Prompt 1 - Literacy

     Literacy is the ability to speak, write, read, and understand. Literacy is applied when a person has to form independent ideas and feelings and is able to communicate them with others, but it does not come naturally. Literacy is acquired throughout a person’s life by learning to read and write. This allows a person to later be able to read intricate works and be able to write on their feelings and thoughts, essentially forming their own personal perspective. Literacy is a form of strength and power. People have to be able to communicate and understand to be powerful.

     During the 1800s, China kept women in the dark and would not allow them to be highly educated. This kept them inferior to men and did not allow them to form their own opinions, which is something that a literate person has the ability to do. The same goes for slaves that were kept in the shadows so that they were unable to escape from their owners. Literacy skills do not only assist in reading and writing. They play a large role in socialization, intellectuality, and being electronically capable. Those who are literate are able to acquire a decent job with high earnings, whereas those who are illiterate are associated with low paying jobs that do not have the greatest work environments. An illiterate person is unable to do very simple activities such as pay a cashier, write a sentence, and form their own intricate thoughts.

     To fully participate in today’s society, it is crucial for a person to have skills in science, math, and reading. These skills help people understand their surroundings and allow them to have their own voice instead of being spoken for. People would lose their individuality if they were not literate.