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Yovana Vielma
STACC
Mr. Hanvey
6 October 2014

The Importance Of Literature

Literature is a form in which one can become independent from the rest of the society
rather than depending on someone for help, since one has the power to read, write, and
communicate. Not does it help for one to become knowledgeable and successful in a career but it
can also help determine the class in which one stands in society. The mindset in which I had
about literature was negative at first because I believed that it was only filled with reading, but so
little did I knew that literature played a bigger role not only in my life but in societys as well.

Throughout my whole education so little did I knew that the importance of knowing
literature played a bigger role, not only in society but it also described the amount of success one
could have. Knowing literature was a way in which one can become independent from society
rather than depending on someone for help, since one has the power to read, write, and
communicate. Even though, the power of literature wasn't made as clear in my early stage of
education, at first I believed that literature was created for people to communicate their feelings
but never did I looked beyond the true meaning.The fixed mindset in which I had on literature

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before was negative until I reached the the 6th grade of Middle School. I used to have a fixed
mindset on literature because I believed that it was only filled shakespearean reading. In which
made it hard for me to understand since it felt as if I was learning a whole new language. The
troubles in which I had the most, was on my vocabulary and writing skills. It all started when I
changed districts from El Monte to Arcadia when I was in 4th grade they realized I was behind
the educational level from the rest of the students. But as time passed never did I have a teacher
who encouraged me to become better on my reading and writing skills but instead I was left on
my own to learn without any guidance. As time passed the fixed mindset that I had on literature
started to grow and the interest in which I had on literacy started to decrease making it harder for
me to understand the true meaning of literacy. As said in the article The Perils and Promise of
Praise,
Working with junior high school students, Good, Aronson, and Inzlicht (2003) found an
increase in math and English achievement test scores; working with college students, Aronson,
Fried, and Good (2002) found an increase in students' valuing of academics, their enjoyment of
schoolwork, and their grade point averages.
The quote from the article The Perils and the promise of Praise by Caral Dweck, said that not the
praise but the motivation can help the student improve their mindset. Because I had a different
teacher whom stood out because she motivated me, she made my fixed mindset change into
growth mindset allowing me to open my eyes around my surrounding and see the beauty of
literature. Although, there were still going to be challenges in literature it still impacts who one is
and how much one can succeed.
The obstacles one may face for not knowing literature is that people would want to
manipulate others for not knowing how to read, write, and communicate. Like the book The

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Freedom Writers Diary with Erin Gruwell, the students which wrote their Diaries at 1st had a
fixed mindset on literature. Even though, they all tried to do their best in school when they were
younger they soon lost hope since they were faced with material they didn't know about or
another reason is that they were told that they couldn't be successful. Since they were currently
failing their educational life they believed they were going to stay in the same position as their
parents. Most of the struggles in which are seen with the freedom writers are that they are
dealing with is economical issues. But the reason they are faced with economical issues is that
their parents literacy isnt as good which causes them to face struggles one with a higher
education doesnt have. The way literature can have an influence on determining social class is
important since the higher the education the more successful one is in being in a higher class.
Therefore, their understanding of literature is higher since they are more free to express their
ideas openly in which allows them to defend themselves from those who want to take advantage.
As for someone with poor literature on the other hand, needs to depend on someone else to be
successful, not knowing that the person who is helping them might be the one taking advantage
of them. In the freedom writers Diary with Erin Gruwell, Diary 11 talks about a boy named
Aaron who has a dyslexic disorder. A disorder in which caused him to be in a disadvantage in his
literature because his way of communicating through writing made it impossible because he
could only write backwards. Because the student has a problem communicating his feelings
through his writing many of the students and teachers view it as a way to take advantage of his
abilities. As Aaron started to improve his communication of writing, his peers slowly start to
have a change in mind. Therefore, the more one knows literature the lesser chance one has to be
taken advantage from others since they are able to defend themselves because they have the
knowledge of communicating their own ideas.

