Course Reflection Essay

Ryan Cullen

Mr. Davidson

ContempLit/3^rd Period

1-11-16

AMDG

Culmination Project

            Young people today simply do not read.  Many students bore quickly from the same material that English courses tend to repeat over and over throughout high school.  Moving away from the classics and towards novels that students can relate to is the perfect way to get students interested in reading and writing.  When students find something to read that they truly enjoy they take a greater interest in their class and gain valuable lessons that they can apply to the real world.  The students who choose not to read often struggle with verbal skills and communication because the books they miss out on help to vary vocabulary and comfort while speaking.  The same people who think reading is too much work are the ones who ironically suffer from the most stress.  Reading allows people the opportunity to relax and recharge while also having fun and enjoying a good story.  Outlets to read are everywhere and they are becoming more and more important to the success in the modern world that is so focused on intelligence and communication.  In the 21^st century, it is extremely important to be an avid reader because it directly contributes to being a well-rounded person.

            The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein presents an example of why being a reader in the 21st century is important.  One of the main themes in this novel is empathy, a valuable characteristic of being a well-rounded individual.  The story’s narrator is a dog named Enzo, and the plot focuses around his master’s wife Eve and her struggle with cancer.  When Eve first returns home after her initial treatments of chemotherapy, she is extremely worried that it will be the last night she lives through.  She calls on Enzo to, “Protect me. Please. Don’t let it happen tonight” (127).  Enzo displays empathy as he stays by her side the entire night and watches over her until the rest of the family wakes.  Readers can learn a valuable lesson on how to be supportive and empathetic for people going through difficult situations when they read about Enzo’s actions.  Enzo teaches readers that many times the most important things are the little ones.  Although Enzo could not have saved Eve if something had gone wrong, he was there, and that is all that matters.  Empathy has been replaced by discrimination in the world today, and it is important for young readers to attempt to understand the difficult situations people are going through.  Enzo exhibits the need for love, no matter the person or place.  Empathy is how this love is shown, and how it should be shown by readers in the modern day.

            Another important reason to be a reader in the 21^st century is that the lessons of literature help to develop interpersonal relationships.  In Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King relationships play an important role in plot of the fascinating story that centers around a young girl named Vera Dietz.  Vera and her father Ken struggle with their feelings towards each other, but after a breakthrough therapy session Vera finally begins to long for a strong relationship.  She says, “I know what he wants to say—stuff about being proud of me and how much I've grown up. It probably sounds stupid, but I want to tell him that, too” (320).  Reading can help people, especially young readers, to better communicate with those they care about.  It is extremely important to maintain strong relationships in order to advance in both a personal and professional sense later in life.  The lessons readers can learn from Vera go beyond just opening up to her father.  It is clear that Vera desires the love and support that strong relationships bring to the people involved in them.  Reading does more than pass the time, it teaches valuable lessons such as the need for strong relationships, and therefore it is clear that it is important to be a reader in the 21^st century.

            Being open to growth in order to create new experiences is another key characteristic of being a well-rounded person that reading can provide.  The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern relies on this theme heavily throughout the book.  Specifically, Bailey, a young boy who has known nothing but sheep and open fields his whole life, takes the chance to leave for the circus and chase his dreams.  When talking to his sister about why he is choosing to go, he says, ‘“I don’t care if you don’t understand that…Staying here won’t make me happy”’ (381).  Bailey is open to growth in order to follow the dream of being part of the circus, a dream he has had since he was a little boy.  Although he knows it will be difficult to leave his parents, Billy desires something that they simply do not understand.  He follows his own heart and knows no matter what happens his conscience is clear with his decision.  This is important to readers because it illustrates that one can only be happy following a path they truly believe in.  Being open to grow through unfamiliar means is the best way to have lasting experiences that will have a significant impact.  Whether it be going away to school, traveling, or trying new things, being open to growth is the key to being happy and having beneficial personal experiences.  Being open to growth is hard to do because it means stepping outside of one’s comfort zone, but Bailey helps illustrate that it is an important part of being a more well-rounded person.

            One of the most important reasons to be a reader in the 21^st century is that it inspires people to achieve their goals and not let failure slow them down.  Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan uses this main theme to document Mr. Penumbra and Clay Jannon overcoming difficult situations.  When the mystery is discovered regarding the typeface of Gerrtizoon, Mr. Penumbra is not bitter that he has essentially wasted much of his life attempting to decode the ancient words.  Instead he perseveres and while talking with Clay mentions, “But I have more than a little time left, my boy…and there a still so many mysteries to solve.  Are you with me?” (282).  Penumbra does not fade away once the discovery is made and instead sets new, higher goals for achievement in the future.  This is an extremely valuable lesson for young readers to take away and think about.  Many times in life, failure is an unfortunate and harsh reality.  Many young people struggle to overcome difficult situations because they are so caught up on what went wrong instead of all the things left that could go right.  Penumbra vows to learn from his mistakes and use what he has learned to help him be more successful.  Every day in life people set goals and try to meet their own expectations and the expectations of others.  To get knocked down is not what is difficult, it is getting back up that takes the willpower and courage.  This courage is vividly displayed by Penumbra, and his actions center around the fact that being a reader is important because it inspires people to reach their goals and overcome their defeats.

            To become a well-rounded person, it is vitally important to be a reader in today’s day and age.  There are so many valuable lessons to be learned from all different types of literature.  Reading sparks emotion, and emotion sparks internal change.  Change for the better is an important aspect of growing up, and learning lessons from novels are a great way to live a happier, more fulfilled life.  Being a reader teaches teens to be there for the people in their lives just as often as they are for themselves.  Also the importance to work to build stronger relationships and understand the difficult problems people face.  Above all, being a reader teaches teens to never give up and to always carry on with pride and determination.  This current generation is often blamed for their lack of values, and maybe if reading was more of a priority, this train of thought would be nothing more than a history lesson for teens to read years from now.