My love for reading started with my love for a good story. I always had enjoyed reading as a kid, but it wasn't until high school that I began to appreciate a good character written by a talented author. I think my love for a story started when I began to realize that I wanted to create my own really good story but doesn't everyone? Everyone wants the fairytale ending (they are lying if they say otherwise) everyone wants an awesome adventure, a life changing event. Everyone wants to be the hero of their own story. And with this realization I began to read more and more. I love the ability an author has to make readers believe in fiction, believe in the possibilities and take thousands of people out of their realities. Tv shows do this, movies do this, and they all originated from the brilliant minds of incredible authors. Not every kid out their may think that reading is fun or cool, but their are seldom anyone that hates a good story.
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Unfortunately during the school year the amount of reading I do solely for pleasure decreases significantly. This week alone I have read 22 chapters of Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, 2 chapters from my research textbook, 3 chapters from my creative strategy textbooks, and 3 chapters of The Book by Nicole Howard. Understandably by the end of the day the last thing I want to do is pick up a new book. There are times I will pursue a book I have already read, like my cliche, but well-loved copy of The Great Gatsby, but other than that I get my fill of reading from my week and if I ever want an entertaining story for an hour I have TV that consumes less of my energy and focus.
This week reading has been so time-consuming that I have not had time to enjoy it. I find myself counting down the pages, but by the end I realize how much I truly am invested in the story. I want to know what happens to Willoughby in the next volume. When I have reading to do as much as it seems overwhelming, I also find myself relaxing. Even my textbooks that are much more boring and story lacking can be relaxing to read.
So every time I get bored of a book, get tired of reading, and refuse to turn the page, I remind myself that I chose this. I chose to read this much, but it is also something that I like and something that continues to relax me. So let's read.
I can definitely relate with you that I do not read as much during the school year. Classes require so much reading, much of which is very critical information and difficult reads, so it takes a lot of time and effort to truly understand it and to process it. During summer, reading is more of a hobby than a requirement (or commitment). However, I think your right to call yourself out on how you still enjoy reading and are still invested in it even when the book is not something you would have personally chosen to read. Reading does relax people and is a way of escaping our realities. I like how you noted that the author has the ability to make a reader believe in fiction and in possibilities, and how TV and other medias do this as well, but they all do this successfully through having a good written work, whether that be a novel, script, or just an idea that they can play off of.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the good post. I can understand that there are many times students are too overloaded with reading to get much depth out of the pages they peruse. Reading should be both engaging and instructive--and not such a burden.
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