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The art of reading essay #2

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The art of reading essay #2
Barbara Gomez
Mrs. Melissa Qualls
EPP 150
10/23/2013

The Art of Reading by Lin Yutang

At the beginning of this essay, Yutang starts speaking about the differences between the mind of a person who reads and of someone who does not read. Lin show his point of view very cleary telling us how small can be the thoughts of someone who does not read can be when "His life falls into a set routine," (90) a non reader can be easily impressed by the world outside because, Lin says, "he only sees what happen in his immediate neighborhood," (90). Expressing a point of view as radical as comparing the mind of a person who frequently reads with another which does not read can be dangerous for an author. What I mean by saying "can be dangerous" is that he can be easily misinterpreted by the reader. Lin took the risk and, in my opinion he achieved his goal. It was since the very first paragraph that he captured my attention expressing an idea which I personally did not agree with at that moment. Lin says that reading expands our minds and our horizons, but also points out the non reader and describes them as someone who is incapable of having big thoughts, with a mind as a prison without an exit. I am definitely not a frequent reader. I have read books that have caught me in a way that I cannot stop reading until I finished, but I do not consider myself a person with limited mind just because I do not spend my time reading many books every day. All my life I have felt an immense passion for traveling. I am so blessed because I have had the opportunity to travel a lot. When you travel, you not only cross the borders of your country, but you also give your mind the chance to see new scenarios. When I speak about traveling, I do not refer only to traveling for a week or two, but staying in the place for amount of time in which you can learn a little about the culture of the place you are. Being able to talk with someone who has been in the Second World War fighting for their

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