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Miriam Sanchez
STACC English 001A
Professor Taylor
January 26, 2015
How can reading save your life?
Reading not only helps you gain knowledge, but as well gives you an entire new
identity for new resorts and ideal information of things around you. It gives you a sense of
identification, communication towards the reader/author, as well improves your character,
language, and gives us self-confidence. Many people believe we learn from past peers, from
their own experiences in which we acknowledge their thoughts and ideas through literature,
that we take consciously and use it for our benefits, I agree.
In the essay The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me by Sherman Alexie,
he talks about his struggles being an Indian student. Upon growing up on Spoken Indian
Reservation and having to follow the ideal life of an uneducated Indian student he instead
excelled in showing his difference amongst the rest. He refused to fail, in which I quote I
read books late at night, until I can barely keep my eyes open. I read books at recess, then
during lunch, and in the few minutes left after I had finished my classroom assignments.I
loved those books, but I also knew that love had only one purpose. I was trying to save my

life. (Sherman, pg.29). In which shows the determination he had into trying to better
himself, and break their expectations of every Indian kid being stupid. He craved being
unique amongst others and
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will later try to help his own community into trying to make a change. He gained knowledge
from the books he had once read, and expands his education further by striving to have a
better life for himself that would be beneficial for him rather than go by the expectations of
his community. Later, in which he tries to share his knowledge throughout his own book with
other uneducated Indians that will also have an opportunity to be someone better.
Another essay, that shows a similarity into saving your life upon reading was Learning
to Read and Write by Frederick Douglass, who was born into slavery and educated himself
and went on to become one of the most persuasive writers of the nineteenth century. Having
to be born into slavery once knowing how to read, he had encountered arguments for and
against slavery in the books he read. In which his thoughts were appalling since Douglass felt
that reading deepened his already vivid experience of slavery. I quote at he thought learning
to read had been a curse rather than a blessing.it had given me a view of my wretched
condition, without the remedy (Douglass, pg.86). Although Douglass had educated himself
and had saved his life, he gained knowledge and points of view of other authors. In which
was not appealing whatsoever, but he saw what the ones that one for slavery were thinking at
the time rather f him being against. This shows the empowerment literature has towards
peers who have been in the same situation but with different opinions of the situation. And as
for this decade and the ones before us since slavery had been abolished we can re-live those

times throughout authors who were living in that era and expressing their thoughts, in which
we learn from.

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In the excerpt from The Autobiography of Malcolm X Learning to Read its a view
of what Malcolm X was once experiencing in prison and teaching himself how to read based
on a dictionary. That lead him to influence and advance his vocabulary inn which he then
became a leading spokesmen and powerful leaders of Black America during the 1960s. I
believe the most important part in this section was how he realized how reading had
expanded his knowledge. I quote, I have often reflected upon the new vistas that reading
opened to me. I knew eight there in prison that reading had changed forever the course of
my life. As I see it today, the ability to read awoke me inside me some long dormant craving
to be mentally alive. (Malcolm, par.17) This shows how reading saved his life into having to
gain more confidence in himself, and having to develop such intuitive speech. This had made
a impacting change in his life, in which literature was the cause of it since he had been
introduced to new doors that made him realize that having to expand your knowledge was
key to a better life.
Most importantly, reading can save your life by having to identify yourself as
someone who is having troubles for example in Gruwell, Erin. The Freedom Writers Diary:
How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used it talks about a kid that was influenced by a book that
was showing the same problems that the author was having. She was comparing herself with

Anne Frank that was once afraid of everything that had been going around her in her
neighborhood through rivalry. Having to be in the middle between two gangs that had
despised each other. In which showed her that although Anne Frank was afraid she had hope

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and as well should she. Which had shown her a different perspective that made her think
more clearly of not being that afraid that there would be more alternatives into having to
move from that neighborhood that was such an impact on her. This shows that throughout
literature people gain self-confidence upon having to read other peoples stories. It can be the
leading cause of having to identify ,many feeling that you mightve thought you werent as
capable of doing. For example, in the novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson it shows a
story of a troubled teen that had been sexually abused. In which is a very sad story but soon
turns into an inspiring one having the girl battle her fears which shows many people can
conquer them as well by simply reading the story having it be a influential story towards
them whether they went through the same or not, it gives them courage of change and hope.
Personally, I see literature as an escape from reality whether its fiction, nonfiction, bibliographies, diaries etc. I believe its an opportunity to eventually see a different
visual of what youre living on a daily life. And having to gain knowledge upon what you
might be reading everything seems to be inspiring and has a sense of hook that makes you
read more books eventually. Because the more you read you see it as a hobby in which later
becomes very entertaining. For example, a novel that had a inspiring message towards me

was The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande the reason this being was because i had a
connection towards her having to be from Mexico. As well, having to go by the expectations
of our parents into achieving a good education. This would eventually result in good
consequences that would have reached our parents expectations by which then would make

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them feel better having to have made the decision of coming to the United States. Eventually
throughout this connection it showed me some of the similarities and adaptions I may have in
comparison with other books. Which has had a huge impact in my life since each day having
to be a college student, I learn more and more on a daily bases which is the cause into
widening my expansion in knowledge.
As for having to gain knowledge would be the easiest answer, I also believe reading is
very informative for example, on many cases books concerning health and diet tips are a
popular category. In which is informative to many people that are trying to better their health
into getting in a good diet that wouldnt trouble their health. It boosts peoples confidence
into learning that there are many ways that you can improve being healthy. For example as
well there are many essays that can be very inspirational towards those who are trying to
achieve a better life style for themselves. In the essay Absolutely Fabulous by Augusten
Burroughs, he explains his journey trying to achieve his six pack. Which was not that easily
to concur but he is willing to go through it and be patient as long as he achieves his goal.
Many people can relate to this essay having to be a motivating story of how some people are

determined to not give up by a bump on the road, instead they try to push themselves harder
in order to try to achieve their goal. Which is the reason I as well believe literature is
important because it can as well motivate you into becoming a better person than you already
are, it gives you eventually an idea of the struggles that you might as well be facing at the
period being.

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In conclusion, I believe reading can change your life not only helps you gain
knowledge, but as well gives you an entire new identity for new resorts and ideal information of
things around you. It gives you a sense of identification, communication towards the
reader/author, as well improves your character, language, and gives us self-confidence. I believe
we learn from past peers, from their own experiences in which we acknowledge their thoughts
and ideas through literature, that we take consciously and use it for our benefits. Based on some
of my personal view and other resources it shows how they were impacted throughout their
experiences learning how to read.

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Resources:

Alexie, Sherman. "The Joy of Reading: Superman and Me." The Writers Presence.
7th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2011. 27-31. Print. A Pool of Reading.

Anderson, Laurie Halse. Speak. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1999. Print.

Frederick Douglass - Frederick Douglass - The Writer's Presence - Boston Bedford/St.Martin's - 2006 - 5th Ed.

Grande, Reyna. The Distance Between Us: A Memoir. New York : Atria Books, 2012.
Print

Gruwell, Erin., eds. The Freedom Writers Diary: How A Teacher And 150 Teens Used
Writing To Change Themselves And The World Around Them. New York : Broadway
Books, [2006?. Print.

Malcolm Xs Learning to Read 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology. 3rd edition.

Samuel Cohen. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011 257-266. Print

McQuade, Donald, and Robert Atwan. The Writer's Presence : A Pool Of Readings.
n.p.: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. Book Index with Reviews. Web. 27 Jan. 2015.