Jonathan Kozol’s essay “The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society” argues that illiteracy has a profound impact on individuals and society as a whole. He cites statistics showing that those who cannot read are more likely to be unemployed, incarcerated, and living in poverty. He also discusses the linguistic barriers that prevent many people from accessing education and other opportunities.
Kozol’s essay is a powerful indictment of the societal ills that result from illiteracy. He makes a strong case for the importance of literacy and its role in ensuring equality and opportunity for all. This essay is essential reading for anyone concerned with social justice or the negative effects of illiteracy.
Developing new writing strategies has always been a difficult process for me, however the three essays I have included below (a summary and response, visual analysis, and rhetorical criticism) have given me greater insight into different ways of approaching writing.
These methods include summarizing key points, working with others to generate ideas, editing and revising drafts, and discussing my work with classmates or professors. By employing these strategies while composing the following pieces, I have found myself gradually understanding how to become a more effective writer overall.
Jonathan Kozol’s book, The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society, is a great example of the process I went through while working on these three pieces.
Kozol begins his book with a description of what he calls “the geography of failure.” He argues that there are two Americas: one that is rich and one that is poor. The America that is rich is made up of people who have access to education, health care, and good jobs. The America that is poor is made up of people who do not have access to these things. Kozol argues that the poor are not to blame for their situation; rather, he blames the government and society for not doing more to help them.
In the first essay, I summarized Kozol’s argument and responded to it. In the summary, I explained that Kozol believes there are two Americas: one that is rich and one that is poor. He argues that the poor are not to blame for their situation; rather, he blames the government and society for not doing more to help them. In the response, I agreed with Kozol’s argument and said that the government and society should do more to help the poor.
In the second essay, I did a visual analysis of a photograph from Jonathan Kozol’s book, The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society. In the visual analysis, I explained how the photograph showed some of the ways in which illiteracy can have negative consequences.
The first essay is a summary of “The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society” by Jonathan Kozol. The purpose of the essay is to raise awareness about the issue of illiteracy in the United States and inform people about how countless Americans deal with this problem on a daily basis.
Jonathan Kozol’s purpose for writing this piece is to bring attention to the national issue and shame those who have the power to do something about it, but have chosen not to. Jonathan Kozol begins his essay by giving statistics of the literacy rates in other countries compared to that of the United States.
The U.S. is ranked twenty-third in the world for adult literacy, which is appalling considering we are supposed to be one of the richest and most powerful nations. Jonathan Kozol then goes into describing some of the real people he has met who deal with illiteracy on a daily basis. One man he interviewed had an eighth grade education and was trying hard to get his GED so he could provide a better life for his family.
The man had to work two jobs and still could not make enough money to support his family, so his wife had to take a job as well. Jonathan Kozol also interviewed a woman who was barely literate and had trouble reading even simple things like a street sign.
She told Jonathan Kozol that she was embarrassed by her illiteracy and did not want people to know because she felt like they would judge her. Jonathan Kozol then talks about how illiteracy affects children and their future.
He interviewed a mother who could not help her son with his homework because she could not read, which caused him to get lower grades and eventually drop out of school. Jonathan Kozol ends his essay by talking about the government’s response, or lack thereof, to the issue of illiteracy.
He talks about how the government spends more money on prisons than it does on education, which he believes is a large part of the problem. Jonathan Kozol’s essay is effective in raising awareness about the issue of illiteracy in the United States. He uses real-life examples to show how this problem affects people on a daily basis. Jonathan Kozol’s essay is also effective in persuading people that something needs to be done about this problem.
The government needs to invest more money in education so that children can have a better future and adults can have a better quality of life. Jonathan Kozol’s essay is important because it brings attention to an issue that is often overlooked. Too many people in the United States deal with illiteracy on a daily basis, and something needs to be done about it. Jonathan Kozol’s essay is well-written and persuasive, and it is an important piece of writing.
The second essay is a visual analysis of a photograph from Jonathan Kozol’s book, The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society. In the visual analysis, I explained how the photograph showed some of the ways in which illiteracy can have negative consequences. The photograph shows a mother and her son looking at a bookshelf in a bookstore. The mother is looking at the titles of the books, but she does not appear to be able to read them.
The child is standing next to her, and he also appears to be looking at the books. However, the child’s expression is one of boredom, and it seems as though he is not really interested in the books. The photograph shows how illiteracy can affect both children and adults.
It also shows how literacy is important for both education and enjoyment. The mother in the photograph is not able to read the titles of the books, so she is not able to select a book that her son might enjoy.
This could have a negative impact on his education, as he may not be exposed to as much literature as he would be if his mother could read. In addition, the photograph shows how illiteracy can impact people’s enjoyment of life.