This paragraph is going to be focusing on Natalie’s story of how she used books and reading to break out of her rough patch when she was younger. Natalie has a tough time with school when she is younger, going through a bout of depression and being bullied. As Brandt describes which fits Natalie’s story, “Outsider thus often occupy a “third space” where they remain in limbo, wondering where their place is in the world.” (Brandt ). This quote highlights characteristics of an outsider, remaining in limbo and not finding their place, and this relates to Natalie, as at a young age, she was bullied and depressed, and as a result, wondered where her place was in the world. Clearly struggling to fit in and having a tough time adapting. However, with a lost bet, Natalie is forced to read a story, so she picks up a book and starts reading, not really thinking much of it, however it will change her in a very positive way. As she reads, she relates to the character a lot, “I saw a lonely, confused, and scared protagonist, which I saw in myself at the time. I also got to see her work through her struggles and emerge a better person than she was before. This inspired me, the ordinary, depressed, bullied, third grader, that I could come out on top somehow. This shows that even though outsiders remain in limbo, as Brandt describes, they can find their place and are able to use literacy in a positive manner.
Students in literacy narratives often portray themselves in a certain manner, whether or not that be entirely accurate. This paragraph will look at how the portrayal is used to influence their use and opinion on literacy. This is a quote from Williams, as he claims that students adopt a certain manner in their literacy narratives. “To adopt a particular structure, then, requires that students adopt a particular identity within that narrative. Often they construct a particular identity for teachers in the narrative as well.” (Williams ) this is important as it shows that students are trying to complete a story in their narratives, regardless of if it is true or not. They want something satisfying to the reader. This next quote more explains the victim narrative or outsider narrative, and the key conventions to that narrative, “Instead, they choose to dismiss the values and assignments of the mainstream education, while often displaying what they consider their true literacy talents.” (Williams ) this all relates back to how students use literacy in more ways than one. Students write narratives to fill roles, and to satisfy the reader, and in the victim narrative, do that exactly, but show that they can use literacy in more than just the conventional manner.
Natalies annotation has Williams ideas of definition of literacy, having an indirect literacy sponsor, and the overarching sub theme of outcast.
Jeremys literacy narrative has again the same idea for Williams, having a literacy withholder, and a common theme of seeing literacy as an scape from the real world, something my paper is about.
