The Importance of Literacy Essay - 720 Words

Is it important to be a literate person in today’s society? The ability to function well depends on whether or not a person is literate and can comprehend what is going on around them. If a person doesn’t have the basic ability to read, they will feel the stress and dependency on others because of their illiteracy. Illiteracy is a big problem because without the knowledge of reading, illiterate people can’t perform daily tasks and responsibilities in daily life. When all it would take is a mere two minutes out of your day, don’t you think illiteracy can be helped or even extinguished? In today’s society illiterate people are looked at as â€Å"half-citizens† (Kozol 190). They are dependent on literate people to function daily. Think†¦show more content†¦The problem is not only that illiterate people are dependent on others, it’s also that the literate, well-functioning people of society aren’t always willing to pu t forth help. Help may only take a few minutes out of someone’s day, and to them be no big deal. For an illiterate person, those few minutes may be the defining of their lives. As an example, I will talk briefly about my cousin, born into a broken home and forced to deal with illiteracy on a daily basis. Steven was brought up in a bad neighborhood and raised by the streets. His family simply didn’t care about anything other than how they would afford their next bottle of booze or pack of cigarettes. Growing up, he was never told he had to go to school; therefore, he only went on occasion. His lack of schooling in his younger years took its toll on him by the time he hit high school. Living in a bad neighborhood and brought up by gangs, Steven’s life was in a bad condition. After dropping out of high school in his sophomore year, Steven attempted to get a job, but without a diploma or a license this was just close to impossible for him. In desperate need of a job, to support his growing family, Steven took to the streets and made money the only way he knew how. After several months, he was living the good life, until the day came that changed his life forever. He ended up selling drugs to an undercover police officer and was sent to jail for three years.Show MoreRelatedThe Importance Of Literacy1201 Words   |  5 PagesLiteracy is a very important and useful tool someone should have when walking through life, it can help make peoples life more simple. Sometimes literacy can be hard to learn, but it is worth it in the end. Being literate can help out when people want to learn something new or have important work to do for a job or school. Being able to read and write can open a world of stories, conversations, and opportunities. 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