Books are one of the most important exposures to the outside world. Therefore, literature being full of diverse backgrounds is important. I am well represented in literature. Not to judge myself, I am a typical white girl living in the suburbs, and my personality is well represented in the books I read. I think this is why books being diverse is so important to me. It is how I become acquainted with a world outside of my suburbs. Although South Florida is more diverse than many other places, there are still so many doors in the past and present that I have not opened. One book I deeply connected with was “Number the Stars” by Lowis Lowry. It was my first emotional introduction to World War II outside of the facts in the classroom. Without this emotional exposure I could have belittled WWII to just lifeless facts. This is similar to Daniels being compromised to the character Rosie Perez. Diversity is crucial in literature.
Growing up not seeing yourself as different but understanding that other saw you as different is confusing for a little kid but getting older and Reading about character who may have gone through similar home or school lives and act similar to yourself makes a book that much better, reading about a character who is loved for who they are despite being loud and rambly, not knowing when to stop talking or how to understand social cues is relieving. Oftentimes the characters I see myself as are ones in fantasy books. The books i deeply connect too, is the first series of full chapter books I've ever really enjoyed and fully finished on my own. The books in question are from “the witcher” series,by andrzej sapkowski, i found the books after telling my brother i watched the tv show, he told me to read the book so i bought and read the first two.one character and his relationships really stood out to me, his name is dandelion. Hes a loved and hated poet who often travels with the witcher Geralt. Dandelion is loud and speaks his mind even when he really shouldn't, his friendship with Geralt really shows both character personalities, they really open up to each other.
Overall dandelion character showed me that people are quick to judge others they don't know but the people who take the time to get to know you and grow close are the people who are really important. Finding and Connecting to these books and character were a big part of me enjoying reading.
I am reading "We Beat The Street'' by Drs. Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt. Yes, I do see myself in the book I am reading. I say this because I've been through similar things throughout my life, and it can show me ways to beat problems and temptations I face in the future. The characters in the book remind me of me and my childhood friends, running around doing crazy things we know we didn't have any business doing, but somehow managed to overcome these temptations and challenges, learning right and wrong as we lived on. We would try to do better, just like the kids in the book, and get caught into more trouble in the process. It's more like a live and learn situation, which is what I'm still doing because I'm still young and developing. So, when you ask this question, reflecting on my past, I would say yes and I'm proud of myself because I came a long way from what life used to be.
Yes I do see myself in the books that I read, I am reading Becoming Maria by Sonia Manzano and Maria reminds me of myself. She is growing up in a hectic family, while she tries to make things better stuff just keeps happening because in reality she has no control over it because she is only a small child, even though she wishes she did.
I have been reading Everyone Needs A Mrs.Bailey by Dr.william D.Sroufe. I see myself in his childhood hood alot his mother and father struggle with addiction just like mine. I have also always looked up to my grandfather as my hero just as he does. His great grandmother reminded me a lot of mine with having the nuts and candies at each end of the couch for you to always have it was like I was reliving my past reading this book.
im reading the boy on the wooden box by Leon Leyson. i share certain things in common with this boy because i go through things like he does so it's so easy for me to relate to my character.
I am reading Breakthrough by Jack Andraka. Yes, I share a lot of qualities with this character. We both have the same life like setting alarms to get up many notices and double checking all the time to see if I even set it. And our uncles are the same, a big, stocky man with brown hair that almost touched the ceiling of the car. I get anxious like him and bullied I haven't read much but we are the same.
Recently I’ve started reading “We beat the streets” by Drs.Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt. Yes, This story talks about the three friends who lived in the ghetto, Specifically New Jersey Newark, Which is where I used to live for a few years of my life but I had the most memories there and I still love it there due to how much family I have, Finding out how these kids had to walk through the streets in Newark it really made me smile as I can recall so many memories from my childhood. I use to walk up and down the sidewalk and would be numb to how much trash was all over the place, I’d ride my bike and would play video games all day and would enjoy the music in the car rides.
The book is called never quit and the book was made by Jimmy settle, and don rearden and yes and no i can describe myself being and the book because theirs sum parts that describe me and do not describe me.
I am reading Leon's story by Susan L. Roth. No, I don't see myself in the book I'm reading. He lives an entirely different life than I am, and I revel in that fact.
Yes I do see myself in some of the books I read especially the book i'm reading now about phil Robertson called Happy Happy Happy I relate to it because I've ran from game wardens before.
Do You See Yourself in the Books You Read?
Book: not fade away a memoir of senses lost and found rebecca alexander
Yea i see myself in the book i read , why i think so is because it referred to lies what a girl was telling is mom and everyone around her how it base on my story is because i was like her telling lies to everyone all when it’s no purpose to tell lies i told lie i denied the truth many of the times so i stop telling lies because it not a reason too everyone should tell the truth when you do everything seems alright and you don’t got a burden to carry for your rest of your life and live in sad areas where you feel left out because you didn't want to tell the truth.
