Harold Bloom, author of How to Read and Why, has daringly tackled the lack of sincere reading, a misfortune that has took over the reins of organized human society, by putting valid concerns into writing and providing infallible reasons on why to read and equipping the audience with robust techniques on how to get started. Bloom’s sagacious reasoning on why one should read shall be the primal concern of this essay. Bloom is trying to get a powerful message across: Human life on Earth is irrefutably finite but humans are superior to the other life forms which coexist in nature. This is because humans have a complex ability to develop a sense of ‘self’ and be able to identify as unique individuals. Human intelligence is a precious gift that …show more content…
One of the hallmarks of reading is the transformation of one’s image among others from merely a simple person to shining example of wisdom and sophistication. Reading results in polished and well-versed individuals who subject themselves to higher standards of integrity and these attributes make society call them ‘scholars’. The presence of scholarly people in society is of paramount importance as seen by Bloom quoting Emerson, “…society cannot do without cultivated men and women…” (Bloom). The study and research done by sociologists suggests that humans have an intricate nature to submit to peer pressure as well as conform to societal norms rather than express themselves as the odd ones out. In that scenario, scholars are crucial assets who would steer the social and cultural norms towards reading and the desire to achieve more wisdom and knowledge because “A scholar is a candle which the love and desire of all men will light” (Bloom). Once the objectives of discovering the ‘self’ and doing ‘self-improvement’ have been conquered, the intellectuals demonstrate purity of heart and mind, empathy for those in suffering, a wary approach to the vagaries of the world …show more content…
Mortimer Adler’s Why Read Great Books?, one can figure that they do share some common grounds in terms of thoughts and ideas. Adler would definitely agree with Bloom that reading should be everyone’s first priority each and every day. Bloom is pleading to the audience to read “…as though you share the one nature…” (Bloom) whereas Adler comments that “…man remains man. We and the ancients share a common human nature and hence certain common human experiences and problems” (Adler). In Bloom’s viewpoint, “time’s tyranny” should not be affecting how or why one should read because even though intergenerational gaps might exist in the literature one comes across, the core values of people from different cultures and societies from where the authors originate remain largely unchanged. The intricate human nature and the basic humanity is not only unchanged but passed from generation to generation. Even though the modern generations try to assimilate into new schools of thought, they cannot let go of their past because people are a product of both genetics and the environment. Since the past nature is basically carried forward to the current nature, sincere readers are easily able to relate with what is written in the texts and comprehend their meanings as well as realize the true origins of many phenomenon experienced today because “The way we read now, when we are alone with ourselves, retain considerable continuity
In the skillful novel, "How To Read Literature Like A Professor" by Thomas C. Foster, there is neither a protagonist nor antagonist. As a whole, the novel gives insights on how to pick up signs of symbolism, irony, and many other hidden details that are buried within the words of literature. Foster refers to many classis novels by classic authors to demonstrate the use of logic in writing. The novel is extremely educational, leaving many insightful questions and interpretations to the reader's opinion.
Co-author of “They Say/I Say” handbook, Gerald Graff, analyzes in his essay “Hidden Intellectualism” that “street smarts” can be used for more efficient learning and can be a valuable tool to train students to “get hooked on reading and writing” (Graff 204). Graff’s purpose is to portray to his audience that knowing more about cars, TV, fashion, and etc. than “academic work” is not the detriment to the learning process that colleges and schools can see it to be (198). This knowledge can be an important teaching assistant and can facilitate the grasping of new concepts and help to prepare students to expand their interests and write with better quality in the future. Graff clarifies his reasoning by indicating, “Give me the student anytime who writes a sharply argued, sociologically acute analysis of an issue in Source over the student who writes a life-less explication of Hamlet or Socrates’ Apology” (205). Graff adopts a jovial tone to lure in his readers and describe how this overlooked intelligence can spark a passion in students to become interested in formal and academic topics. He uses ethos, pathos, and logos to establish his credibility, appeal emotionally to his readers, and appeal to logic by makes claims, providing evidence, and backing his statements up with reasoning.
In How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Thomas C. Foster states that there’s “... a certain set of patterns, codes, and rules that we can learn to use when we’re reading a piece of writing” (Foster 3). These patterns can be used to identify the true meaning of literature in a variety of ways. In Edgar Allen Poe’s short story, “The Cask of Amontillado,” several ideas can be represented with Foster’s claims. In “The Cask of Amontillado,” connections can be made to Foster’s second chapter, “Nice to Eat With You: Acts of Communion,” and his eighteenth chapter, “Is he Serious? And Other Ironies.”
readers a dose of reality and human experience. People read literature and end up learning
Intelligence is a tool with a plethora of uses. It can be used to help people out, or it can destroy humanity. It can also help a person in bonding find ways out of it. Ignorance is bliss, but it’s easier to control a bunch of buffoons than a bevy of intellects. Reading rips open the doors to knowledge that can help break the shackles of ignorance in a way “saving lives”.
