What’s Your Literary Diet?

Just as I am what I eat, I am what I read. Books fuel my mind and soul. When I finish reading a book, I usually feel satisfied, but in some cases I'm still hungry, and occasionally a book just doesn't sit well in my stomach. Although I don't follow any set literary diet, I have reaped the greatest benefits by reading extensively from a wide variety of materials. Every book I read is essential in its own way, and without the balance provided by each of their nutritional values, I think I would be malnourished. Of course, I can always eat better, but given the number of hours in my day, I strive to maintain a healthy intake and my soul seems to crave that which it needs. So, just as the food pyramid encourages robust physical health, perhaps there is a similar model for books — one that fosters optimal intellectual health.

Grains sit at the base of the pyramid. Most grains are filling and are a necessary staple to any diet. Books at the base of the reading pyramid are no different. I have read many staple books. The works of Dan Brown and Philippa Gregory come to mind; The Da Vinci Code and The Other Boleyn Girl are riveting and masterfully crafted. I admire "grain" books for their intricate story lines, well developed characters, and ability to connect me to the characters and feel everything that they experience. My Sister's Keeper is a perfect example of this. Picoult tied my heart to that book, making it a much more powerful read. Grain books are amazing pieces of literature, but they leave social, political, and racial injustices largely unexplored. So, just like the bread you get at a restaurant before the main course is meant to spark your appetite, reading grain books has encouraged me to find more detailed texts for deeper reading on subjects. For example, Philippa Gregory's stories about rags-to-riches monarchies were so fascinating that they ignited my interest in medieval history and royal lineage, and I have borrowed countless histories from the library trying to set the complex stories straight in my own mind.

Fruits and vegetables are just above grains in the food pyramid. I love fruits. The colors, textures, and tastes make each fruit unique. Each time I read a "fruit" book, I feel as if I have learned something from one of its qualities, be it the book's colorful language or characters, the sweetness or sourness of its message, or the intricate layers the author has crafted to create texture. I always finish a fruit book satisfied. My favorite such book is The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver; I loved the author's use of multiple narrators to tell the story from varying perspectives. I also marveled at the extended metaphors that were developed throughout the text. Another favorite fruit book is The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant, a wonderfully crafted narrative of a group of women and the bond they share. The allusions and imagery Diamant uses add another level to this epic novel from a unique point of view.

"Vegetable" books are the ones you don't always want to read, but you have to anyway. For me, vegetable books are the books about something that does not interest me. For example, Sophie's World, by Jostein Gaarder, was a thick text about philosophers. It took time to get used the style of writing, long chapters, and dull story line, but after I finished it, I could feel the vegetable-like benefits. I felt healthier for having read a book so far outside my usual diet. The Life of Pi, by Yann Martel, was initially a vegetable book for me, as well. I didn't like the beginning of the book, had a very hard time believing the middle of the book, and was mad when the final plot twist happened and everything I had been told to believe was reversed. I didn't realize how powerful and engaging the writing had been until the book made this unexpected turn. I felt sympathy for the main character and finished the book with a much more open mind. The thing about vegetables – and vegetable books – is that they are rarely as bad as you initially make them out to be. Once you get used to their taste and experience their nutritional value, eating them doesn't seem like such a pain.

"Protein" books are deeply motivating stories, autobiographies about success and perseverance, or the books that make you think. They are meaty, dense with meaningful content that sticks with you. The first protein book I remember reading was Lance Armstrong's autobiography, It's Not About the Bike. Lance's vulnerable and honest voice inspired me to reevaluate the way I lived my life and the things I deemed important. The Post-American World, by Fareed Zakaria, was full of ideas about American culture and "the rise of the rest." It was an enlightening book about the changing of power globally. Protein books give you the power to question the world around you and insight into things that might need to be changed.

Dairy products come next as we move up the pyramid. Not all readers can tolerate "dairy" books. These stories tell the sad or unsettling tales of loss, loneliness, injustice, or desperation. Ceremony was hard to digest, but this beautifully crafted story by Leslie Marmon Silko opened my eyes to how cruel the United States has been to its minority veterans. It also shed light on the reasons behind Native American alcohol abuse and poverty. Toni Morrison's Beloved was similar, in that it highlighted a minority — African Americans — and provided new insight into the struggles they experienced. Although not everyone can tolerate these books, reading them helps us grow, overcome barriers, and stop perpetuating injustices.

