Summary Of Beyond The Culture Wars By Gerald Graff
Gerald Graff, a professor of English at the University of Chicago, has written several books containing various approaches to learning and education. In one of these books Beyond the Culture Wars an excerpt titled “Disliking Books” recounts his struggle with reading throughout his academic career and focuses on the experiences that changed his perspectives on literature and, ultimately, encouraged him to pursue a career in teaching literature. The excerpt is summarized below in this paper as part of my studies in English literature. In his youth, Gerald Graff had an unabashed stance on books—he didn't like them at all. Growing up as Jew in an urban Chicago neighborhood, he was vulnerable to being bullied, and demonstrating any culmination of intellect would have only made him an easier target. Those that showed interest in school were also often stereotyped. To Graff, reading had no conceivable purpose only unintended risks. …show more content…
He recalls reading in middle-school about the potential knowledge could have on his personal growth and understanding of the world, but he lacked the motivation. Graff’s farther recommended books to him which he believed would encourage his son to read. It was all in vain. Graff knowing that, for him at least, college was next the venue, after eliminating other fields of study, he decided to major in what he believed to be non-career-specific, English. Graff, no longer preoccupied by malice from his peers, was stimulated to do well in college by sheer desire to pass his courses; however, he still found serious reading difficult and foreign regardless of the material. When in class and asked to opine on the reading he completed, though literate, he spoke in a way which he states felt unnatural compared to other
Summary Of Hidden Intellectualism By Gerald Graff
1342 Words | 6 PagesHe simply argues that by having people writing or discussing a topic of their interest, they will be inspired to write intellectually and be more inclined towards academics. He informs the reader that by talking about sports with friends he was able to create well-developed arguments to defend his points (247). It is possible to explore something that you are ardent about with others to expand one’s writing abilities, but I do not believe talking about your favorite subject is sufficient enough. I believe that students need some form of instruction, especially at a young age, and it is the “weighty” subjects where someone can expand their thinking more so than subjects such as cars and sports, which have a finite set of outcomes and what occurs is more discrete, or factual (244). Graff also states that when people have to do academic work they isolate themselves and keep to themselves to do that work.
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Summary Of Disliking Books By Gerald Graff
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Summary Of Why Literature Matters By Dana Gioias
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Summary Of Why Literature Matters By Dana Gioia
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Christopher Graff's Literary Analysis
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514 Words | 3 PagesShowing the reader positives of reading in a factual way can be very persuasive. He then goes on to use strong and persuasive diction to support his claim, stating “The decline of literary reading foreshadows serious long-term social and economic problems, and it is time to bring literature and the other arts into discussions of public policy.” Using a slight guilt technique can persuade the reader. This strong diction continues to support his claim. And finally he ends his essay saying that the qualities gained from reading are not skills that “society can afford to
Summary Of Disliking Books By Gerald Graff
635 Words | 3 PagesDisliking Books is an article written by Gerald Graff. In the article that Graff discusses his transformation from hating and fearing the whole spectrum reading any kind of serious books, to becoming a college professor. According to Graff, he was unable to relate to any books other than comic books, and sports magazines. Graff recalled that the ethnically mixed neighborhood that he grew up in put him in danger of getting beat up by the rougher children that considered bookworms to be sissys.
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