As part of a daily-grade assignment, you are required to read “One Great Book,” specifically Pages 150-152. Following this, you must provide a summary and reaction to Stephanie Whipple’s personal encounter with literacy. Ensure your summary consists of a minimum of one paragraph, while your reaction should also be at least one paragraph. In your response, compare your own experience with reading to Whipple’s. Discuss whether you had a book that sparked your interest in reading, and reflect on whether anyone influenced your love for reading or if reading is more of a burden than a pleasure. When submitting this assignment, please use double-spacing and ensure that it is typewritten.
“If you can discover a book that truly captivates you, your love for reading will never fade. I guarantee it.” These are the wise words of Stephanie Whipple, emphasizing the importance of developing a new mindset towards reading. Stephanie shares her personal journey of how her current passion for writing did not always exist. She recounts several negative experiences she had with writing and how they once contributed to her dislike for the activity. However, everything changed when she encountered a single book that completely transformed her perception of this “miserable” task – thus, the concept of “One great book” was born. Stephanie’s story resonates with me as well, as I used to despise reading during my early years. There were only two things I detested: reading and obeying others. Considering my aversion to both, it becomes evident how my negative attitude towards reading persisted. It wasn’t until the summer before middle school that I began to alter my perspective on this matter.
During my pre-Junior high days, I was a notorious troublemaker and would often get grounded. Whenever this happened, my usual go-to for passing the time was playing Nintendo. However, on one fateful day, my mom confiscated my beloved gaming device, leaving me desperate to find something that would rescue me from the clutches of boredom. It was in this moment of desperation that I resorted to exploring the contents of my bookshelf, sifting through numerous mundane and uninteresting books.
Just as I was about to abandon hope and surreptitiously sneak a glimpse at the TV, fate intervened and led me to discover a book with an enthralling cover. The image depicted six individuals sporting hairstyles and clothing reminiscent of the 1950s era, while above them was emblazoned the captivating title “Outsiders.”
The text describes S.E. Hinton’s book, “The Outsiders”, which tells the story of a gang called “The Greasers” and their conflicts with a group called the “Soc’es”. The book is filled with fights and action, but what truly captivated the reader were the characters. Among them, Pony Boy struggled with typical teenage issues concerning girls, authority, and friends. Another character, Dallas Winston, epitomized the archetype of an old-school tough guy.