At the tip of the pyramid are the fats. These delicious indulgences can be hard to avoid. My favorite "fat" novels are the books in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series; the quick, shallow text provides a necessary break after a stressful day. I don't advocate reading mass quantities of these books, but I think they are necessary in balancing one's reading diet.

My English class is reading, Reading Lolita in Tehran. When the government starts to ban certain books, in this novel, I couldn't help but think about how my "literary" diet would be affected if the United States censored what I read. Most of the books I mentioned above could be banned for a number of reasons: abuse of alcohol, polygamy, adultery, cheating, and premarital sex. My argument to those in favor of censoring literature is that they should keep in mind their literary diet. Just because the words on the list above are "immoral," does not make the reader immoral. In fact, I have gained much insight and perspective from "immoral" characters than from the model citizens. In order to be a healthy person, you need to nourish yourself with all the food groups. In order to nourish your mind, you need to read from all the different groups.

Until Next time,

Ali

“Next to a sincere compliment, I think I like a well-deserved and honest rebuke.” ~William Feather

William Feather was successful editor in Cleveland, Ohio. His quote, "Next to a sincere compliment, I think I like a well-deserved and honest rebuke" is one that I think should be explored by people who have the power to influence others. I cannot count the number of times that a teacher has graded my work without sharing with me the reasons behind their opinions. In certain cases, I have received the top grade. Although that is always exciting, sometimes I make comments or connections that I hope the teacher sees as insightful or at least note worthy. On the other hand, there have been times when I have received a failing score with no explanation.

Memory…

I still remember a 5^th grade assignment where my class was required to make an "All About Me Book," consisting of information about our favorite hobbies, vacations, memories, etc. I don't remember what I talked about, but I remember my teacher praising my creativity, I think she even used my book as an example to my classmates. I remember feeling motivated to continue to do the best work I was capable of, because I enjoyed the way my hard work was received by my teacher. Similarly, I remember writing a short story for my sophomore English teacher. I turned in the first draft, confident that it was a quality short story. It was not. Luckily, it was graded only for completion, but more importantly, my teacher took time to give me criticism and compliments to aid in the process of rewriting. He told me to elaborate on imagery, develop the characters, and leave the reader with strong emotions. I remember being frustrated because I couldn't imagine fitting all of those elements into a SHORT story. His constructive criticism showed me HE had faith in my story and that with some reworking it could be something great. This motivated me. Instead of requiring one rewrite, he required many and only graded it when he thought it was our best work. I looked through my records and found the final version of this assignment and one of the first drafts. Even to this day, I smile at the final draft because I was able to learn a lot and submit a final product that I was proud of.

Both of these teachers had something in common: Interest. Interest in communicating with their students, interest in helping students understand the difference between good work and great work, interest in connecting with the student, interest is caring about the student's success. In a large class, I am always motivated by my teachers interest, be it in my assignments, my well-being, or my extracurricular activities, I like knowing that my teacher cares about me, and finds me interesting enough to get to know.

One definition of interest is, to cause a personal concern; induce to participate. Ways that people can show interest are, like William Feather stated, through a sincere compliment or through criticism. If neither of the two is given, what will motivate the student to continue to work hard? For some students, good grades are enough incentive to keep trying hard, but some students need someone to show interest in their work in order to be interested in it themselves.

Personal Story….

When I started my blog, I was excited that people would read my thoughts. However, after posting my second post all I could think of was who will want to read this? What makes my thoughts so important? I am grateful for all of the comments that I got on my blog about The Other Side of Learning; they have motivated me to write each post with care and consideration. Also, knowing that someone is reading what I am writing and more importantly, they care enough to comment on my opinions tells me that what I am writing is worthwhile.

