James Nance

Ashley Marcum
UWRT 1103
1 February 2016
Culture vs. Literacy: My Memoir
If you look up the word Sonder on Google, you are directed to sites that all give a similar definition: The
realization that every person on Earth is living a life as complex and vivid as your own. In relevance to this topic, if every
passerby is living his/her own complex life, filled with unique memories and stories, each of their literacy backgrounds are
unique as well. Ones cultural background plays a huge role in shaping the literacy of that individual. Being brought up
in cultures that teach reading and writing differently will cause ones outlook on learning to differ from anothers. Ones
literary identity is shaped by the countless everyday life experiences that one must face. Given that there are eight
billion people on the planet and several hundred thousand different cultures worldwide, everyone out there has a unique
story to tell about how they learned to read and write.
A literacy memoir is a tool that writers use to help better understand their literacy and distinguish the causes and
effects of past experiences on their literacy. Usually, these will be unique to the writer in almost every way, due to the
fact that all people live unique lives. This means that those of different cultures will have different memories of their
literacy, having lived in a totally different section of the world, with different customs, habits, and even language. In his
brief literacy memoir, Cultural Schemas and Pedagogical Uses of Literacy Narratives: A Reflection on My Journey with
Reading and Writing, Ghanashyam Sharma writes about the difference in learning between India and the United States.
As a child, he remembers being told that reading and thinking have no use; plowing your field will bring you food. This

shows the extreme cultural difference between his childhood and mine. In his culture, one is expected to physically
provide for his/her family before worrying about becoming the most intelligent scholar in the world. He states that in
India, schools taught in a learn by heart attitude and that children had to demonstrate understanding in examinations
and that even as an English teacher in Nepal, he had never gone as far as asking students to reflect on and say
something in their own voice about how they learned to read and write. Clashing with most Western teaching
strategies, this cultural obstacle is evidence that people have unique learning experiences. For example, in the United
States, creative writing strategies are adopted by kids as young as six, and are pushed on them up until they graduate
from University, if they are fortunate enough. Such different views on learning by both cultures allow for the variety and
diversity of todays world.
Similar to ones learning foundation, ones dialect also shows the uniqueness of his/her literary upbringing. Slang
and accents make up ones dialect, or the way one writes and speaks. Ones dialect is a sensitive subject and is often
used as a basis when insulting ones intelligence. This, however, should not be the case. Dialect does not reflect
intelligence, but reflects ones cultural background. Lisa Delpit expresses similar views in her article, No Kinda Sense,
when she says language is one of the most intimate expressions of identity. This statement expresses that language,
and in turn dialect, are what individualized each and every one of us as human beings. After all, have you ever heard any
two people share the exact same voice? There may be similar voice comparisons, but there are always hints of difference
between them. Delpit also states that if schools were to recognize childrens dialect, or unique language, and embrace it,
the children will more readily learn the standard dialect. Yes, the children will learn it, but I believe that they will
continue to speak and write in their own home language that has become a normal custom for them. I have a life

policy that I was raised by, and that is: As long as I keep up my grades, I am free to do whatever I please. This goes in
hand with dialect: As long as you maintain intelligence, if does not matter how you choose to speak and write.
Political biases also influence ones literacy. For example, in her article, The Classroom and the Wider Culture:
Identity as a Key to Learning English Composition, Fan Shen states that her upbringing in a Chinese Communist culture
caused her to write differently than expected in a United States University. One of her professors asked why she used
we instead of I and that she wrote in a passive voice. Growing up in that society, she was always taught to think of
societys needs as a whole instead of her own. Pertaining to her literary identity, she divides it up as ideological and
logical. The ideas and customs she was taught as a kid are considered her ideological identity and the way she
expresses her own individual thoughts in writing is considered her logical identity. There are so many instances of
when political views and customs effect the way an individual expresses those views. Shens idea of logical identity gives
a sort of Freedom of Speech to those when expressing their own views.
As for myself, my cultural upbringing was that of a normal, middle-class Southern American. I was pushed through
school by my parents to achieve high marks and establish a solid GPA for college. As a child I was taught how to read
and write in English at the age of six, right around the time I was in first grade. And ever since then, I have been on top
of the learning game, making sure to achieve on all assignments.
Throughout my whole life, I have not been a very big fan of writing. I am the person that would avoid all work
pertaining to reading or writing. In all my English classes, I loathed essays and readings.
This did not hinder me, though. I was always told that I had a unique writing style and tone. My teachers said that
they could see me as if I was actually speaking the words on the paper. This gave me a sense of confidence that saved
me throughout my years in English classes. Although confident, I was not ecstatic about the act of writing.

