I can't think of much to comment on this writing becasue I feel that is was like reading a chapter out of a textbook. In my opinion this was an example of the boring form of Academic Discourse. James Gee was very one minded, saying that his way seemed to be the only way for the research of Discourses. I thought that he was writing to an audience that very much appreciates the idea of breaking down Discourses into even more complex ideas. I just must not be one of those people. It was a personal struggle to finish this piece of writing but I did form a few opinoins about the concepts written.
I agree with the idea that there are primary and secondary discourses. I also agree that there can be conflict between the two. I, however, feel like theorems are too specific and one minded. For example in the second theorem, Gee says that all Primary Theorems are limited, no matter what. I think that even though that may be true for many, it can still be liberating for some. Even though he defends what he says by saying primary discourses still have tools to be liberating, I feel that he is over generalizing for all.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society
There were 3 words that I would say were the underlying feelings of illiterate people that the author, Jonathan Kozol, was trying to portray: Confusion, Fear, and Distrust.
Throughout the story, the author tries to show how illiterate people are left in panic and confusion. They are not able to understand anything from a restaurant menu to medication instructions. I like how he relates how they feel to a dream he has had. "I find that I am in a railroad station of a large department store within a city that is utterly unknown to me and where I cannot understand the printed words." (204) I feel I wouldn't be able to read street signs or names of stores if I were somewhere like China, where they have different symbols. I feel that is the way I could relate to the struggles of an illiterate person. It has to be hard to go through life not being able to be independent, to read and write on my own. Not being able to understand or be independent would leave illiterate people in confusion.
It hit me hard when I got to the part with an interview of an illiterate person describing the fear they must live with everyday. The illiterate person describes the danger of being lost and the possibility of a family member getting hurt. Because they cannot read the street signs, by the time they figure out where they are to tell the 911 dispatcher, the family member could be dead. (204) When I was little, I had that fear when I didn't know my own address and to have that fear your whole life must be so hard.
A lot of the paragraphs dealing with having other people read letters, bills, and statements to them, had a lot of distrust be the illiterate people. They depend on others for these things, but there is no real way to find out if the people helping them aren't scamming them. "...you end up trusting no one and suspecting everyone of possible deceit." I think that kind or paranoia would add to even more stress in an illiterate person's life.
Side note- Over all I thought the information given, gave a true sense of the struggle that illiterate people go through daily. However, I thought it was a very boring read because it was in a list type of format and didn't add a lot of variety to the way the story was written.
Throughout the story, the author tries to show how illiterate people are left in panic and confusion. They are not able to understand anything from a restaurant menu to medication instructions. I like how he relates how they feel to a dream he has had. "I find that I am in a railroad station of a large department store within a city that is utterly unknown to me and where I cannot understand the printed words." (204) I feel I wouldn't be able to read street signs or names of stores if I were somewhere like China, where they have different symbols. I feel that is the way I could relate to the struggles of an illiterate person. It has to be hard to go through life not being able to be independent, to read and write on my own. Not being able to understand or be independent would leave illiterate people in confusion.
It hit me hard when I got to the part with an interview of an illiterate person describing the fear they must live with everyday. The illiterate person describes the danger of being lost and the possibility of a family member getting hurt. Because they cannot read the street signs, by the time they figure out where they are to tell the 911 dispatcher, the family member could be dead. (204) When I was little, I had that fear when I didn't know my own address and to have that fear your whole life must be so hard.
A lot of the paragraphs dealing with having other people read letters, bills, and statements to them, had a lot of distrust be the illiterate people. They depend on others for these things, but there is no real way to find out if the people helping them aren't scamming them. "...you end up trusting no one and suspecting everyone of possible deceit." I think that kind or paranoia would add to even more stress in an illiterate person's life.
Side note- Over all I thought the information given, gave a true sense of the struggle that illiterate people go through daily. However, I thought it was a very boring read because it was in a list type of format and didn't add a lot of variety to the way the story was written.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
The Ethnography of Literacy
This piece opened my eyes to something that I have never really thought of as an issue needing to be developed. I was shocked that I found such interest in the idea that what I might think, and what many might think is the definition of literacy and literature can be completely questioned.
The part that spoke to me the most was about when the author talked about what people are reading. I personally disclike reading... a lot, unless it is a magazine. I read them cover to cover and don't just look at the pictures. I love being able to relate to the stories and since they aren't long the keep my interest. When John Szwed commented that in lots of places that is considered a book, I thought that was crazy. I never thought of that as real reading becasue it isn't the kind of reading we are forced to read in school. It proved to me that I am still reading. Who is allowed to say what i am reading isn't as much of literacy as an encyclapedia?
From that point on in the story, I was realyy ingaged and loved how the author went one to talk about how literacy can be interpreted and the factors that can effect it. I never really thought about the fact that your social status, age, race, and more can effect your level of literacy.
The part that spoke to me the most was about when the author talked about what people are reading. I personally disclike reading... a lot, unless it is a magazine. I read them cover to cover and don't just look at the pictures. I love being able to relate to the stories and since they aren't long the keep my interest. When John Szwed commented that in lots of places that is considered a book, I thought that was crazy. I never thought of that as real reading becasue it isn't the kind of reading we are forced to read in school. It proved to me that I am still reading. Who is allowed to say what i am reading isn't as much of literacy as an encyclapedia?
From that point on in the story, I was realyy ingaged and loved how the author went one to talk about how literacy can be interpreted and the factors that can effect it. I never really thought about the fact that your social status, age, race, and more can effect your level of literacy.
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