Graff: The Nineteenth-Century Origins of Our Times

Opening up, our readers learn that our very own U.S. was often said to have been born modern, largely because of its strong foundation in literacy. For a long time, this surge of nationhood had overpowering moral and civic goals, over that of true education. However, it was agreed upon by both Radicals and Conservatives that education was necessary in order to improve a society. There was then a shift in the early 19th century that exposed a common core of morality, patriotism, and knowledge into an individuals schooling. Despite the fact that both radicals and conservative agreed that and educated society was vital, Conservative were strong opposed to the education of slaves. As the schooling system began to expand, the use of schools was still mainly used for the assimilation and sociocultural cohesion, and this developed into a major social goal in the early nineteenth century. Education was promoted with the idea of the advancement of a society, not the individual. However, education was more readily available to those who had an advantage in occupation or property. There were economic-friendly schools where man met, for cheap or almost free of charge, but this type of education was given on shaky grounds because there was a constant struggle to find teachers, and many of those teachers were under qualified. With education, reading began to increase but the reading material that was actually being read was criticized to have been on material that was not approved. Women, especially middle-class women read often and were actually encouraged to do so. However, slave-owners opposed the idea of allowing slaves to read, because they thought the world of books would cause the slaves to hate their condition, begin to create crazy ideas in their head, and they believed that books would ultimately make them, “unlaborable”.

My Earliest Memory About Books

Growing up in my early childhood, most of my time and energy was spent running around with no shoes on and worrying about where my neighborhood friends were. School was not my biggest concern and reading was something we were forced to do. However, one of the first books I can remember having a strong influence on me was a picture book about a little bat falling out of her nest on accident and her journey to try and find her way back to the nest. This book seemed to have a significant meaning to me for its pictures and the fact that it was my grandmother’s book she kept for me.

In my own home, I don’t remember having anything significant that caught my attention. Anytime I wanted to go to my Grandma’s, I knew I had the choice of either watching the Wizard of Oz, or reading from my mini library.

The most recent book I’ve read with real enjoyment was Louise Erdrich’s The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse. The book was centered around the life of a priest named Father Damien, who spent his life on the Ojibwe lands. Father Damien, however, is really a woman formerly known as Agnes Dewitt who spent 80 years living among and serving this tribe. The story tells about her struggles and her self sacrifice and centers on a theme of sanctification and hagiography.

Books; Comfort & Conversation

I knew that reading was not so bad when I began confusing my familiarity to a book as if it were a movie. M. M. Kaye’s The Ordinary Princess was the first chapter book to flood my imagination with new wonderful possibilities. My mother had picked it from the school book fair maybe because the cover was a charming pink color with portrait of a plain girl said to be the ordinary princess. At that time I was capable of reading on my own but more often than not I would start several young reader chapter books and never finish them. Needless to say, I finished this book and reread it in the same week because it was that great.

Since that time, I learned to trust my mother’s book choices for me. Thinking retrospectively I see that she seemed to know just what I needed as a child. Both of my parents worked in those days and I might have needed more attention and more confidence boosts than I was ready to admit.

The most recent book I’ve read out of pure enjoyment was Breaking Dawn, the last book of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series. I began reading out of curiosity and the encouragements from my younger sister. She had literally put her high school responsibilities on hold to finish these massive books. I figure books that have that power over a seventeen year old who normally surrenders her soul to television is something worth looking into. Besides, everybody knows that the book is always better than the movie adaptations. I wanted to be one of those people who can instantly list the differences. More importantly, my sister was aching to have someone to talk to about the book. Whenever I discover something so phenomenally amazing I must share it with my friends and family for the sake of having someone to talk to/complain/argue/debate with. Who doesn’t want something to talk about?

Precis & Critical Response #1: The Scholarship Boy’s Journey

In Richard Rodriguez’s The Achievement of Desire Rodriguez discuss’ the trials and tribulations experienced by one particular “scholarship boy;” himself. As defined by Richard Hoggart in his book, The Uses of Literacy a scholarship boy is a child of exceptional scholastic attention and achievement who must balance a life between two worlds, the world of the classroom and that of his/her home life. Rodriguez expands on this definition by discussing his own experiences as a “scholarship boy” who is constantly struggling internally to find calm between his rich desire for education and a life at home with a working-class, natively Spanish speaking, family.