I would have to say that my favorite experiences while writing were my College Application essays. That was the
first time that I actually had to write about things that did not necessarily have answers. I could completely open up to a
topic and express my own views and thoughts without having to worry about whether I was right or not. This encouraged
me to write as best as I could so that whoever would be reading my essay would think highly of my intelligence and
writing skills.
To receive any extra feedback on these essays, I consulted in my grandmother. Being a retired teacher, principal,
and superintendent, I thought that she would give the best advice concerning my writing. Also, given the fact that she
was an English major at UNC Charlotte, she could give me advice that would help me succeed. Just look at me now.
I used to write stories of my own when I was in lower grade school. I remember writing about castles, dragons,
knights, superheroes, romance, comedy, wizards, and fantasy. Even though they were not even half as good as stories
written by professionals, I was so confident in my writing. I took my writing to my mom whenever I finished a story,
always being greeted with smiles and compliments. I would try to adapt my style to books that I read, it did not matter if
they were childrens stories or regular literature.
Papers in high school were always a dreary task. I was always so concerned with being professional, and making
sure everything was done the right way. Yes, I got high grades on these papers, but they were in no way fun. The only
time I like to write is when I can express myself completely, without having to worry about correctness.
I cannot lie and say that I have been an avid reader throughout my life. In fact, I have not read a book cover-tocover in about 2 years. I am not saying that I hate to read, rather I seem to find myself never having the time to sit down
and read.

When I was younger, however, I was a reading fool. I would read books every day after I got home from school. I
even found myself trying to write my own stories, hoping that they would suffice in the real world of literature. I read
books of all sizes, including those that are less than one hundred pages and those greater than five hundred. The
pictures and scenes would form vividly in my mind, encouraging me to read more.
One series of books stands out in my memory. When I was in the fourth grade, I read every single Harry Potter book
in its series. It was as if I could not put them down. It took me almost the entire school year, but I read every one coverto-cover, eager to pick up the next one after another. I fell in love with the characters and the setting of the Wizarding
World. I even pretended to be a wizard who could cast spells and obtain anything I pleased.
My parents praised me for being so dedicated to my reading. Even now, they question why I am not as psyched to read
as I once was. That is a question I, myself, have pondered in my mind countless times. If only I could rekindle the fire
that once drove me to read every book I got my hands on.
I remember back in my younger years when I was obsessed with the Magic School Bus stories. They were read to
me in school by my teachers I even checked them out from the library to read at home. Being within the age of four and
six, my young mind became fascinated with the characters and their adventures. The super powers that the bus
possessed made me read more and more books, just to see what power it used each time. And Mrs. Frizzle was always
saying something that made us kids laugh out loud.
For me, being raised as a Southern American, my political views have also shaped the way I write and speak. A
sense of respect is present every time I say or write something. Yes maam and No sir are always included in my
conversations, having been brought up to do so.

Texting, FaceTime, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Vine, and YouTube are all ways that people, including myself, use
literacy and literary techniques every single day. Typing conversations over various forms of social media used many
literacy skills. Because people usually text how they would talk, the senders tone can be distinguished. Also, the syntax
of sentences is unique to every person. You can distinguish personality through how someone chooses to type in their
texting conversations. While on the topic of social media, we should also recognize video media as a form of literature.
Video composers or directors use literacy and literary skills to film videos. Based on how the actors, or stars, in the video
act, we see different levels of literacy.

Works Cited

Sharma, Ghanashyam. "Cultural Schemas and Pedagogical Uses of Literacy Narratives: A Reflection on My Journey
with Reading and Writing." College Composition and Communication 67.1 (2015): 104-10. Sept. 2015. Web. 28

Sept. 2015.
Shen, Fan. "The Classroom and the Wider Culture: Identity as the Key to Learning English Composition." College

Composition and Communication 40.04 (1989): 459-66. Dec. 1989. Web. 28 Sept. 2015.
Delpit, Lisa. "No Kinda Sense." Writing about Writing: A College Reader. By Elizabeth A. Wardle and Doug Downs.
Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2014. N. pag. Print.

