I feel like I have yet to develop a story of my own, my life up till now is merely an introduction but I will try my best. My name is Lauren, just like my name, my life is pretty basic as well. The world and the different lifestyles and cultures occurring within it never cease to amaze me. I love finding new places around the world in addition to new local places. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher but now that I have been exposed to all the various possibilities that this life could offer, I cannot see myself settling for one career path for the rest of my life. Now I see teaching, still as something I wish to pursue, just not yet. I’m shy so I most likely will not be the first one to talk but if there is anything else you want to know, just ask, I’m pretty much an open book.
Knowing how to read and being a reader are two different things. I don’t consider being a reader as someone who reads text messages or a magazine every now and then, I consider that person as someone who can read. Being a reader to me is someone who dedicates or devotes time reading to further their knowledge, for their own interests. That means willfully reading articles on the Internet, textbooks, fiction, blogs, to learn something or be entertained. I don’t count people who only read when they are forced to, those are people who can read and chose not to unless forced.
I read to learn, just like I do in school, although what I chose to read outside of school does differ from what I read during school. I feel like the books chosen for students to read are old and tired, and that it is the sole reason why people hate to read because they are forced to read boring books that they do not care about. I think we, students, should be taught the tools and rules to read and write but then given the chance to cultivate them with the freedom to read what interests us. Because although Shakespeare and J. D. Salinger are excellent examples of fine literature there are plenty of current authors whose works are equally as qualified to educate students. People, including myself are always reading, the newspaper, street signs, menus, websites, etc. Yet all reading outside or inside school relates, because while one reads their vocabulary expands, they strengthen their ability to interpret different styles of writing, and their minds become accustom to the rules of grammar.
Williams states that the literary crisis lies within the middle class because the rich can depend on their fortune and the poor don’t have time to care. It is also a middle class “problem” because the literary crisis concerns their cultural capital and ability to keep their place in the middle and not fall any lower. Williams claims that each generation insists on the next generation’s illiteracy, blaming technology, when in fact studies show that this generation is by far the furthest thing from a literary crisis. I think as some grow older they get grumpy and ignorant thinking, since the young people are not writing letters or reading the newspaper, we are suffering from a literary crisis. My take is that everyone needs to think forwardly with technology and the reality of the way our lives are. The only way we will be living in a crisis if people, old and young, do not adapt and continue to teach and think they always have.
