The Ethnography of Literacy

John F. Szwed's essay "The Ethnography of Literacy" didn't really get me thinking much besides one particular quote. Szwed states in his essay that "we need to look at reading and writing as activities having consequences in (an being affected by) family life, work patterns, economic conditions, patterns of leisure, and a complex of other factors" (427-8). It's common knowledge that not everybody likes to read, whether it is reading for educational purposes or reading in your free time. Just because someone doesn't like to read obviously doesn't make them illiterate. I love to read. It is something that I always enjoyed. However, as I get older and have to take on more responsibilities, my free time for any hobbies I have, especially reading, has gone down. I used to be able to read at least ten books a year, now I'm lucky if I even get one read a year. So it makes me wonder about people that have to work harder than me or have less than me. What if they enjoy getting lost in a book but don't have the chance to do it anymore? What if they never had the chance to even try? It's sad to me that many people feel that reading is a waste of time and are discourage early on by family, social situations, or even school. I have a little sister. I take her to the book store all the time because I want her to have that passion for reading just like I did when I was her age. However, I find that her schooling is deterring her from wanting to read outside of class and what she has for homework. Her teacher makes her read books that are below the intellectual level that she and many of her fellow classmates are at. It feels pointless and mundane to her. She is forced to read material that has no relevance in her life and that she can't relate to. However, when she gets to choose what she wants to read, she can fly through a book in a night or two. It scares me that the educational system is going to make her hate reading, just like it has done for so many other kids.