UWRT 1103
Ashley Marcum, Instructor
Peer Review QuestionsLiteracy Memoir
Directions: Respond to the following questions thoroughly, respectfully, and constructively. Please write your full
responses in black text to these questions in this document and save your revised document as Last Name PRQs (Peer
Review Questions for Last Name.) For example, my PRQs for Johnny Appleseed would be named MarcumPRQsAppleseed.
Please indicate on your paper your name and the name of the author that you are responding to. Note, you should also
make revision suggestions, comments, and responses on the paper itself using the review tool in Word. You are working
together to improve each others writing: be sure that the kinds of responses you are giving are the kinds of responses
you would like to receive on your paper. Everyone appreciates both praise and constructive criticism.
Charles Swinson responding to James Nance.
1. Read the first paragraph of the essay and then stop. In a sentence or two, describe what you expect the author to say
in this essay. Who and what is this paper going to focus on? Underline the sentence(s) that give you the main idea of the
essay.
I expect the author to say more about what makes each person unique. I also expect more examples on how someone
would be unique from another. I believe that this paper is going to focus on the individual and their complexities.
2. Finish reading the entire essay. Respond in the margins with your first reactions as a reader. Briefly summarize the
essay (2-3 sentences). Then summarize each paragraph in a sentence or less. Where does the author get off track?
Where does the author stay focused? If you are having a hard time summarizing the paragraphs, then something in the
paragraph may be undermining the focus.
My first reactions as a reader was that I felt like I shared a lot of similarities with the author in terms of how I view reading
and writing and how they should not really be graded in the traditional sense because of how everyone is unique. The

essay was mainly about how the author views people as unique and how everyone has their own different culture. The
essay also went into detail about how the author views his own experiences with writing. The first paragraph is about
how the author sees everyone as different with their own unique story to tell about literacy. The second paragraph is
about how different views on literacy can clash with each other like Eastern and Western views on literacy. The third
paragraph is about the connection between uniqueness and dialect. The fourth paragraph is about how political biases
can affect your writing and how others see your writing. The fifth paragraph is about the authors personal upbringing.
The sixth paragraph is about how the author did not like reading. The seventh paragraph is about how the author was
good at writing, but still was not enthusiastic about writing. The eighth paragraph is about how much and why the author
liked writing his college application essays. The ninth paragraph is about how the author used his grandma for advice on
essays. The tenth paragraph is about how the author was happy with writing stories of his own. The eleventh paragraph
is about how the author got no enjoyment in writing papers in high school. The twelfth paragraph is about the author
never seeming to have the time to read. The thirteenth paragraph is about how the author liked to read much more
when he was younger. The fourteenth paragraph is about the passion the author had in reading Harry Potter books and
how he questions why he does not have that passion any more. The fifteenth paragraph is about how much the author
liked the Magic School Bus book series. The sixteenth paragraph is about how the author uses respect for his
conversations. The seventeenth and last paragraph is about how people use literacy techniques every day. The author
does not get off track and stays focused on literacy the whole essay.
3. In the introduction, how well does the author begin the story? What does the author do to keep the readers reading,
ie. a hook or reason to be drawn in? What could he/she do to draw the reader in more? Does the introduction lead up to
a thesis sentence or an indication of where the rest of the essay is going? Does the conclusion do more that restate the
main points of the essay? Does it point to how literacy will impact them in the future? If the conclusion is not satisfying,
what would you do to make it more engaging?
The author begins the story well by engaging the audience and giving them some information about a word. The author
uses the word sonder as a device to give people who have never heard the word before, a new word to know and he
uses that word to basically describe his whole essay. He could draw the reader in more by going into more detail about
specific literacy events in his life. I do believe that the introduction leads up to the thesis statement and shows where the
rest of the essay is going. The conclusion relates to the main points of the essay in terms of talking about different forms
of literacy and how to use literacy. It talks more about how literacy has affected the past and the author personally. I
found the conclusion satisfying.
4. Does the author share three or four key literacy events and give their significance or show how the event illustrates
something about literacy? Does the author make useful connections between their literacy events and at least three of
the readings we have discussed in class? Highlight the sections of the essay where you feel the author is able to critically
reflect on the cultures within which the literacy event/s occur.
Yes, the author shares four key literacy events talks about how they relate to literacy overall. The author also connects
the literacy events with three of the readings we have discovered in class.
5. Does the organization of the paper make sense? How has the author structured the essay? Do they alternate
paragraphs switching between personal experience and scholarly ideas about literacy? Is it structured all around a
personal narrative? If so, what suggestions do you have for helping the author break from this pattern? If the structure
seems either confusing or strong indicate where you see this. How would you improve it?

