The Gift of Inspiration
“Usually richer, more knowledgeable, and more entrenched than the sponsored, sponsors nevertheless enter a reciprocal relationship with those they underwrite. They lend their resources or credibility to be sponsored, but also stand to gain benefits from their success, whether by direct repayment, or indirectly by credit of association” (Brandt 167). As writers, we become literate by studying the actions of our sponsors. Without the guidance of other authors, much of the literature that the world knows today would not exist in its current form. My personal identity has been heavily influenced by guidance provided to me from my teachers, family, and academic experiences in school. Ultimately, these sponsors have played an imperative role in the growth of my writing behavior and reading habits, but most importantly, have contributed to my overall development as a perceptive and confident individual.
My earliest memories of literacy inspiration date back to elementary school. The first recollection of a sponsor of mine arose during first grade, where I recall learning how to read and write for the first time. Throughout the year, our class was read several simple children’s stories. After being familiarized with a variety of books and authors, our teacher began to introduce the classroom to writing the letters of the alphabet, spelling elementary words, and eventually forming simple sentences. Even now, I still have a distinct memory of Mrs. Ferguson, my first-grade teacher, teaching me foundations of literacy although this experience occurred over twelve years ago. I remember using the paper with large lines and margins in order to learn how big or small our letters and words should be. Around this time, I discovered what punctuation was, that words in a sentence should be spaced out, and a series of other basic rules. Today, I am extremely grateful for this experience, although I may have been rather lackadaisical learning how to write at the age of six. The learning process required patience and consistency in order to understand the basics of literacy. However, this experience also provided me with feelings of enthusiasm and motivation. My earliest literacy sponsor, Mrs. Ferguson, laid the infrastructure for my writing today. Although I was young, it was not long before I began pondering the opportunities that lay before me after grasping the gift of literacy.
A vital inspiration of mine is my mother. My mom is an elementary school teacher who has taught first grade for the majority of her career. Because I grew up in a household where education is prioritized, the ability to read and write was an expectation I was set to achieve. I frequently observed my mother grading her students’ sight word quizzes, spelling tests, and other typical assignments that a first grader would be tasked with completing. At a young age this observation intrigued me and sparked my literary curiosity. My mother frequently emphasized the significance of learning to read and write, and that becoming literate is key to becoming a successful individual. My excitement was building, and I couldn’t wait to begin my literary journey.
As I’ve grown older, I’ve developed a strong interest in literacy. It wasn’t long after I learned to write until I was frequently checking out books from the school library or began writing more complex essays and papers in school. Similar to Bradbury, I recall spending my afternoons in the school library, randomly selecting books from my favorite genres and expanding my imagination and image of the world. Throughout elementary and middle school, reading became a hobby of mine. Every year I anticipated the Scholastic book-fair and attempted to find the most intriguing titles available. I remember buying my first Harry Potter book, The Half-Blood Prince, in the second grade. The Potter series is among one of the first set of books I followed and found a great appreciation for, and above all, I was deeply inspired by the works of J.K. Rowling. Rowling is an early inspiration of mine, so I’m reminded of my childhood with vivid memories when I read her works today. After reading my first Harry Potter book, I proceeded to invest myself in the other books of her series, beginning with the Sorcerer’s Stone and ending with the Deathly Hallows. Rowling taught me that literacy is fueled by the power of imagination, and that literature does not have to conform to a standard in order to be intriguing and inspiring. This lesson made me more confident in my own writing.
Technology has also had a significant role in my development as a writer. Personally, I feel that some cannot relate to this as strongly, considering that the Internet has only been developed for a short period of time. However, growing up in a household in which my siblings constantly surfed the web, watched YouTube videos, and played online video games surprisingly contributed to my literacy greatly. Eventually I began to use the Internet myself around the age of seven. It was foreign to me at first, but I soon began absorbing everything on the screen, from news articles, blogs, and any type of text that lay before my eyes. This constant exposure to new information greatly enhanced my literary capabilities. Not only did it improve my reading, writing, and spelling skills, but it also opened my mind to more information about the world. I learned how to type on a keyboard at a young age and managed to expand my vocabulary at an advanced rate, especially in consideration to how young I was. The internet enabled me to read book reviews online as well as follow my favorite authors and keep up to date with their works. Interestingly enough, this use of technology made me a more prepared student entering early grades, such as first and second grade, for I was already vaguely familiar with some foundations of grammar and literacy. All in all, I am grateful for the opportunity to have engaged myself with technology in this manner, as it has remained one of my most consistent literacy sponsors that still assists and inspires me today.
Another sponsor of mine, one that was introduced to me rather recently, is Joseph Heller. During my junior year of high school my AP Language class received copies of Heller’s novel, Catch-22. Catch-22 went against the grain of what an English class would typically read – this novel was dark, humorous, and satirical. The text of this novel was gripping and engaging. Furthermore, the book dug deep into the psychology of the human mind and reminded me that literacy can be incredibly unique and individualistic. Heller reignited an almost dying interest of mine. During high school I began to lose sight of my passion for literacy, as I was busier with sports and other growing responsibilities. I was not as attentive to books and novels as I was in my younger years and often found myself going through the motions during English class. Fortunately, Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 reminded me of how captivating a piece of writing can be, and I fell in love with the satirical story. I found it relatable as Yossarian, the novel’s main character, dealt with the moral issues of war and fighting against a common enemy. The book engaged my thoughts and made me question today’s bureaucracies and societies. This was relatable because during this time I was contemplating if I could see myself in the military one day, or even at Virginia Military Institute for that matter.
My current status as a cadet at VMI has motivated me to search for more sponsors and bump my literary intelligence to the next level. Here, I’m being held to a higher standard than I previously was in high school and middle school. Additionally, the learning atmosphere is far more professional than any classroom or school I’ve been in attendance at. Because of this, I believe that it is essential for me to continue expanding my literacy knowledge in order to better develop myself into a well-rounded, confident cadet.
Throughout my life I’ve written many papers and indulged in an abundance of literature. During middle and high school, the English classroom has always been my haven for originality and artistry. I am beginning to feel similarly about Writing and Rhetoric I, as I’m able to openly express my thoughts and ideas in this class. Also, I believe my consistent investment in my own personal literacy sponsors throughout my adolescence has greatly expanded my writing capabilities and helped me develop a sense of individualism. My current attitude towards reading and writing is one of deep gratitude and pleasure. Many people around the world do not possess the same privilege as us, and I believe that we often take this gift of knowledge for granted. A mission I’ve set out for myself is to continue learning, and to keep taking advantage of all of the resources that are available to me now, and for the rest of my life. I consider myself very fortunate to have found as much inspiration in my sponsors as I have today. All in all, my literary journey is just getting started. I’ve been inspired by a collection of individuals and experiences, and I’m excited to see the list expand as time goes on.
Be First to Comment