Literacy

The title of Scribner’s article apparently provides us with the notion of what the writer is going to talk about.  She shares her thoughts on literacy in the form of three metaphors: literacy as adaptation, literacy as power, and literacy as a state of grace.  Literacy as adaptation refers to the simple “commonsense” literacy skills that many people develop in the early years of life.  Scribner states that “the literacy-as-power metaphor emphasizes a relationship between literacy and group community advancement,” and it dives into the socio-political aspect of literacy.  The last metaphor, literacy as a state of grace, tends to be understood implying “the tendency in many societies to endow the literate person with special virtues.”

Lunsford disagrees with the belief that the youth of our nation is quickly becoming illiterate and is able to back up her views with two studies on which she provides information about in her piece.  Her point of view is very obviously optimistic considering the changes that are occurring in the way that humans are reading and writing.  I agree with the fact that people are developing new ways to express through writing, but one thing that is not looked into was the obvious change in writing that has been going on for centuries now.

The opinions expressed by Sylvia Scribner and Andrea Lunsford in their texts, Literacy in Three Metaphors and Our Semi-literate Youth? Not So Fast, differ from those of Hedges and Carr greatly.  Hedges and Carr view the change in forms of reading and writing in a pessimistic manner, while Lunsford is confident in the changes and Scribner provides a sort of neutral scientific analysis of literacy.