Aaron Rollinson

Professor Jan Rieman

English 1103

9/11/10

If you give an illiterate a book

Access to literacy for most kids on my block was limited, but mine was immense compared to them.

Where I grew up we had a home computer and our book shelf was packed to capacity. At the tips of my

fingers I had all the information that the internet could give me plus cookbooks, repair books, history

books, and any other books that my family could get our hands on. It seemed like I had limitless

resources to any information that I wanted to know. My parents loved to see me read so any book that I

wanted they would buy for me. There was a library in walking distance from our house that we would go

to from time to time. I would get around three books read them, return them, and get three more. As I

grew so did my interest in reading. I started reading more controversial books like How to Kill a

Mockingbird and Night; I also started reading newspapers. My access to literacy expanded enormously

when I entered high school. Academic books in high school were so in depth I would no longer just tread

the surface of any one subject now I had the ability to dive deep into any topic. It was in high school that

I realized how privileged I was compared to most of the kids I grew up with; to be able to grow up and

thrive In a house full of books truly gave me a huge head start.

I remember every Christmas my mom would line my siblings and myself at the top of the stairs and ask

us questions ranging from spelling to history and everything in between .Every question we got right we
were allowed to move down a stair closer to our presents. Year after year the questions got harder she

would test us see how far we had progressed. I came to like these yearly tests because I enjoyed

showing off my knowledge that I had acquired through schools and books. On top of my mom forcing

me to read for presents, my elementary school would have a party every nine weeks depending on how

many books you read.

As I progressed in age I started wondering about every little thing and I would always ask my dad

because he always knew the answer to everything. Soon I found myself reading books trying to stump

my dad with questions. I read all sorts of books trying to find something he didn’t know about. I became

a knowledge junkie, going on the computer, reading books, trying to learn more so I could compare with

my dad because I wanted to be just like him. “My father loved books, and since I loved my father with an

aching devotion, I decided to love books as well” (Alexie 465). This is how I feel about my quest for

knowledge someone I admired loved knowledge so I would love knowledge. With all the knowledge I

gained I became somewhat of a “smarty pants” in school answering questions that the teacher didn’t

ask and just saying random pieces of knowledge to anyone who would listen to me. Because of this

extra information, I exceled in classes like English and history. I used knowledge that I gained in my

papers and other writing to impress my teachers. My literacy gave me a way to connect with my dad

and my teachers, so I loved it even more.

My literacy was opening my eyes to a bunch of different world, soon it took me to the world of music.

My parents bought me a trumpet when I graduated from elementary school because I wanted to join

the band. We didn’t have music around the house and we didn’t learn how to read music in elementary

so, I was musically illiterate. Reading music didn’t come easy to me. My brother had been in band for

two years and knew how to read music a lot better, so he was able to help me and answer any questions

I had. After three years I started to get good at reading music, but when I got to high school I switched
instruments to the tuba and had to learn how to read the notes for that instrument. Since I switched

instruments my brother was now my section leader and we had an enormous amount of fun learning

new music and teaching the students under us. Figuring out the rhythm from some notes on a page

amazed me. Learning the roles of each instrument and learning how to write music for different

instruments was what I sought to do. From then on I have been studying music and trying to play

different instruments.

I have always contributed my knowledge to the people around me. I might have taught myself how to

do certain things, but the ability to learn came from the motivation that the people in my life gave me. If

you give a man a fish you feed him for a day, but if you teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime.

Everyone that has put inspiration in me has taught me how to fish and because of this I will be able to

feed myself for a lifetime.

 Source Citation

Alexie, Sherman. “ The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me.” Wardle and Downs 443-448.

Print.