In this passage Kozol targets the audiences
emotions. His paragraphs give countless examples of daily tasks that everyone
in society takes for granted, anyone that can accomplish these tasks that is.
Kozol narrows his focus with a thesis stating that America is no so democratic
if close to 60 million people cannot read and thus cannot vote. They have
trouble with contacts and bill paying, they cannot read what the contract
desires from them and thus may be tricked verbally into obeying something that is
not there or accidentally break the contract.
Not only can they not vote but also they
cannot read the labels on prescription bottles, or buy
the necessary food when they are out shopping. When smoking they are
not bale to read the warning on the side of the package, but to a majority of
humanity the idea of smoking should not sound healthy in the first place. When
in an emergency situation the illiterate individuals may not be able to get
proper help because not only do they not remember where they are or how to get
thee, they may in an entirely different location than what they are used to and
are not able to read to have a familiar location for the police or anyone else
they are calling.
The breakdown of situations and the detail placed into them is meant to
grab the audience’s attention, truly relating to turmoil that the people go
through not occasionally but daily. The examples are daily tasks because Kozol
is targeting a large audience, one which is bound to do one or more of those
things. All the appeals are used, logical ethical and emotional.
This emotionally based structure may evoke empathy and perhaps even
sympathy from some, but everyone has the ability to learn to read in America.
That is the beauty of being the, free public education! The passage mentions
that one of the illiterate persons children could read, they could easy teach
their parent how to read.
I definitely noticed his repetitve use of pathos as well to get his point across, which doesn't always make the best argument. Good job for pointing out that these people aren't as helpless as the article may lead you to think, as they live in the U.S.A.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with the fact that illiterate's aren't helpless, I read "Dumbing us Down" for my summer project and in this book the author clearly states that reading and simple arithmetic can be learned in about 120 hours! Kozol's extensive use examples does lead the reader to think otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI as well noticed the repetition used to try to support the author's arguement, and I agree with Nick that it doesn't really make the best arguement. I also agree that anyone who is willing to learn whether it be read or something less mundane, has the chance to do so no matter what socioeconomic level they belong to, in America.
ReplyDeletemostly a lolyup.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it says 60 million denied significant participation, which does not mean only illiterates, but can also be anyone who is for whatever reason denied the right to vote (immigrants, some racists in the south, etc)
it also fails to give us the number of voters in that other election, which again, a percentage of ALL people do not vote, and even then, with the electoral system, i sincerely doubt a difference would have been made, as even if they were literate, that implies that all literates vote. If the number of illiterates is (and it is) less than the number of literates, then that means a super small amount of literates are voting, and if the illiterates became literate, i doubt that pattern wouldn't continue. (that of nonvoting)
Anna- I love your observation that all the tasks described are daily tasks. I picked up that they were relatable but you summed it up much better, we all do these tasks daily and that is why they are relatable. I also love, as the others above seem to, that you considered the other argument. That is critical thinking right there. Props!
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I liked you description of the most things in the article as daily task, I think that, in contrast to larger decisions this make the problems of illiteracy seem more immediate and relatable. I also enjoyed you conter-argument to the author about free public education and the ease of learning to read, it seemed largely absent from the discussion.
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