Literacy
To me, literature is everything and everywhere you go. It’s part of being human. It’s the reading, writing, and study of your own language.
To say that someone is literate is saying that the person knows at least 80% of their language’s grammar rules. They must be able to both read and write. To be literate means that your understanding of literature is above middle school level. At least, that’s what being literate in today’s society means. Anyone can be literate. Knowing how to read and write is a bare necessity such as knowing how to cook, clean, and drive.
Authors, readers, English teachers, etc. are people who are beyond literate. They don’t just use their knowledge of reading and writing because they have to in everyday situations. No, they do it because they adore literature. They pass on their knowledge to the next generation. They make stories that people read for fun. They’re the ones who write movies and TV shows that make us laugh and cry.
You know you’re beyond being literate when you make movie references in conversation or when you read a book and discuss it with your best friend, making fun of one the characters because they’re annoying. Just because you know how to read doesn’t mean you know what you’re reading. It takes a certain level of comprehension to read something and laugh out loud, visualizing what you’ve just read.
To be illiterate is not being able to read your child a bedtime story. It is not knowing what street signs say or not being able to send emails to your boss because you’re too embarrassed of your grammar. When you misread warning labels and up sending yourself to the hospital because of it. Calling your kid at weird hours asking them how to spell the word “tricycle”. Or typing l!k3 d!$ on social network sites.
If you know how to do these simple things and spell the word ‘tricycle’ then I salute you. Congratulations, you’re literate. You are a part of the endangered species of people who know what literacy is
