Matthew

A Lucky Start Summers

I have always had it pretty easy when it comes to literacy, but that is why I

always challenged myself. Ever since I was a young child whether it was my

Grandmother or my Dad, there was always someone I could turn to when English was

the subject of choice. This foundation that was laid down for me has allowed me to grow

and develop in my literary ability. From the times where I just listened to my Dad talk

with such a great eloquence to when my Grandmother would quiz me, I always found

somewhere to learn at home.

My Grandmother who was an elementary school teacher with over 25 years of

experience formed my earliest memories of English. Most likely because I didn't go to

preschool, but rather sat around the dining table for hours on end working my way

through English books from the late 60s. I still remember to this day the spelling tests,

where I cut my way through hours of repetition to simply earn a bright red star on my

paper. It never came across me at the time but I worked very hard just to get that star, it

almost felt like the impossible, yet somehow I managed it. By the time elementary

school came around, I continued to work through my classes but never felt like I had

learned much until I returned to that dining table where my Grandmother continued to

work with me. It was only once I reached middle school where my literacy started

becoming less formulaic and became more about what I wanted it to be.

In this weird position in-between elementary school and high school, as a writer I

was given many chances to explore my own mind and what it could create on paper. It

was during this time that I stumbled across the book ​Eragon ​by author Christopher
 Matthew
A Lucky Start Summers

Paolini. While it didn't serve much of a purpose as far as factual knowledge, it truly

taught me how to read and read a lot. I continued to reach each of the books until I had

completed the entire book series. For me this was a big achievement, reading books

with over 860 pages from front to back. I was then able to take what I had learned from

reading the series and turn it into useful skills when writing narrative assignments.

Something that proved to be useless once high school came around and only formulaic

writing assignments remained.

High school literacy proved to be the most difficult period of my English so far. It

was when I challenged myself the hardest because I felt as if I wasn't working very hard

up to that point. It was then when the classical literature began to feel like watching

paint dry to me. And it wasn't truly to read and enjoy the books, it was more to critique

and discuss the authors' techniques. I wasn't allowed to enjoy the work for what it was, I

was required to look for devices and drill things into my memory that took away from the

rewarding experience of reading. Then the writing, all the writing, the excessive and

repetitive motions of breaking down an author's work to discuss how they were able to

write such a strong piece. I didn't mind it, but I didn't think I was learning much either, all

of these little devices that we learned about, they should flow naturally from the author's

hand and not like a checklist how the teacher would've wanted it.

While I have always found school to be helpful in teaching rules related to

literacy, it was truly my Dad who taught me how to learn and apply literal ability from all

places. I remember being a little kid and listening to my dad talk on the phone, or even

visiting his work with him and listening to the words he used. Working as a salesman
 Matthew
A Lucky Start Summers

allowed my dad to grow and develop his own skills, that I very quickly picked up on for

myself. I would hear the whole process from start to finish, watch the reactions of his

buyers, all of which ended on a positive note based on the strength of his language.

Eventually, I started to pick up on the language he used and applied it on my own. In

many essays, you try to “sell” your ideas and pass them onto the reader, and this is

exactly what I learned to do thanks to him. It's one thing to understand how the words

work, but it's another to understand how to make them effective. Years of listening to my

Dad talk has allowed me to understand how literacy is a tool and can be used just like

any other.

Over time I have learned that when it comes to reading and writing, if you feel

something close to heart that you should enjoy it and remember it. It is through the

things that you enjoy that you truly learn skills that you will remember for a lifetime.

Through all of my educational experience so far the things that I remember the most,

are the things that I enjoyed the most. Not the heinous repetitive motions of highschool

English, but rather the enjoyment I received out of simply reading for fun in middle

school. All of these experiences shape each part of my literacy journey, the fun times

shape the creative side of my experience, and the difficult times form the structure of my

speech, all of which aim to create one effect and coherent piece of writing.