The Stories We Read Help Define Who We Are.
Fictional literature can actually help you grow as an individual, and may even find you success.
Reading. Its apart of American culture. It enriches the mind and captures your soul. It is an escape for all of your problems and worries. But did you know that reading fiction can define who you were, who you are, and who you are going to be?
Not only can it help shape who you are as an individual it can also help your decision making. Reading is something people do on a daily basis, most often we don’t think twice about it; we may not think it has an effect on who we are, or what we do. But, a recent study lead by author Maja Djikic have found that “reading literary fiction — even something as short as ten pages — can cause short-term increases in empathy, improve decision-making, curtail snap judgments, and make people more comfortable with uncertainty.” If something as short as ten pages can do all this, imagine how much we can accomplish reading a whole book?
Literature is powerful. Something this powerful can help people advance and find success in their desired Discourse. A Discourse in the eyes of James Paul Gee is, “ways of being in the world; they are forms of life which integrate words, acts, values, beliefs, attitudes and social identities as well as gestures, glances, body positions, and clothes” (Gee 6–7). In Gee’s article “Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics: Introduction and What Is Literacy?” Gee discusses how to find success in a Discourse. In order to find success in a Discourse you need to put on an “identity kit.” Your identity kit “comes complete with the appropriate costume and instructions on how to act, talk, and often write to take on a particular role that others will recognize” (Gee 7). Maja Djikic studies indicate that reading fiction is “a kind of dress-rehearsal for real life.” This is much like Gee’s idea of the identity kit.
Temporarily placing yourself in someone else’s position when you are reading fiction allows you to experience and gain knowledge from their triumphs, defeats and, everything in between. This newly gained experience can be applied to real life situations and help guide you in positives ways. You may have learned street smarts from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, or even how to overcome your fears from Divergent by Veronica Roth. Each story you read will give you new experiences and can help you to avoid mistakes and advance and find success in you desired Discourse.
Literature has become an essential piece of my identity. I ran with Dick and Jane. I ate mounds of food with The Hungry Caterpillar. I learned to fly with Stellaluna. I wreaked havoc with The Wild Things. I helped spin Charlotte’s web. I’ve ridden in a glass elevator. I have single-handedly defeated Voldemort. I’ve travelled the world. I’ve fought demons. I’ve fallen in and out of love on numerous occasions. I have bravely left the shire to go on an adventure. I have cried with Holden Caulfield. I’ve beaten the Hunger Games (twice). I have turned into a vampire. I’ve come back from the dead. I’ve partied with Jay Gatsby. I’ve played tricks on Boo Radley. I’ve smiled with the mother of dragons. Reading is something I cherish. It is an escape for all of my problems and worries. Reality slowly melts away as I get lost in each sentence. Starting from the age of four to my current age of eighteen all of the stories I have read have given me a new perspective on life, and have helped me grow into the person I am today.
There is no doubt that fiction can change us and the way we think. You may relate to a certain series or novel that mold you into who you are. The Harry Potter Series by J.K Rowling have impacted my life the most. These books have given me an upper hand in many Discourses. Harry Potter and I have shared incredible adventures together, adventures that help me overcome obstacles that may stand in my way of finding success every day.
He has taught me to be brave, so that I never back away from a challenge. He has taught me to be loyal, so that I remember who is important to me. He has taught me to stand for what I believe is right, so that I may never lose my sense of identity. He has taught me to be humble, so that I never take what I have for granted. He has taught me compassion, so that I understand what others may face. He has taught me confidence, so that I strive for my goals and reach success. He has taught me intelligence, so that I apply myself in every aspect of life and keep on growing. If I never read these books who knows who I may be? I might have an entirely different outlook on life. Literature is powerful. Opening up a book and seeing through the eyes of another will enlighten you to make decisions, gain more empathy, and shape who you were, who you are, who you will be.
