Now that you’ve completed the outside readings (Alexie & Baca) and assigned sections in Norton on Rhetorical Situations/Literacy Narratives, select two (2) of the narratives to analyze. In 4-6 paragraphs, respond via a new thread to your narratives of choice, analyzing the rhetorical situations using the terminology in the textbook and covered in class. Conclude with an explanation of why these essays resonated with you and include a memorable quote from one, explaining its significance to the work and to you.

A narrative is telling some of the events to a narratee in purpose. The story “Superman and Me”, by Sherman Alexie was describing his experiences in learning to read. At the beginning of the story, Alexie talks about he teaching himself to read through a Superman comic book. Although he could not read the text at the beginning, he used his imagination to create a dialogue with the picture. He has made progress in reading and is much higher than other children. But at the same time, he was discriminated against by children and teachers. The central idea of this story is that reading and knowledge is very important in Alexie’s life.

Alexie wrote his story with the genre of narrative and telling the true events of his life. According to the story, Alexie describes “This knowledge delighted me,”. When Alexie first understand the “paragraph” have a common purpose, he feels very happy with that. This means reading have the skill that could make people feeling happy through the reading process. And that is what Alexie want to tell the audience. When Alexie is discriminated against and bullied by other Indians, he chose to read. According to the story, Alexie describes that he “read books late into the night, until I could barely keep my eyes open,”. Alexie read in all the time, not only at night but also at the break and other free time. Also, he will read the different type of book and text. Alexie is trying to tell the reading is very important though his hard work of reading. And try he best to read in his life because he was “trying to save [his] life,”. As we can see, Alexie has a strong interest in reading which helps him “save his life” and become a successful writer.

Alexie as a writer, and teacher who taught himself to read and teach the Indian kids. He is writing the story to the audience of those who need to encourage to increase reading and knowledge based on the reservation school system. Alexie describes that at the beginning he couldn’t read the text or book, but he found the way used imagination to read. Alexie is trying to tell the audience reading is very important and it is not that hard but as long as you find the right way, you will succeed. In order to develop the purpose of this story, Alexie also used the Ethos and Pathos to convince the audience. According to the story, Alexie describing his experience by beginning with “In all my years in the reservation school system,”. Alexie as a writer and teacher, he trying to show the audience that he is knowing the reading and knowledge very much. He is used the Ethos to make the audience feel that his information is true and build up the credibility to convince the audience. Also, Alexie says “I am trying to save our lives,”. Alexie was repeatedly told this sentence to the audience. He is using the Pathos as a way to catch the audience’s emotion and make them feel reading and knowledge is very important.

Another narrative “Coming into Language” by Jimmy Santiago Baca also explain the idea of literature and language is very important and you can find yourself from it as the purpose. In the story, Baca describes a large number of events during his prison. According to the text, “Before long [he] was frayed like rope carrying too much weight, that suddenly snaps. [He] quit talking,”(Baca 24). In this sentence, Beca uses pathos to show his life in prison is very hard and sad in order to catch the attention and feelings of the audience. To touch the heart of the audience, which shows that writing and reading can help him face these difficulties. Based on the text, “Back in [his] cell, for weeks [he] refused to eat,” and “Styrofoam cups of urine and hot water were hurled at [him]. Other things happened. There were beatings, shock therapy, intimidation,”(Baca 28). Baca also tried to attract audience attention by describing the cruel living environment and his attitude in prison. This will give the audience a feeling of sympathy for Baca which will help Baca to convey the message of the importance of literature.

In conclusion, these text and story are resonated with me. Throughout the story, we can know that reading and knowledge is very important for all the people. And that is the reason the story resonated with me. Reading is the foundation of today’s society. There are many people who don’t read well enough to understand many things. This is a terrible idea and can cause many misunderstandings. At the same time, reading can help people develop their mind. According to the story, Alexie describes that “[he] is trying to save our lives, thought the reading”. This is a memorable quote for me because reading and knowledge can act well to save our life. If all people or our society without any reading, it would become a very terrible phenomenon. People don’t have their own idea and own imagination. In the long term, our society will stop developing and moving forward. So, I strongly believe that reading is important and it is trying to save our life.

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