In Chapter 4, Ong talks about writing and its consciousness. But I can’t help analyzing the quote about writing technologies. On page 80, he writes, “Yet writing (and especially alphabetic writing) is a technology, calling for the use of tools and other equipment: styli or brushes or pens, carefully prepared surfaces such as paper, animal skins, strips of wood, as well as inks or paints, and much more.” After I first read this sentence, I couldn’t help but think “Duh! How else do we write?”
With all obvious concepts aside, such as a pen writes on paper, what are we left with? Styli, animal skins, wood, and ink. Right in one sentence, Ong creates a timeline of literacy from Native Americans painting animal skins all the way to businessmen typing memos in their Palm Pilots with a stylus. The message is clear: reading and writing play integral roles in society worldwide. Where would we be without these life skills? Could the world, more specifically the United States, survive? As one of the most powerful nations, we rely everyday on these common skills that we take for granted.
What about the select few citizens who don’t know how to read or write? These citizens usually hold jobs behind closed doors such as dishwashers, loaders, shelf-stockers, even babysitters. It is reassuring to know there are jobs available to the illiterate, but there’s not much room for improvement. And since America is the land of opportunity, how can these individuals succeed?
Take Jahara Drammeh for example. An immigrant from Gambia came to New York City to create a new life for himself. He found a job behind closed doors and eventually began a family. However, when his children sought his help for assistance on their homework, Drammeh knew it was time to take measures into his own hands. Thanks to the New York Public Library volunteers, Drammeh was able to enroll in the Center for Reading and Writing. From there he was assigned a tutor, one of the NYPL’s volunteers, who helped him uncover the English language–a tool that expanded his horizons to new heights. As of April 19, 2010, Drammeh reported that he can now read signs, something he used to struggle with, as well as a few books. (read the full story here)
So dreams do come true…or do they?
Let’s not focus on our own home country for a minute. What about halfway across the globe in Africa? The entire country suffers from illiteracy, some parts only have 10% of their population unable to read and write such as Naimbia, Swaziland, Angola, and South Africa. However, travel Northwest to Sierra Leone or Senegal and find that only less than half of the population can actually read and write. And why do I have a feeling there are no public library volunteers offering any assistance…
Check out the entire globe’s illiteracy rates here.