Yes, I believe the organization of the paper makes sense. The author has structured it in a way where he first describes
the topic of his essay and then later connects it to multiple stories. I do believe that the author alternated between
personal experience and scholarly ideas about literacy because he would talk about his own personal experiences in one
paragraph and then talk about his opinions on literacy in another.
6. Does the author consider the audience? Indicate how the author could address the audience better or where the
author does a good job of considering the audience.
The author does consider the audience. The author does a good job of considering the audience with the first sentence
when he says if you look up, making the reader feel as if the author is talking directly to him/her.
7. List two things you think the author does a good job on. List two things you think the author should work on. Make at
least one suggestion for how she/he might go about improving each of those aspects of the essay.
I think the author does a good job at explaining his own views on literacy and I think he also does a good job at showing
the contrast in Eastern and Western teaching strategies. I think the author should work on the paragraphs that were too
short. I think he could fix this by combining two of those short paragraphs that are compatible with one another. I also
think that he could be a little more specific with his literacy events. He could fix this just by adding in an extra sentence
or two.
8. List two things you would like to hear more about. What does the author not deal with as much or as well as youd
like? Explain what and why you think these elements are important enough to include.
I would like to hear more about his literacy events and other books that he liked/likes to read. The author does not talk
enough about ways that writers are unique. It is not that big of a deal, maybe just add examples of different types of
writing styles.

10

Rubric for Project #1: Literacy Memoir

Creativity
20 points

Rhetorical
Strategies
20 points

Organizati
on
20 points

Academic
Correctnes
s
20 points

4
Exceeds requirements
for the assignment.
Clearly addresses the
prompt by choosing
important literacy
events and relating
those events while
being a critical observer
noting the cultural,
political, etc factors
Demonstrates originality
and
mastery of the
objectives or material.
The vignettes contain
many creative details
and/or descriptions
that contribute to the
reader's enjoyment.
The authoraudience,
has really
Addresses
purpose, and voice with
expertise through the
savvy use of rhetorical
strategies. Engages
audience with vibrant
details and storytelling.
Any multimodal
components are wellintegrated and integral
to the story.
One idea or scene
follows another in a
logical sequence with
strong transitions.

3
Meets all
requirements for the
assignment. Clearly
addresses the
prompt by sharing
some literacy events.
Includes significant
reflection on those
experiences.

Contains no errors in
grammar, spelling, or
mechanics. Format is
extremely polished and
professional. Title is
creative, sparks
interest and is related
to the story and topic.

UWRTFall 2015

Demonstrates aboveaverage
insight and a thorough
understanding of the
objectives or material.
The vignettes contain a
few creative details
and/or descriptions
that contribute to the
reader's enjoyment.
Addresses
audience,
purpose, and voice
well with the
appropriate use of
specific rhetorical
strategies. Engages
audience with strong
details. Any
multimodal
components are
One idea or scene may
seem out of place.
Clear transitions are
used.

2
Meets most of the
requirements for the
assignment. Addresses
the prompt by
describing several
important literacy
events in your life.
May not adequately
focus the story on
Demonstrates a basic
understanding of the
objectives or material,
but often relies on
generic or predictable
techniques. The stories
contain a few creative
details and/or
descriptions. The
author has most
tried aspects
to use
Addresses
of
audience, purpose, and
voice with rhetoricallyappropriate strategies.
Engages audience with
some details. Any
multimodal
components are poorly
integrated or may be
more
decorative
than
Is
a little
hard to follow.
The
transitions are
sometimes not clear.

1
Meets some,
all, of the req
for the assign
Tells a couple
event stories,
not develop th
completely. Pa
missing or un
Critical reflect
seriously lack
Demonstrates
understanding
objectives or
The vignettes
one or two cre
details, but th
distract from
The author do
seem to have
much imagina
Addresses
som
of
audience, pur
and voice, an
inconsistently
rhetorical stra
Does not fully
engage, audie
Any multimod
components a
partially
Is
a hard or
to va
fo
sequence of e
may be mixed
unclear.

Contains only minor

Contains several minor

Contains one
major
errors in gram
spelling, or m
Format is inco
or not approp
Title is presen
does not seem