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The knowing of the true meaning of literature can bring one to success but just knowing
the word or what it is can bring misfortunes. Like Aaron I can relate to him because we were
both faced with the struggles of literature in which we later realized the importance it played in
our society. The fixed mindsets in which we both had on literature was due to the struggles of
wanting to become better without receiving someones guidance which only left us to lose hope.
No longer would the feeling of being alienated from society would be felt since we will be able
to communicate our thoughts. People from our surroundings who tried to take advantage because
our knowledge of literature was basic wont be able to anymore since we will be able to defend
ourselves. No matter who would try to bring us down, we will keep fighting to learn more from
literature instead of viewing it as an enemy. Because we both came across a teacher who helped
us become motivated about literature they came to show us that it is possible to improve even
though we will be faced with obstacles. The learning of literature and knowing how to apply it
isnt as easy as it sounds but with effort one can find the true meaning of what is literature.
Literature is more than just being able to read, write, and to be able to communicate but instead
its a path in which can help one become successful economically and intellectual.
The advantage in which one has just by knowing literature can create equality and the
freedom of being able to express one thoughts even if people try to bring one down. The I have A
Dream Speech by Martin Luther King Jr., describes the importance in which literature plays in
our daily lives. The amount of literature one consumes determines the class in which one would
belong to, such as high class, middle class, and low class. Because Martin Luther King Jr was
able to get a high education he was able to fight the segregation between the different races and
fight for the rights of people. Because Martin Luther king Jr. was able to be literate, he used

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literature to get the message across about racial issues other than accepting inequality,
discrimination, and the unavailable sources they didn't have access to such as education.
Now is the time to make the real promises of Democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark
and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlight path of racial justice. Now is the time to open
the doors of opportunity to all of Gods children. Now is the time to lift our nation from the
quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.(Pg.190)
In the quote he expresses his mind and tells the people of different race to not be afraid of what
the people in power would do because he was able to protect himself and not be manipulated by
them. The power of literature can let one be free in expressing their thoughts without being afraid
of being pushed down.
In addition, the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, describes that even though
one can be very wealthy and have had the best education, if one doesn't use their literature in
their communication skills correctly it can lead to their own down fall. In the book The Great
Gatsby, the character Gatsby who is a man with a high knowledge of literature is known for
being wealthy. Even though, Gatsby was filled with richness he wasn't able to express himself
freely to his one true love Daisy. The achieving of a higher education in literature can help one
to read, write and communicate in order to be successful but that cant always be the case. As
expressed in the book The Great Gatsby, Gatsby was a man who had everything in which
someone with a high education can achieve but because he was stuck in time it showed that not
only does a higher can determine ones success but how one manages to use it to their benefit.
Unlike Martin Luther King Jr, the freedom writers, and those students whom have a growth
mindset, Gatsby on the other hand didnt acknowledge the resources was around with such as
communication in which only led to his downfall.

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In the end, Literature is an important factor in our daily lives in order to be successful and
to be able to not depend on anyone. Knowing how to read, write and communicate can give one
a higher advantage of not being decieved since one is able to defend themselves. Such as Aaron
from the Freedom Writers, Martin Luther king, Caral Dweck and myself can bring success if one
is motivated to grow their knowledge in literacy in order to to gain more benefit. But that doesnt
always guarantee that being more literate can guarantee that one would be able to communicate
ones thoughts more inefficiently such as Gatsby. But the importance of literacy will matter no
matter where one is because it can play out the class one is in society.Therefore, in order to
become successful it doesn't truly rely on the amount of literature one has but if we actually put
it in use in order to benefit our success. What determines our success isnt if weather or not we
are accepting the use of literacy but if we can use it to benefit ourselves.

Bibliography

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Dweck, Caral.The Perils and Promise of Praise. 2007.Canvas

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York, NY: Scribner, 1925. Print.
King, Martin Luther, Jr. I Have A Dream Readings For Revolutionary Writing.Boston:
Beaford/St Martins, 2013, 189-192.Print.
The FreedomWriters With Erin Gruwell. The Freedom Writers Diary.New York:Broadway
Books,209.Print