I think sharing books or other things from different cultures definitely benefits the children that don't get that exposure. I think everyone in the classroom should be included and all their stories should be told. Last sophomore year we learned about immigrants and their stories of getting to America. It was interesting and different. A refreshing site and perspective. I personally have never related to a book we have read at school, and I wish I could've gotten to experience that like you did.
Growing up mixed race in the early 2000s, there weren’t as many important figures in books that I could find myself relating to as there are now. There were empowering tales of young black women, and depictions of Hispanic girls, but I never felt truly connected to them.
As I’ve grown older I’ve began discovering who I am, mainly what my interests are and my goals in life. I feel as a 16-year-old girl, stumbling through the 21st century, that it’s necessary to have a guide when exploring new areas of my mind, and new passions that I discover on my way.
There are books that make me feel like I can do anything, and usually those books don’t depict a leading female POC. I relate to book characters more through my interests, rather than trying to force myself to feel a certain way because I’m a certain race. However, if the leading character does happen to be black, Hispanic, or even a mixture, it makes the story that much better.
It is always important to feel represented by the books you have access to. I completely agree with Ms. Bishop’s notion that “books can be mirrors” and everyone should know that “their...experiences are valued”. Since I never felt deeply connected to either of my cultures, I ended my search for those books with colorful protagonists, and went for action rather than appearance. Despite the fact that I stopped looking for them, nothing will ever beat the feeling of pride that rushes through my body when finding a role model that is the same color as I am.
Speaking about myself, I rarely see my character in various literature books. It is more often to read about characters that I want to be like. Last years, only one book motivated, moved and also made me felt related with the main character, a book which was about the loss and the emotional gap that comes after the death of our beloved pet.
When I find a good book with a story that really captivates me, I often to relate to and see myself in the characters in facing the challenges and decisions that they have to make. As the characters in the book face challenges and obstacles, I often think about how I would handle similar challenges and how I would respond in similar situations. Finding a good book that interests me allows me to really go into a different world.
Personally, I do sometimes see myself through the characters of the books I read. I definitely visualize what is going on or how the person may feel from my own perspective. Throughout the times I have read, I have found some amazing books. When i identify myself in the character of the book i usually become at least one of them and i adopt in my mind all his bad or good habits.Its hard not to because when you are reading a book for days and finished it you kinda miss the way the character thinking and the decisions he makes. So, i do see and view myself in the character of the book mostly in romantic and fiction stories.
When we read a book we used to identify with the characters of the book.
Personally, I don't always identify with the faces of the book .. but yeah i see myself of some times as a person of the book .. for example with their living conditions, the time they lived ..their personality ..
it's awesome how we can, with our imagination, read a book and make our own stories ...
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Personally, I do sometimes see myself through the characters of the books I read. Whether it be something they are saying, or an action they may be taking. Most of the time I would “see myself” within a fiction chapter book or novel, such as something like “The Magic Tree House”. As an elementary schooler I read every single book in that series, and the characters went on a series of adventures in each book. Being a kid, it was pretty easy to put myself in the characters’ shoes and imagine myself in the book too.
In the related article, the author talks about her experience in dealing with being different in the eyes of her peers in boarding school. Vanessa Mártir quotes: “...Growing up, I’d read the “Sweet Valley High” series, Encyclopedia Brown mysteries and all the Judy Blume books. The characters in them didn’t look like me, but I was too young to understand the difference or know it could matter.” She then later realized that the characters in a story didn’t have to be exactly like you, in order for you to see yourself within the story.
The author of the article is Latino, and quickly began to see herself within the book her English professor gave her. The characters in the story had similar experiences to the authors’ and the author then found herself being able to personally relate to book. If you’re able to dig deep enough into the characters and meaning of a book, you may be able to see yourself through the characters of a book exactly like the author did.
I read almost all of the time and I do see myself in the books I read. I read a fiction series that has cats as the characters and I see myself as a cat in those books. I also write my own books based on the series I read and one of the characters/the main character is always a cat that represents me. I also made a main character in one of the fanfictions I made that represents my boyfriend.
I do see myself in the books I read. I can see myself fighting massive monsters, using magic, and actually have an interesting life. However, only to an extent. I can see myself in the shoes of Percy Jackson, however not Harry Potter. It honestly depends on the characters themselves.
@Lucas Comet
the Percy Jackson and harry potter books are amazing!
and i totally get what you mean, fantasy books are always an amazing escape and way to see your self in a fantasy world, to see character who go through similar things that you go to but overcome it in a magical and inspiring way.
