ESSAY #3

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Knoblauch’s definition of critical literacy means that to be critically literate, you must have the ability to critique another’s work and be able to explain your critique "efficiently."

Another essay that was written using Knoblauch’s critical literacy was Anyon’s essay. Anyon in this essay criticized the school system in America on how they could give a better education to some and sometimes none to others. What makes critically literate in this she was able to backup her critique with educated and efficient explanations.

Lit as power, it allows you the power to read a novel, the newspaper, etc. which some people who are only functionally literate cannot do. It can also be used as lit as state of grace. You are a level in education over those who are functionally literate.

As you can see although they are used differently, the definitions and metaphors refer to the same basic ideas.

ESSAY #3

Knoblauch’s critical literacy is used by Kozol to write his essay about East St. Louis. Critical literacy is a type of literacy that analyzes and thoroughly thinks about everything.

When Kozol writes his essay he uses many descriptions such as the sewer overflow, children not knowing how to tell time, and the very in-depth descriptions about the classes and programs at the high school. I think Kozol does this to make the readers of his essay critically literate also. By him perfectly depicting and giving you many images of the bad life in East St. Louis, it really makes you think, and start to analyze.

Before Kozol wrote his essay he seems to have really thought things through. It seems like he thought to himself what will get my message across, what will make people really realize how bad things are here?

I think Kozol did a very good job of showing how critically literate he was and by also making us, the reader, critically literate.

ESSAY #3

Kozol’s essay "Life on the Mississippi" is a perfect example of Knoblauch’s critical literacy.

Knoblauch’s critical literacy views literacy as an attempt to be able to examine the authority around us and to do something about it. This form of literacy is used to empower individuals to right the wrongs of society, or confront an authority figure whose authority is never questioned. Kozol wrote "Life on the Mississippi" to make others aware of the injustice occurring in East St. Louis. He is using his literacy as a way to change something in this world others have just accepted, and to examine the authority figures who allow this to continue.

Kozol describes the terrible conditions of pollution and waste that the citizens of East St. Louis have to live with daily. Because of Kozol’s literacy he can put the horror he has seen into words so all of America can read of what is occurring in East St. Louis. If Kozol were illiterate he would not have a reasonable method of alerting the public to this disaster on American soil. Kozol uses his literacy in a manner precisely defined by Knoblauch’s critical literacy.