Brianne Marshall

Dr. Barry
CSL 570
27 May 2015
WordsAreGlue
Ialwayslovedthesmellofbooks;Ilovedhowthepagesfelt.Iwouldorganizeand
reorganizethebookshelfforhours.IcanremembergoingtomyGrandmothershouseasachild
andrustlingthroughherbookshelvesforbookstostack,smell,orsteal.Wewouldspendhoursat
thelibraryuntilsheeventuallymadeoneforme.ItwasfilledwithLittleGoldenBooksanda
fewofherpersonalfavorites.IlovedsneakingintoclosetsorthebathroomwithHarrytheDirty
DogbyGeneZion,TheWhisperingRabbitbyMargaretWiseBrown,andCorduroybyDon
Freeman.Ihidthosebooksaroundthehouseandkeptinthemsecretplaces;Ineverwantedto
sharethemwithmycousins.Ilovedtheanimalcharactersandcolorfulillustrations.Morethan
that,Ilovedthatmygrandmotherwouldalwaysusethelessonsfromthebookstoteachmeright
fromwrong.IfIdidntwanttohelponeofmycousins,mygrandmotherwouldask,Brianne,
whatcouldhavehappenedifthesquirreldidnthelpthebunny?IfIcomplainedabouttakinga
bath,mygrandmotherwouldremindmeofHarrybysaying,DoyouwanttofeellikeHarrythe
dirtydogdid?WhenIwasntbeingfriendly,shewouldyell,CanyoubeafriendlikeLisa
was?Encouragingmetothinkaboutmyselfincomparisontothecharacterswasimportant
becauseIwasmakingpersonalconnectionstothecharactersandotherpeoplewithoutever
knowingit.
Iwasintroducedtodigitalliteraciesinelementaryschool.Myfourthgradeteacherwould
takeustothecomputerlabtousecolorful,translucentAppledesktopsthatwerenewtoour
school.WelearnedtotypeonMicrosoftWordandplaywiththepaintprogram,andshewould
sometimesreadtousthroughamicrophonethatwasattachedtoourheadsets.Ireallylovedthe

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wayshespoke;Iwouldeventrytoimitatethecertaincurloftherorthecrispsthatshe
made.Islowlybecamefascinatedwithadultdialogue.HarriettheSpywasaninfluentialfilm
thattaughtmehowtobeaskilledeavesdropper.Ilovedknowingwhatadultswereconcerned
with,whatwashappeningaroundusandwhatitwasthattheydidordidntfindimportant.I
especiallyrememberthisfeelingafterSeptember11th,2001.Iwantedtounderstandthe
conversationsthatadultsinmylifewerehaving,butIalsowantedtobeabletoreadanduse
relevantterms(terrorism,Afghanistan,WorldTradeCenter)onmyown.Ididntunderstand
whyitwashappeningorwhatwastocomenext,soIwouldbegmyparentstoletmewatchthe
newseverydayafterschool.MybrotherandIwouldsitandwatchthenewswhilemymom
wouldcook,andwewouldtalkaboutwhatwashappeningasafamilyoverdinner.Current
eventsarestillapointofconversationwithmydad,andIwatchorreadthenewsafewtimes
eachday.Computers,theinternet,andmediahavealwaysplayedanimportantroleinmy
developmentasareaderandwriter,buttheyhavealsoinformedmeaboutnationalandglobal
issues.
IstartedtoreallyappreciatewrittenlanguagewhenIwasaroundelevenyearsold.I
struggledwithmyweightandmyparentsdivorce,andIhadadifficulttimeverbalizingmy
feelingsinanappropriateway.Mymomsuggestedthatwewritelettersbackandforthtoeach
otherwhenwearefeelingannoyedandconfused;shewasalwayslookingforwaystohavebetter
communicationwithme.Shealsoboughtmejournals,coloredpens,andalittlelockbox.
Writingbecamemyoutlet(likeHarriettheSpy).Ipouredfeelingsandfrustrationsontothepage
andlockedthemaway.IbeganparticipatingmoreinEnglishclasses,andIexperimentedwitha

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memorablecreativewritingclass.AlthoughIlovedwriting,readingwasnevermuchofahobby,
butninthgradechangedthatforme.
Mr.Pereirawasthisstrangemixtureofmean,brilliant,andtotallyoutofhismind.He
broughtwordstolifeinwaysthatIhadneverseenbefore.Morethanthat,hetaughtmehowto
usewordstoconnectwithandreallyhearmypeers.Ineverrealizedthatwords,whetherwritten
orspoken,arethegluethatbindspeople.Withoutwords,therewouldbenohumanconnection.
ForthefirsttimeIcouldremember,Ilearnedhowtoreadwordsanduncoverhiddenmeanings,
tousewordstomakepowerfularguments,togetmywayincertainsituations,andtoexpressmy
innermostfeelings.TheuniversalthemesinSalinger,Carversrawhonesty,andthebeat
generationwereexcitingtome,andIlookedforwardtogoingtoclasstohavethesepowerful,
epiphanicmoments.Iwassuddenlyawakenedbywrittenlanguage,andIwashookedonthe
ideasthathumansareinherentlyflawed,undeniablyconfused,andfacingsomanyofthesame
battles.IcontinuedtoreadandtakeeveryEnglishelectivethatIcould.IblameMr.Pereirafor
mycareerchoice,andIamthankfultohavecrossedpathswithhim.IwonderifIwouldhave
everfoundthebeautyinlanguagewithouthim!