Why The Caged Bird Cannot Read

Literacy is about more than reading and writing - it is about how we communicate in society. It is about social practices and relationships, about knowledge, language and culture. Being literate is a key aspect in life, hence why throughout student’s lives, reading is so important and so valued. A variety of famous literature are part of history, and many other famous novels take place in historic time periods, such as the Ancient Greek Era, The Great War, and The Great Depression. One truly known example of a masterpiece in literature is the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. In the tenth grade english curriculum, literature is one of the main focuses (considering the “OSSLT”). The curriculum includes a variety of well-known novels students read in the course. Inquiry and research into

In both The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, literacy and education play a key role. The education of a man gives him power, and can determine his stature or influence in the community. Literacy gives a man an insight to knowledge that can be important. By developing characters with different levels of education, Khaled Hosseini and Harper Lee develop and strengthen the idea that literacy and education are dangerous tools, and can make the difference between life and death. Khaled Hosseini and Harper Lee depict literacy as both helpful and harmful. They also show how being uneducated leads to being taken advantage of. Using these ideas they strengthen the idea of educating and literacy being

The intended purpose was to show to her intended audience how poorly children are being educated, specifically on the subject of English

In “I Know Why The Caged Bird Cannot Read” by Francine Prose, the author tries to prompt the audience that the level of literature in schools needs to change. The piece highlights on how school literature should have more value and diversity than it currently does. Prose explores her point by comparing the reading lists from various cities around the United States and chastises the similarities of choices of literature for young adults. Using rhetorical questions, Prose calls for a change for literature to be chosen by value and lessons instead of popularity.

Sending kids to school knowing that they are going for educational purposes and then restricting them on what they can and cannot learn is hypocritical. Schools should be allowed to keep Fahrenheit 451 in their curriculum. Controversial issues are brought up everyday in and out of school and issues, like profanity, included in a book gives the story emotion and sets the tone. Timothy Jay, a psychologist and linguist, argues,

The essay “Disliking Books” by Gerald Graff gives reason to why so many kids and young adults dislike reading. Graff mentions things from his childhood, and things from his time as a college student to explain his reasoning. Being a part of a middle class family, Graff explains the stigma surrounding studying and enjoying books in his childhood. Graff then shows us his experience that changed his mind. Graff uses details from his life to give meaning to his ideas.

What do The Catcher in the Rye, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Fahrenheit 451 all have in common? These highly popular books have all been banned from libraries in the United States. Libraries and schools in different states are banning books that are considered “inappropriate” to students for a variety of reasons. The main reason that teachers and librarians ban books is to protect students from facing challenged or difficult ideas. Some people believe that banning books is a good thing and helps the students, while other individuals believe book banning is a bad idea and this action has a negative effect on a society. Book banning is unacceptable because librarians and teachers ban books for their content, and not for their effect on students.

In the novel “Fahrenheit 451” Ray Bradbury and the short story “A Summer’s Reading” Bernard Malamud establishes a relationship between the books today and the way books are used in the novel and the short story. Bradbury demonstrates the burning of the books symbolizes the lacking of education and knowledge in today’s society. Malamud emphasizes the main idea about reading and why many people today do not appreciate the knowledge given. The novel “Fahrenheit 451” states that books are banded and burned to prevent the future and do away with books. The young man in “A Summer’s Reading” explains the suffrage, he went through because he dropped out of high school and never returned or kept up with his education. In the novel and the short story, Bradbury and Malamud compare and contrast the importance of books with political and social themes in today’s society to how books influenced people back then.

In the article “I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read,” the importance of literature is very stressed. During the article “I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read,” the author, Francine Prose, a reporter, essayist, critic, and editor is concerned about literature in education. She discussed how the San Francisco Board of Education's requires that literature be taught in a way to reflect the diversity in society. The San Francisco Board of Education in March 1998 mandates that “works of literature really in class in grades nine to eleven by each high school student must include works by

Reading and writing have played monumental roles in the game called my life. For as long as I can remember, I have been reading or writing, whether it was showcasing my reading skills to my grandparents when I was six, or teaching myself calligraphy when I was thirteen. English literature and all the things it encompasses has always mattered to me, and (almost always) has been a source of my happiness. According to Dana Gioia from “Why Literature Matters, ” more and more young adults are starting to feel the opposite—that reading literature is not interesting and doesn’t matter. “During the past quarter century...the interest young Americans showed in...literature…[has] diminished.” To support this claim that literature matters, Gioia

While there will continue to be a debate about this controversial issue, the underlying problem seems to reside within the educational system. If the story is outlined correctly or taught to a group of students (such as myself) who can understand the importance of the story, then the educational value it provides is immense. The quality of the story only adds to the value it provides for students and doesn’t detract from the novel’s credibility. I fully believe that we should continue to use this book for conventional English classes across the

Francine Prose’s commentaries on the issues of high school students who have are apathetic toward reading hold weight for several reasons. Her love of literature stems from the fact that Prose is an avid reader herself who enjoys the art and has “preserved a lively and still evolving passion for good books.” Prose’s basis for vocalizing her concerns and frustrations about the topic of mindless readers comes from her desire for her own children to have an appreciation for the therapeutic values of a good book, in addition to the lessons that they teach. Francine’s status as an avid reader, a writer and a mother all lend themselves to establish her credibility in her essay. The reader can easily comprehend the struggle of the bookworm mother who is unamused that her sons have to dredge through the same tiered literature that has been taught for ages.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger will always be considered a classic, but many debate on whether this book should be taught in high school English classes. It in fact should be taught because teenagers can find many aspects of the novel relatable, and can learn from the obvious mistakes of Holden Caulfield and apply the themes of this book to their own lives. Even though the text involves some bad habits, readers should look for the bigger pictures and appreciate the novel for the themes it gives.

Every year, students in all grades read novels ranging from To Kill a Mockingbird to The Great Gatsby. Yet, these students almost always complain about being required to read these classic works of literature. Classic novels have been put in the school curriculum for ages. Why would we change that now? Students need to continue reading the classic novels in school in order to further their education, expand their reading selections, and keep author’s legacies alive and well.

Everyone grows up no matter how much they might try to avoid it growing up is inevitable. There is a point in everyone's life where they have to decide to overcome childish habits and pettiness and become an adult, in Maya's case, however, she was forced to grow up and leave all the pleasures of childhood behind. In “Why the Caged Bird Sings “ the main character, Maya, goes from self-hate to self-love in a coming of age story that is unlike any you have ever encountered before.