Learning To Read And Write Superman And Me Essay

“I refused to fail. I was smart. I was arrogant. I was lucky. I read books late into the night, until I could barely keep my eyes open” (Alexie 17). This quote, from Sherman Alexie’s “Learning to Read and Write: Superman and Me,” describes a young Indian boy’s ambition to read and write, to be literate. The same ambition I saw in myself when I was learning to read and write. The meaning of literacy, to me, has always been the next step towards success. I searched for success at an early age; looking back, I surprise myself on how quickly I advanced. In my early years of junior high, I stumbled across “The Inheritance” by Louisa May Alcott. This story, said to be Alcott’s first novel written before she was twenty, is about an Italian orphan who works for a rich family, but soon finds out she is the true heir to the family’s

I looked forward to a time at which it would be safe for me to plan my escape. I was too young to think of doing so immediately; besides I wished to learn how to read and write, as I might have occasion to write my own pass (122).

I too saw an escape through reading and writing, so I buckled down, did the best I could in school, and read as many books as my weary eyes could handle. I also wanted to learn to read and write to be able to give back. Becoming literate will give me the opportunity to give back to my family. I could then let her know that I appreciate her sacrifices that held our family together. Like Sherman Alexie who gave back by visiting schools to teach Indian students creative writing, as mentioned in “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me,” I too wanted to give back but in a different way. I figured that by becoming literate and educated, I would be able to help my mother support the family. Thus, making life easier for us, maybe she would have the opportunity to quit one of her jobs. I would never be able to achieve this goal, or success, without reading and