Rodriquez explains how he initially had to distance himself from his parents to achieve his own educational standards and how he felt “Haunted by the knowledge that one chooses to become a student.” He continues by explaining, “Here is a child who cannot forget that his academic success distances him from a life he loved, even from his own memory of himself” (Rodriguez 3). He goes on to explain that he trained himself to take notes copiously to ace exams, and although he outwardly seemed to be the exceptional student, he was actually a very bad student: “The scholarship boy is a very bad student. He is the great mimic; a collector of thoughts, not a thinker; the very last person in class who ever feels obliged to have an opinion of his own” (Rodriguez 6). In his search for everything educational, Rodriguez finds himself returning to his family while attempting to write his dissertation in graduate school. By coming full circle, from family to education and back, he claims his education is now complete.

It is interesting to note that while many students today may not be able to completely identify with the definition of the “scholarship boy” there are many attributes that any college student can feel familiar with. Some familiar topics that Rodriquez discusses include: transferring the role of authority from the parent to the teacher at a young academic age, the possibility of education becoming a barrier between yourself and your parents, and consuming books and information at an alarming rate to “fill the hollow within (me) and make (me) feel educated” (something which college students may definitely begin to feel towards the end of their chosen course of study) (Rodriguez 5). One point of Rodriguez’s that I believe states a very important issue for future teacher’s is, “But he would not be so bad – nor would he become so successful, a scholarship boy – if he did not accurately perceive that the best synonym for primary ‘education’ is ‘imitation’” (Rodriguez 6). This issue of education simply being the copy of life, or the concept of teaching what is on the test (and what is only on the test) is a major concern for future teachers and should definitely be considered and contemplated as we enter the profession.

Autobiographical Essay #2: My Favorite Childhood Book

In the fourth grade, I was required to write my first book report. I can’t remember whether I was required to read this book or if I chose it myself, but what I ended up reading was a book by Marcia Savin called “The Moon Bridge.” I enjoyed the book so much that I have read it quite a few times since and so the plot is fairly familiar to me. Set in San Francisco, during the time of Japanese-American internment camps and World War II, two 5th grade girls become close friends. One girl is American, while the other is Japanese. Mitzi (the Japanese girl) is sent, with her family, to live in an internment camp. The girls continue to talk via the pen pal system for as long as possible, until Mitzi moves to a camp too far away. The girls agree to meet each other someday at the Moon Bridge. They meet there after the war when they are adults at the end of the book.
When I read this book I was at an age of beginning curiosity of my own personal background. My parents being divorced and from two backgrounds I was rightly confused. My father was only available to me via phone, where he constantly pushed his Jewish religion onto me, whether I liked it or not. Due to this my knowledge of WWII expanded only to the holocaust up until the point that I read this book. My horror of the realization that Jews were not the only ones suffering in camps during WWII kept me entranced by the book. A friendship between two girls that survived through the roughest of times also grabbed at my attention, considering my friends were sparse while I attended elementary school. I just absolutely devoured the book. I even recall creating a themed cereal box to represent the plot of the book (an assignment no doubt), but I enjoyed it anyway. To this day Asian culture and historical novels attract my reading choices greatly. This book stayed with me, both emotionally and literally (it sits on a bookshelf in my house today). Reading has intrigued me ever since.
The most recent book that I have read (for pleasure) that I have truly enjoyed was, “Memoirs of a Geisha,” by Arthur Golden. I read this novel before a movie of the novel was even considered. The story is of a woman who becomes a Geisha, by no choice of her own, and her struggle and search for happiness. My intrigue of Asian culture and historical novels definitely connect with this novel. The story focuses on just one woman, but it emphasizes the struggle of many women in the novel. Perhaps the struggle, the journey, to find one’s own happiness is was intrigues me the most. I have found that my reading style tends to lean to novels with strong female protagonists who beat the odds when the odds are stacked against them, no matter what culture (although I tend to veer away from American female protagonist stories [probably because I am American]). I love them all though, which can be seen from the fact that another favorite of mine is the novel “Wicked,” by Gregory McGuire where Oz’s Wicked Witch of the West is the good guy. I dare say though, I think my love for strong female protagonists comes from the fact that I was raised by my mother and grandmother, two very strong women.

