Writing a Literary Narative (Literature & Language Essay)

Literacy Narrative
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Literacy Narrative
When you watch videos and listen to talks of intellectuals on literature, one is easily fascinated. These talks make one want to read more books and see them through the same lenses as these individuals. However, experiences differ, and while some people might have an easier time reading and grasping themes from a book, others struggle. For the latter lot, this could mean a failing grade because reading and analysis become more crucial as one moves from one grade to another. Such instances could be discouraging, especially when one is trying their best. It is possible for a student to experience a ripple effect and one that could greatly impact their performance in other subjects as well.
Well, my elementary and middle school experience was not any different. I was energetic, I did my homework on time, and was never late in all that I was called upon to deliver. However, as I started high school, we did a lot of reading, and even though I did enjoy reading, the analysis side of things always left me clueless. I did enjoy all the stories we read, and I was always looking forward to when we started a new book. But that was just about it. From that point, I think my mind drifted to other places as the entire class embarked on the process of analyzing the stories. To me, the stories were to be read and taken as they were. Breaking them down had me asking a lot of questions because, at first, it never occurred to me that the authors could have hidden messages within their stories, plays, or poems. This problem, of course, started in middle school. However, I ignored it because, in middle school, I did everything I was asked to do and felt comfortable with the marks and grades I got. Something in me often felt like there was another level to the reading I was doing, but I was somehow comfortable with how things were and thus did not inquire further: follow the teacher’s instructions and do as asked. Life never felt any easier.
However, as high school came knocking, my shallow reading and understanding of books was slowly being exposed. One particular book that comes to mind is A Raisin in the Sun. This play was quite interesting, and I did enjoy reading it. What I never expected were the many assignments that came after we finished reading. First, we were asked to write a summary of the book. Summaries are easy to write, and I was confident that I would get a good mark on this particular assignment. For this assignment, I did what I had always done before: I introduced the book, author, and the title, I described the plot, major plot points, the main characters, and finally I described the events in the book. This was quite easy, and I was among the best when the assignments were given back. I...