Question 2) There are many reasons one may like or dislike reading and writing, or just dislike reading and like writing or vice versa. I, myself, love reading. It could be anything from an action-packed medieval fantasy to a nonfiction description of how the Knights Templar lost favor with Pope Clement V and were disbanded. Although I love to read, I’d rather run a gauntlet then write a paper. Whether or not one likes to read or write depends on how, and where, they were raised as well as their interests. I was raised in south central Illinois in a small farm town where most people care very little about reading and writing. My father can read but takes a month to read a three hundred page book whereas it takes me maybe two hours. It is the same for many people, that some can/will read slowly or quickly. Now whether this is because there are more important things at hand or a general lack of interest is dependant upon one’s situation and education,
Question 1) My brother was my “sponsor” in my literacy narrative. He encouraged me from a young age to read and learn as much as possible. He used to sit and teach me different words and sounds just as much as my parents did. My brother was sent overseas in the Army and I did not see him for three years, and when he came back he brought me books. Still, to this day, he buys me books for my birthday and for Christmas. Brandt says “any agents, local or distant, concrete or abstract, who enable, support, teach, model, as well as recruit, regulate, suppress, or withhold literacy – and gain advantage by it in some way” (556). Some of these examples of sponsors are exactly what my brother did and continues to do. He taught me when I was a child all that he knew until I surpassed his capabilities and he encourages me to learn even more now that I am in college.
Question 4) The two “little” narratives I identify with are the “Hero” and the “Outsider”. I love to read but could care less about writing. I identify with the hero because ever since I was a child it was always “Do good in school, go to college, get a good job and make a lot of money boy so you don’t have to be a farmer or road worker.” I’ve always tried my best in school and will continue to do so until I get a good job and make enough money to improve not only my life but my family’s as well. The other “little” narrative I identify with is the outsider because of my level of intellect. Back in my small farm town highschool I was a decent football player and one of the most academically inclined students. I never really fit in with the cool popular crowd or the nerdy crowd either. Most of my school was made up of extremely athletic jocks who don’t tend to accept a six foot three inch tall three hundred and fifty pound kid who wears glasses, slacks and a sweater vest most of the time. I ended up recieving the most scholarships and attending the best college of everyone in my class. But, even out here in college, I’m an outsider. Here I’m probably the least academically inclined student, everyone else in this college was able to take A.P. classes in all sorts of subjects and the only hard class I took in highschool was Honors English that did everything regular classes did but with more class discussions/debates.