AutoBio #2

For some reason, it's hard for me to remember most of the books I've read and their significance. However, there is one in particular that stands out for me, "The Lord of the Flies". I read this in a CSUSB course a few years ago. At first, I wasn't even interested just from the title itself. However, as I began to read it I was pretty impressed about all the possible themes it contained. The story takes place on an island where a plane carrying boys from a boarding school crashes. There are no adults. The concept of community, rules and discipline quickly arise. What I find more significant in this novel is how the characters portray true life personas despite young boys. For example, there's Ralph as the leader in charge of everyone (all the other children) and who believes deeply on rules, order and working together to be rescued. Then there's Piggy whom, in addition to being fat, wears glasses. He's considered a sissy and desires to be noticed and accepted. Jack's character depicts a "want to be" dictator of the group. It's all about him and what he wants to do not what benefits them all. As mentioned, this book represents a lot of literacy and true life concepts that I would want my children to read.

At home, books were never considered as important, much less a "must have". The only books at home were those brought from school for homework use. Perhaps my parents lack of education made them unaware of the significance of reading. However, they did acknowledge that it was important for us to do well in school and recieve good grades.

Honestly, I don't read that often. When I do read, I do it because I have the time, I don't want to watch tv and it helps me relax. The most recent book I've read is "The Illusions of Love" by Kasey Michaels. I bought this book not only because it was on sale but I liked the title. It's a typical marriage of convenience story, however the two characters are not so typical. Lord Dante Muir is a strong, very charming bachelor with much experience with women. Sarah Jane is innocent and just coming into womanhood with no experience in love. The author uses such deep, profound and intimate words and details that I didn't want to stop reading it. In the end they fall passionately in love with each other which is something they didn't realize they wanted. I will reread it again when I have the time.

Frederick Douglas and the Idea of Literacy

Frederick Douglas. How I Learned to Read and Write. From Chapter Seven of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas. http://etext.virginia.edu


From the very start of this chapter, Douglas makes his point, "I succeeded in learning to read and write" (Douglas, Ch 7). What one might consider as a normal learning experience is the most significant step in Douglas’s life. He adds, "I was compelled to resort to various stratagems" (Douglas, Ch 7). As a slave, Douglas was conscious of the ideal that they had no right to be literate. What for? After all, they were slaves. It would be a great sin if someone taught him that knowledge. He was not going to give up, the more he realized that it would bother/upset his Master, the more he wanted to accomplish it. Douglas’s first achievement was learning the alphabet which was actually taught to him by the Mistress. His next step was being friends with as many white boys in the street to teach him to read. It is a bit ironic how as Douglas serves his Master in doing errands, he learns to read. However reading posed a greater problem for Douglas. He realizes when reading "The Columbian Orator" that wring upholds "the power of truth" (Douglas, Ch 7). At this moment, Douglas must learn to write, and again uses boys to help him.

Why was it so significant for Douglas to read and write? He uses the term "mental darkness" as the inability to read. There is no conscious of anything without this ability- you are excluded from the world. For Douglas, literacy brings the light into his darkness. To read not just meant reading, it is tied to freedom. It is a form of liberation where you can be aware of the world and other people, while at the same time being free. Literacy can be such a powerful tool and Douglas demonstrates this through his writing-nothing is held back. He is teaching us a part of history while at the same time telling his story through his personal voice. Literacy can be many things- a tool for success and survival, it can represent justice, education and career. Literacy is an indefinite term with indefinite purposes.

Autobiographical Essay #1

Thinking as far back as possible, I remember times in my kindergarten class where we began to keep journals and records of different events in our (short) lives. Each day we were stationed at different tables and were given a particular amount of time to complete our assignment that was set specifically for that station. At one table, we were asked to brainstorm and think about what we wanted to write in our journals for that day, and to decide how we would word it. The next station was there for us to actually sit down with our blank piece of paper and pencils and begin writing on our journal entries. And lastly, the third table was set with crayons where we were to spend the remainder of the time illustrating our journal entries and expand our minds from letters to drawings. These daily journals began expanding our minds not only through the use of language and literacy, but also caused us to begin to think in a creative manner. We began sharing our journals with each other and reading different entries, which then led to our freedom to choose a book that seemed interesting to us as young individuals. School was one of the biggest influences on my language and literacy development as far as memory goes, however my grandmother was one prominent figure outside of school who played an important role when it came to reading. She kept a small, but very significant library at her house that was my very own. Having ownership over a selection of books helped me to begin understanding self-knowledge and the importance of "exercising the brain".