For most students, criticism = mad grade. This article examines the difference between teachers nurturing their students and babying them with too many meaningless compliments. The happy medium for me is my story from above about my sophomore English teacher. When I wasn't afraid of failure or a bad grade, I was more receptive to constructive criticism. I knew that he had my best interest in mind throughout the assignment. I knew that he was interested in helping me understanding how to succeed rather than pointing out all the flaws in my writing. In a world where students are more concerned with grades and teachers are critical of the work their students are submitting, everyone needs to remember where their interests should lie. Teachers should be interested in motivating their students to succeed and they should be interested in finding ways to relate to each and every student (this means they have to show interest in each and every student). Students need to be interested in learning, not the final grade. If both parties stay true to their end of the deal, both sides should walk away feeling accomplished.

Here are some quotes to consider…

"He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help"~Abraham Lincoln

"Before you go and criticize the younger generation, just remember who raised them."~Unknown

Until next time…

Ali

The Other Side of Learning

Education is important. As an adolescent going through the school system, I can honestly say that school is preparing me to become a contributing member of society not just a knowledgeable person. Many people think that the point of going to school is to learn math, science, reading, and writing, but that is only half of the truth. The famous quote, “Life is a journey, not a destination” can be applied to the idea of education; education is a journey, not a destination.

The most important things I have learned in school are as follows (in no particular order):

1. I learned how to listen
2. I learned how to work with my peers (both smarter and less smart than myself)
3. I learned how to communicate with adults
4. I learned how to articulate my ideas
5. I learned how to ask questions
6. I learned how to ask for help
7. I learned how to manage my time
8. I learned the importance of integrity
9. I learned how to defend my opinions
10. I learned how to respect other people’s opinions
11. I learned how to be social
12. I learned how to study
13. I learned how to solve problems
14. I learned to think creatively

The process of learning things has taught me more about the world, people, and myself than any lecture has ever done. A population without this rite is at a great disservice, because if the youth don’t learn about these important aspects of their lives before they are brainwashed by the thinking’s of their society then when will they learn?

In English class we have been reading The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver. I came across this passage and I was saddened by its implications, “crowds of boys from our village and the next one over come straggling in for their education. It’s only the boys, and not all of them either, since most of the parents don’t approve of learning French or the other foreign element in general” ( 126). One thing that strikes me in this passage is that all of the boys don’t go to school. Later on in the passage Rachel (the speaker) says, “by the time they are twelve or so, their education is over and out.” I understand that boys and girls are expected to help keep the village functioning, but if a little more time and effort were invested into education then the village could greatly benefit from increased efficiency and higher technology. Another thing I noticed was the parent’s rejection of education. They are stuck in a vicious cycle. The parents are only repeating what they did as children, but societies like these need education. The amounts of good that a sound education could provide for places like this are endless. The most disheartening thing about this passage was the fact that girls are neglected an education. I know how different their lives could be if they were educated. I draw a lot of my confidence from the knowledge and schooling that I have. I am able to talk to anyone, man or women, professor or waiter because I have confidence in my ability to articulate my ideas, confidence to defend my ideas, and the confidence that I deserve their time. People believe what they are taught, and if you are taught that your role in the family is to cook, clean, and bear children, then that becomes your personal narrative. However, if you are able to go to school and be exposed to different cultures, ideologies, and experiences or if you are able to be taught by someone who harnesses your potential then the course of your life could be incredibly altered. For me, my mind has been opened by studying the craft behind language and I have been empowered by teachers who have pushed me to my intellectual limits.

The oppression of girls around the world is scary, as I was reading about women in Saudi Arabia, I found this bit of information from A Human Rights Watch report (July 8, 2009). Saudi law “requires Saudi women to obtain permission from male guardians (fathers, husbands, brothers, or male children) before they can carry out a host of day-to-day activities, such as education, employment, travel, opening a bank account, or receiving medical care.” Imagine if your life was manipulated by someone else, someone who might not always have your best interests in mind? The scarier thought though, is that these women might not realize the injustices that they are living in. Because it is the norm in Saudi Arabia to be subordinate to males how could women know to expect more? Education is the answer to that question, and the opportunity for both boys and girls to be educated would make the world a better place, I guarantee it.