Dreading Chapter Summary

Disliking Books by Gerald Graff outlines his growth towards liking books. Graff has received his BA in English from the University of Chicago and his PhD in English and American literature from Stanford University and is currently working as a professor of English and Eduation in the University of Illinois. Graff begins his work with recounting how, as a child, he has an aversion to books regarding history and literature for he cannot find their application to his life. Moreover, students who cultivated these skills are looked down upon and being a Jew, this would put him in danger of being beaten. Observing another side of his argument, he references Lives on the Boundary, in which the author implies that the working class found knowledge as saving grace, however, Graff takes for granted his education as part of the middle class. Frustrated at his avoidance of books, Graff’s father attempts to force him to read many different types of books, though this ended in failure. Once he enters college, where boys of his background are expected to get serious, he knows not of what he is going to do and thus pursued a major in English. At this

Henry Wadworth Longfellow, and American poet from the 1800s, said, “Men of genius are often dull and inert in society; as the blazing meteor, when it descends to earth, is only a stone.” This concept I explained by, Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers. He devotes chapters three and four to discussing “The Trouble with Geniuses.” The theory he outlines in this section of the book discusses how much of a factor high intelligent quotient is in determining success, versus how important upbringing is. He examines geniuses, who are commonly considered “the true outliers,” and their successes. Gladwell wrote these chapters with the purpose of persuading his target audience, and wrote with them in mind. He contextualizes his arguments for the readers

The act of ownership has the power to completely take over one’s sense of self and identity. More specifically, in today’s society, people have become so consumed with wanting to own certain tangible and intangible aspects in order to portray themselves in their desired persona.

Finding a gift or a piece of clothing that is not what was expected or unappealing can be disappointing and can cause distractions on insubstantial stuff. Do I have to keep this? Can I get rid of this? Will everyone be looking at me when I have this with me? Do I have a choice? In Gary Soto’s “The Jacket” the young man receives a jacket he dislikes greatly and does not appeal to his wants. In addition, Soto uses literary elements, symbols and figurative language to influence the overarching theme that being concentrated on your self image can be a distraction to what needs to be done or needs to be the main focus.

In the text "On Dumpster Diving," Lars Eighner gives us an inside depth of what it's like being homeless and having to dumpster dive for living. Lars Eighner shows how dumpster diving has become a full-time job because it's the only way he can survive. Eighner claims that dumpster diving requires a lot of effort, he made some rules that would help others in the same situation become more efficient and find supplies that are useful for their survival.Dumpster diving has helped Eighner realize that materialistic things aren't necessary and that you should live off necessity. Eighner used to invest on materials that weren't necessary, but dumpster diving has helped him find value in his life and it helped him realize that people need must be grateful for what they have. In today's society a lot of people invest so much on materials that they want, but aren't necessary. Once their belongings aren't deemed useful anymore they just throw it out. I found it

¨Nature never became a toy to a wise spirit¨, as Ralph Waldo Emerson once said. In the 1800’s he went to live in the woods and was deeply humbled by the experience. Even today we can still learn from Emerson 's wisdom. Some of the lessons that Ralph Waldo Emerson shared remain relevant today. These concepts are that everything has value and should be treated that way.

Can people own something that they can’t see? Ownership -- the state of being in control or in possession of something -- can be tangible or intangible. The things people own have value, but in society, one’s value consists of more than just the material items he or she possesses. By owning innate moral and beneficial qualities, one can add tremendous value to society while improving his or her character. Ownership and control of anything --tangible or intangible-- often lead to striving for more of whatever one obtains. However, ownership of intangible things can have a more valuable impact on one’s sense of self than tangible things, which can often blur one’s identity and can take over his or her life.

Another example of when a check digit is used is in barcode numbers. The majority of products that you can buy have a 13-digit number on them, which is scanned to get all the product details, such as the price. This 13-digit number is referred to as the ‘GTIN-13’ where ‘GTIN’ stands for Global Trade Item Number.

There are times in our lives where the things we carry can have a major impact on us, whether if it is our emotions, the essential items we need or the items that signify a sentimental value to us. As we all travel through life, we tend to experience many obstacles along the way that will cause a significant emotional reaction within you, whether if it was a painful, harmful and positive or a negative experience, we endure all of these emotions throughout our lives that mold us to the person we are today. Not only do we carry our emotions but we also tend to have a collection of essential items we need or items that signify a sentimental value to us.

Struggles with family relations. Bullying. Inconformity. All of these are reasons that, at the early age of 16, Rod Dreher, the author of The Little Way of Ruthie Leming, left his home in St. Francisville to pursue his own aspirations, to escape his tormented childhood. However, years later, after having built up a life outside of Starhill, Rod moves back to his old hometown; this happens not because the town, the people, or the social order changed in any manor, but because Rod developed a new perspective on the entirety of that which was St. Francisville, Louisiana.

Theories of late adulthood development are quite diverse in later adulthood than at any other age. They include self-theory, identity theory and stratification theory. The self-theory tries to explain the core self and search to maintain one’s integrity and identity. The older adults tend to integrate and incorporate their various experiences with their vision and mission for their respective community (Berger, 2008). Also, the older people tend to feel that their attitude, personalities and beliefs have remained in a stable state over their lives even as they acknowledge that physical changes have taken place in their bodies. Objects, things and even places become precious as a way to hold on to identity that has been there for quite some

The element called gold can almost stay forever. Elements are what most things in the universe are made of. But what does the meaning "Nothing Gold can Stay"? And how do The Outsiders somehow relate to it? It could honestly have more meanings than one if you really, really thought about it. But, that 's all that takes. Just a little bit thought.

Why do people shoot small bucks year after year? Is it meaningful or do they do it to show it off? Sometimes I ask myself the same questions. I was brought up to shoot a small one then keep going bigger every year, or to let them go to grow another year. I always wonder if people think about how many big bucks there would be if more small/little bucks were passed up each year. The potential for monster bucks is there, but not only one person in the community can be letting young bucks go knowing that they will probably step over the property line and get shot.

Receiving an object holds much more meaning than that of just the object itself. To say that a token, handed down for generations in a family, just represents a token is blasphemous. All objects, items, and gifts symbolize an interpretation that validates a connection between a party to another. In the case of Fennelly and her father’s scarf, the symbolic meaning behind the scarf is indirectly assumed as the adult relationship between her and her father. The relationship was one of smotherment and differing points of views for the scarf symbolized the narrow-mind life which Fennelly had as of result of her father.

As time and age inch around the corner, the items that are gathered throughout the years become memorabilia. Many of those items are valued less because there was not much love that went into making them. However, my parents are true reminders that homemade gifts are greater than any store-bought gift.