Exercise 1a

I chose to analyze the first essay that we read entitled The End of Literacy? Don’t Stop Reading by Howard Gardner. The essay is about the change that is going on in the modern literary world. He is arguing that the internet and other modern technologies are taking the place of reading and writing in our society. He feels that the internet especially is taking away people’s desire to read books. He argues that the next generations that have been exposed to all the new technology will be much different because of this. He cites specifically the loss of the material book. He says that authors will have a harder time laying out a complex argument on the internet. Since internet browsing is not something that a reader does very thoroughly writers will not be as in depth with their arguments.
Gardner is trying to mainly talk to the generation of people that have been using this new technology. He is trying to persuade people to still not forget about books and written literature as we move on in this more digital world. As I personally read this article, being in this targeted audience, I did feel that he brought up some good points. However, I personally don’t feel that much will be different with the change to a more digital world.
Since the author is a an educated man and someone who has seen the value of literacy it is no doubt that he will not really be in favor for any sort of change in the current system. Also since he is a cognitive psychologist he will be looking at mainly the circumstances and the environment around us.