Illiteracy and the English Dictionary
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“In the street, I had been the most articulate hustler out there- I had commanded attention when I said something. But now, trying to write simple English, I not only wasnt articulate, I wasnt even functional,” (Malcolm X 1) Malcolm X, man confined to prison had many problems, one of which was that he was Illiterate. He was extremely frustrated with himself. All he knew how to write was slang. While in prison he wrote many letters to people and never received a reply in return. Malcolm X realized that if he wanted to make it in the real world, the ability to read and write proper English would be a necessity. He used the only way that he knew to learn, which was reading the dictionary from front to back. He copied it all down on paper repeatedly. It is Very important to know how to read and write, in todays society and is very hard for one who does not know how; depending on ones own personal situation, learning to do so by reading the dictionary can or can not be a wonderful solution to a terrible problem.
Knowing how to read and write is very important. There are many hardships ahead for someone who does not possess these skills. One of many problems that an illiterate person has to deal with is not being able to communicate well with others. Communication is a huge part of our society. Not being able to do so can be a huge burden on someone. (How would I sound writing in slang, the way I would say it, something such as, “Look daddy, let me pull your coat about a cat,”) (Malcolm X 1) The inability to read and write may hinder a person from being able to get a good paying job. Most good jobs call for a college degree, or if not a degree then very good skills in reading and writing. Even a simple job such as a secretary could not be done by someone who is illiterate. The tasks of making appointments, typing up letters, and taking notes would be impossible. One might as well mop floors for the rest of their lives. Driving would also prove to be difficult. Drivers must be able to read signs on the road. If they were not capable of doing this it would be extremely unsafe. Thankfully this problem does not normally occur, since drivers must pass a written exam.
Reading a dictionary can help one learn to read because it not only shows how words are written, but it also gives the definition, and how words should be used in a sentence. Dictionaries can indeed help one to better understand the English language. Malcolm X copied from his dictionary and in doing so, helped himself greatly. The dictionary showed him exactly what he needed to learn which was spelling, sentence formation, punctuation and grammar. “I woke up the next morning, thinking about those words- immensely proud to realize that not only had I written so much at one time, but Id written words that I never even knew were in the world.”