As I read this article by John Guillory, I thought he sounded like a pompous, condescending know it all, but when I read the article again it made me begin to think about reading skills. In elementary school, we read books about faraway lands of make b...
Reading is on the decline and our reading skills are declining right along with the amount of reading we do. This is happening right across the board through both genders, all age groups and education levels, people are busy and they just do not have time to read books that they are not required to read for school or work. There are serious consequences to this neglect of reading that will continue to worsen if ignored. We need to take notice of what is happening to our culture and stop this situation from continuing, we must act to correct these issues that we are faced with. These things are discussed in the essay “Staying Awake’’ by Ursula K. Le Guin who uses the NEA essays “To Read or Not to Read’’ and “Reading at Risk’’ to support her argument that there is a decline in the amount of time that we are spending on reading and our ability to understand what it is that we are reading.
Although the greater picture is that reading is fundamental, the two authors have a few different messages that they seek to communicate to their audiences. “The Joy of Reading and Writing” depicts how reading serves as a mechanism to escape the preconceived notions that constrain several groups of people from establishing themselves and achieving success in their lifetimes. “Reading to Write,” on the other hand, offers a valuable advice to aspiring writers. The author suggests that one has to read, read, and read before he or she can become a writer. Moreover, he holds an interesting opinion concerning mediocre writing. He says, “Every book you pick has its own lesson or lessons, and quite often the bad books have more to teach than the good ones” (p.221). Although these two essays differ in their contents and messages, the authors use the same rhetorical mode to write their essays. Both are process analyses, meaning that they develop their main argument and provide justification for it step by step. By employing this technique, the two authors create essays that are thoughtful, well supported, and easy to understand. In addition, Alexie and King both add a little personal touch to their writings as they include personal anecdotes. This has the effect of providing support for their arguments. Although the two essays have fairly different messages, the authors make use of anecdotes and structure their writing in a somewhat similar
In her renowned novel, named Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë gives an account of the life of an orphan of said name. Jane is immediately established as a character who, despite her honest and genuine nature, must endure a series of obstacles throughout her lifetime. By conquering these obstacles, Jane matures and is allowed to find love and contentment. In How to Read Literature Like a Professor, author Thomas C. Foster outlines each of his chapters in a manner that allows his audience to successfully analyze and synthesize the aspects of any novel. Foster encourages his audience to acquire an extensive understanding of a novel by employing techniques that have been used by writers for centuries. When utilizing the skills learned in How to Read
In “Reading and Thought” editor Dwight MacDonald emphasizes that everything we read on a daily basis is worthless. MacDonald defines functional curiosity as a habit of reading rather than giving valuable information. MacDonald also alternates that people read too much material in a limited time frame; which results in hollow reading and thinking. Although, MacDonald encourages us to read more to become brilliant, I partially disagree with MacDonald’s argument because we waste time reading unimportant material, do not have time to reread and understand the material and we can now read our books electronically.
The idea of literature being an important aspect of life has always been greatly prevalent in my upbringing. This notion that I supported was spurred on at the cause of my obstinate parents insisting upon my reading of two books a week to benefit my vocabulary and to develop the articulate thought process of a skilled reader. As a young child, my biggest influences were my parents’ passionate and persuasive ideas regarding the correlation between
Humans, are they Human? The article “How Reading Makes Us More Human” by Karen Swallow Prior is a very well structured and informative article. Prior immediately grasps the reader’s attention by providing a variety of examples to support the purpose of her article.
Reading a book is a great entertainment, but more importantly, it gives you more knowledge to learn. In a short story entitled “Superman and me” by Sherman Alexie, he discussed how it’s like to be in a minority, or an Indian in a non-Indian world, and how reading helped him get through it. Growing up, his father influenced him into reading books. Due to this he started to teach himself how to read and gained more knowledge. Though he is smart, it was hard for him to be noticed, “Indian children were expected to be stupid,” because of this he worked hard and proved the majority what he is capable of. Alexie’s passion in reading had helped himself and his fellow man rise against all the discrimination and be accepted by
C.W Lewis, a novelist, once said that, "Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become." . Edmund Burke once said that,” Society is indeed a contract. ... It is a partnership in all science; a partnership in all art; a partnership in every virtue, and in all perfection.” .These two quotes outline what I have learned about individuals and society through the study of science and literature. Through studying different sciences, from biology to physics to chemistry, I have found that science is governed by theories and laws and work with limited theoretical possibilities. However, from literature I have found that it helps us understand what we know by clarification. In this essay I will present my knowledge issue by connecting the way the learning of science aids in the structure of society and how literature helps develop the individual.
Humane letters, that is, knowledge put into words augment the human consciousness and complement the pursuit of science. “Literature and Science” is an essay produced by Matthew Arnold from the late 1800s that attempts to show the greater importance of Of course there 's a place for literaturethe study of language over in the study of natural science in education and society. However today 's societal issue is not whether we have relied too much upon the natural sciences, but rather that society has disregarded the equivalent importance of studying human nature. There must be a continual blend in the cycle of both the search for knowledge and for the understanding of human thought and behavior. The progression of mankind requires a perpetual