Author: Vanessa

After reading “A Talk to Teachers” what I got from it was that Baldwin develops the idea that “the purpose of education” is to develop one’s “ability to look at the world for himself, to make his own decisions, to say to himself this is black or this is white, to decide for himself whether there is a God in heaven or not.” Baldwin shows the importance of a person’s being encouraged to question and think critically about society rather than to “simply obey the rules of society.” That goes with what he said”the world is larger” Baldwin believed there is more to the world , that it’s ok to question it’s what a student gets educated from.  Baldwin teaches about racism that I myself didn’t know that Children become aware of racism at school, then to unequal treatment as they grow into adulthood. Many people have emotions when it comes to racism it’s not fair people have Togo through this because its “Part of society”. Baldwin warns that the “energy” of this anger will be released in destructive ways if it is not addressed by American society. While reading he states that the entire purpose of education is to “create in a person the ability to look at the world for himself, to make his own decisions, to say to himself this is black or this is white, to decide for himself whether there is a God in heaven or not.” Baldwin considers the ability to think for oneself central to humanity. Society needs citizens who will obey its rules, and for many the purpose of education is to teach this obedience. Baldwin argues that this is a misguided  because societies need free thinking, change to thrive. Then he says that education can best impact American society by teaching its young people not to merely follow the rules but to value, trust, and act on how they truly experience and understand life.

When Mike Bunn writes “You are already an author” at first I thought it meant that while I’m reading I have to think like a writer, an author but he truly meant that you are an author example right now I’m writing . Or when I text to my friends, When I’m writing an essay these are ways that make you a writer ,writing based on your opinions and thoughts all your work that’s a reason that makes us an author. I write everyday I use my phone to write when I text ,when I need to share some stories to family about certain things. When I do that I’m sharing my story based on what happened or happens to me or anyone and the words I use are important it’s what helps them understand my feelings, my emotions, my thoughts that way they can sort of feel what I’m telling them, being in my position. While reading “How to Read Like a Writer” it’s helping me to realize especially in college I shouldn’t just read to just read but to understand it and to know how to feel the words that I’m reading to better understand it. That way when I write I just put myself in the place of an author and a reader so it can make a better sense to me and learn to be creative and open minded on the words I write and read.

What I took from Mike Bunn and his words  was to want to learn how to better read a story to believe the words you both write and read at the same time. In the book he says “The goal as you read like a writer is to locate what you believe are the most important writerly choices…Then you can go one step further and imagine what different choices the author might have made instead,”(Page 72). That stuck to me because I would never understand why you would have to care better of believe what you read if it’s just something you just have to do but. It’s what will make you better at what you want to do like write.