The narrator reports that when she was a little girl, she used to love the "book of hair" at her mother's stylist's shop, which included "colorful, tactful samples, little loops of real hair that were organized by gradation . . . You could hold a curl of your new color in your hand, hold it up to your face, see how it changed in the light" (38). She goes on to report that she was "fascinated" by "all these selves you could put on" (38).
Some might say that reading stories--like this novel--or hearing them also provide ways to "put on" different selves, take them for a turn, see what it feels like to be someone different, to face different kinds of challenges, and to make different kinds of choices. While some think of reading as nothing more than mindless entertainment, critic Kenneth Burke once observed, fiction provides readers with "equipment for living."
Do you think it is concerning that fewer people read novels these days than they did in the past? That Americans read less than Europeans? That men read less than women? (Click here to read more about recent trends.)
Why do you think readership rates are declining? What role do schools play in this trend?
What is the next book you want to read? Can you recommend a book you've recently read?
I think it is concerning that we see fewer people reading novels these days. I think there are a lot of factors that go into this. One example is the internet. It is obvious that children have much more access to the internet then their parents ever did. Some could say this is the child’s fault for not “putting the screen down,” but I think that the parents should also be assigned blame. Most of our parents did not have screens growing up, so there was no way for them to see how their parents regulated them. Having children in a completely different world than one you grew up in, I am sure it was difficult to decide how to manage screens and the internet. Parents are undoubtedly going to make mistakes white figuring out how to guide their children through the internet at young ages. So, are we victims of our parents’ mistakes in how they regulated our internet access? Maybe. While we are ultimately responsible for our own choices, the boundaries that are placed on us during children have a lasting impact on our relationship with technology. - Nina Benton
ReplyDeleteThe biggest issue around declining reading rates for me is two-fold: 1. The popularization and ease of access of other mediums of art and entertainment in movies, television, and especially video games. The other is simply a compounding effect of schools and parents reading to kids less and not requiring them to read as much respectively. This has lead to kids just not picking up reading as a hobby early on in the same way they would for more interactive, stimulating mediums.
ReplyDeleteYes, I find it very concerning that people read less than they used to. I think it represents a psychological (and potentially evolutionary) change in our how our mind operates. When you read, you create the world and characters from your minds eye - building the world based on your past experiences, your hopes, your ideals. But today people tend rely on others to create that world entirely for them. Reading is effort, Creating that world is effort - but I enjoy so much the process of developing a character and their world in my minds eye. I am continually reading, and always have about 50+ books to choose from in my library awaiting for me to pick it up. My process is to finish reading a book and then by the next day go through all the potential options and pick the book that catches my interest at that moment. In terms of who is at fault, I would say it is a combination of many factors. What I see with my kiddo (who is only 8 but is an avid reader) is that he needs encouragement to read but that when we engage together with that experience, he wants to red more and more. He also sees us read and I think that is a large part of the encouragement. I read a lot, and watched my parents read a lot. I know my kiddo sees me read regularly and he reads a lot. I think it is hard to get anyone interested in an activity if you avoid that activity yourself.
ReplyDeleteI find it concerning that people do not read as much as they used to. Reading has slowly been replaced by so many other ways to spend free time. Whether it is playing sports, hanging out with friends, or just relaxing. Books often get pushed aside. I believe schools play a huge part in this; reading is often treated as just another assignment filled with quizzes and deadlines. Reading starts to feel like another chore instead of something enjoyable. I think this is when students start to lose interest in reading and choose other activities instead.
ReplyDeleteI find it very concerning that fewer people read novels these days than they did in the past. I believe that this is most likely because people nowadays are more interested in internet videos than they are in pages of a book, especially Americans. People always seem to make the argument, "Why would I read a book if I could just watch the movie?" In response, I believe that reading the book provides so much more than a movie ever could. It helps with vocabulary, imagination, and provides an escape from reality and screens. The next book that I want to read would definitely have to be 'How to Make Friends and Influence People.' Additionally, a recommendation I would always give is the book 'The Giver.'
ReplyDelete