostly being overshadowed by what others want it to be.…
Dana Gioia claims that literature is important to our society, but reading of literature has declined. Gioia states that reading influence our life in a positive way because it provides understanding, value and humanity: “If the 21st-century American economy requires innovation and creativity, solid reading skills and the imaginative growth fostered by literary reading are central elements in that program.”(2). Gloria emphasize that in order to have a better future and grow in society, we need to study and learn from our ancestors.…
In classrooms students are raised to become educated, to become good people, and to overall become a strong, integrated part of society. In our english classes more specifically, we are taught to be these people through the morals that are instilled in the pieces we study. In Francine Prose’s essay on education, I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read she inaccurately claims that the importance our teachers set upon those values squanders any appreciation built for the quality of an author’s diction and syntax. In english, much more than any other class, students are given invaluable opportunities to not only go over an author’s word choice, but to actually use their work as a way to build on their own values.…
“Didn’t i realize that reading would open up whole new worlds? A book could open doors for me. It could introduce me to people and show me places I never imagined existed. She gestured towards the bookshelves . (Bare-breasted African women danced, and the shiny hubcaps of automobiles on the back covers of the geographic gleamed in my mind.) I listened with respect. But her words were not very influential. I was thinking then of another consequence of literacy, one i was too shy to admit but nonetheless trusted. Books were going to make me “educated.” That confidence enabled me, several months later, to over come my fear of the silence.…
The power of literature really has no limits: it enables authors as well as readers to make significant revelations and, in turn, embarks us on a journey that leads certain meaning, often in the form of a powerful enlightenment because we are obliged to see the world from the author’s perspective and this leads to the reader’s questioning of meanings.…
Editors. "The 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–2000." American Library Association. 2007. 27 Feb. 2008.…
R. Martin once said, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” Literature develops the imagination and gives everyone a chance to live many different lives. While reading, anyone can step out of their own skin and into someone else’s for a while. It gives the mind wings, so that even those who are physically grounded can fly just like the raven from the work in question in their imagination. It also allows people to learn about harmful experiences without going through them. It promotes empathy and allows people to feel what others are bearing. In “The Raven”, the woman the narrator loves passed away, and readers are shown the misery his life becomes afterwards. It can teach them to empathize with people who are experiencing something difficult such as the loss of a loved…