Early Child Literacy

As a young child, even in kindergarten I don’t have much memory of my early language and literacy development. I know that my first language has been and still is Spanish. I was spoken to and learned this language from home. However, I wonder if I also already knew some English because of tv watched at home or older sisters already in school. As I attended school, my focus went from Spanish to English but primarily in the school environment. At home, it was primarily Spanish spoken because of my parents who don’t speak English.. I have come to appreciate knowing the two languages. My parents didn’t let me forget the importance of speaking both languages. It never became complicated for me to use these two languages while growing up.
My literacy development pretty much occurred in school. I do remember going to preschool and consider it as an advantage with my language and development. I say this because of studies that prove this theory. Also, my mother probably helped in my early literacy and language by constantly talking and talking to me as a child. My parents had little, if any education. However, they always encouraged me to value education and do well in school. I don’t remember if it was easy for me to learn to read and write or not but I always did my work. I don’t think I’ve ever been involved in any community affiliations.

Autobiographical Essay #1

At a very early age, possibly when I was in Kindergarten or the first grade (whenever the basics of writing is taught) I remember having difficulty writing one particular alphabetical letter. In class I was learning to write the alphabet, both capitalized and lower case letters, but I recall having difficulty writing the lower case “a”. Seeing as my name has two of these lower case letters in it, this proved to be problematic. I think back to that time now and suppose that since I was able to write every other letter without having to lift my pencil much, and the “a” required me to make at least two separate marks, this was probably my problem. I couldn’t quite grasp the idea and feel of making two separate marks. I felt as if I was writing the letter “o” and the letter “l” side by side, and it seemed unnatural to me. That’s when my grandmother decided to teach me how to write a cursive lower-case “a”. All was mended after this and I never had a problem writing again. When it came time to learn cursive in school I was an extremely quick learner. However, this little lesson from my grandmother is probably the reason why I merge basic print and cursive styles when I write today.
Books and reading were in my life at home, but not nearly as much as at school. In my childhood I lived with my grandmother (an avid reader) and my mother (a significantly less avid reader). My mother enjoys reading, but was not taught to love it. My mother is left handed and slightly dyslectic, and as a child her teachers forced her to use her right hand to write with until the third grade. She has since been fairly apathetic towards reading and writing all of her life, so it’s no surprise to me that I was not enforced to read in the home very much. The first book I recall enjoying was probably the first book I read. In the forth grade we were required to write a book report, and so for the first time I was truly required to read a whole book. I enjoyed it thoroughly and began searching out more novels I enjoyed on my own. I began writing for pleasure shortly after that initial spark of interest as well.

My Earliest Literacy

I remember looking in books with sentences with simple words like “a, I, and, the, it” and between those words were illustrated pictures of something and below it the name of it. For example you would see a picture of a ball and below it was the word ball. I could always recognize the words “I” and “a” (because they come straight from the alphabet), I suppose I memorized the sounds of “and, the, it” and eventually got used to it.

The most effective way to read new words—without help was sounding out the sound of each word slowly and then repeating the sounds faster and faster until they sounded like something familiar. In those days, parents and anyone who seemed older than me sufficed as a dictionary for the new words I discovered everywhere.

My parents were excited about my ability to read; when they had time we would read stories together. I loved the school’s library, I loved the idea of borrowing books and that I did not need a parent’s permission to do so. At some point, it became a requirement for me to read a certain amount of minutes per night and a parent would have to sign something saying that I did. The requirement was not necessary at first but as the books we were expected to read had less and less pictures and more and more writing it was easy to see why parents needed to get involved. Education was always important to my family and I always knew I had to do well in school. My dad would always say: “You want A’s not B’s, B’s are what people who flip burgers got in school, do you want to flip burgers for the rest of your life?” He would always say it in a way that you’d know you should answer no.

I’d say my literacy developed somewhere between school and the encouragements/threats from my parents, and maybe a little bit of my own curiosities.