When im reading a book I normally don't view myself. I kinda just piece together what I think the characters look like. I'm not a huge fan of reading so I think that's the reason for me not picture myself as the characters in the story. I don't read a lot of books, but there is this one book that really like and its about the only book I like. It's called A Boy at War. the story took place in WWII and the boy had to find his way after being somewhere he wasn't supposed to be. I discovered this book because I was told I had to find a reading book or Id get a bad grade and I picked it out because it was not that big of a book and turned out really good.
In the article, the author talks about her experience by being a latina in a predominantly white boarding school. She remarks on how she used literature to reconnect with her culture after being told she was too loud and too much for a majority of her time in highschool. She used books to discover herself. I don’t normally struggle to find stories that relate to me because there are a lot of books about kids in highschool or kids that just moved across the country. One of my favorites this past summer was “The Field Guide to the North American Teenager”. This was a book about a teen who moved from Canada to Texas and had to learn to navigate a completely different environment.
The reason I related to this book so much because I moved from Oklahoma to North Carolina over the summer. It certainly wasn’t as big of a change than Canada to Texas, but this book helped me realize that it was okay that it was taking time for me to get used to a new environment. I relate to Norris because he was really shy towards people in the beginning of the book. You will learn while reading the book that Norris is the opposite of shy. He actually has quite a lot to say, most of it not the nicest things in the whole world.
Literature is so important. I think there is something you can learn out of every book you read, even if the book does not relate to you at all.
I’ve never seen accurate representations for Asians in english novels or literature. They often portray whatever Asian it is in the story (whether Indian, Chinese, Thai, Singaporean) as the nerdy, bad-at-sports, have to get A+++ in every class type of character.
I understand Vanessa’s feelings about finding the Garcia sisters who she can relate to and that portrays her culture and upbringing so well. I personally have not read or seen a production that accurately relates to my culture and the real, regular life that actually happens in China.
My French teacher has recently introduced a few films and books to me that she feels were accurate and real to her like The Farewell and The Joy Luck Club. I’m excited to read and watch these productions that might actually show my culture instead of exaggerating it into a fantasy story like works like Crazy Rich Asians (which is fun to watch but cannot be treated as anything other than fiction) or depriving an Asian American character of any Asian traits or culture (like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before).
I absolutely resonate with her experience. While I don't belong to a minority population, the characters I read about understand me in ways that my peers don't. My bookshelf tells a story- if you read between the lines you will see the places in my life where these characters have reached out to me. They're all different, from a loony dreamer to a wise werewolf, from a young and imaginative girl to an ancient and melancholy musician, from those who have taught me who I am to those who have helped me cope. It’s hard to choose one book that I've resonated with since I have left little pieces of me in each. But generally, it’s when I am struggling that I connect the most. The writing style has to bring the characters to life, there has to be fire inside them that makes them more than ink on paper. The books that I connect with have all left me thinking about all the life inside of them.
I admire how Ms. Mártir writes the books she needed the most. I have been fortunate enough to have plenty of characters that represent me, but that doesn’t mean that everyone does. It is paramount that we write the stories we need to hear so that others may find comfort in them. Many dislike reading because they've never found a character that mirrors them. It is our responsibility as writers to reach out to the community that reflects us, to write the books that they need to hear. A book contains far more power than we realize if only we allow it to show us what we need.
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2/2 The fact that books featuring characters like this are not read in schools, and that LGBTQ+ history is never taught in the classroom, are two detrimental impacts to most student’s understanding of the community. Before this, I felt like my sexuality was weird because I had never truly been exposed to same sex relationships, but after reading many of these books, and seeing representation in movies and TV, it led to more confidence in myself and who I was.
This issue goes both ways. Students should also always be exposing themselves to people who are different from them as well, because this is the only way to learn and understand people who are different from you. Overall, representative literature should be taught in schools more often, because it could help combat prejudice and ignorance.
I didn’t actually begin reading books for the fun of it until this last year, but I find myself drawn to books told from the point of view of young female characters. The past five out of six books I’ve read have been from the eyes of white teenage girls. I can connect with the characters pretty well since I can put myself in their shoes, but many people don’t have that privilege. I think that authors, especially children’s book authors, need to start incorporating more diverse characters into their stories. Think of all of the children who are physically handicapped, now think about how many physically handicapped book characters you’ve read about. Some people will make the argument that adding a bunch of characters that aren’t straight, cis-gender, white people is forced diversity. It’s not. People from other backgrounds exist. The author talks about how reading books written by Latina authors helped her find pride in her culture and not view herself as an outcast. This is what literature is about. Allowing people to relate to the stories you’re telling. But even in 2019 there are still not nearly as many books written by/for people of color as there are books written to appeal to a generally white demographic.
I think the featuring of underrepresented groups is extremely important because literature and media shape our minds, especially in young people. If someone does not see a person like them becoming successful in books, movies, shows, etc., it could be hard to come to believe success is an option. Those growing up in communities similar to Mártir’s can read books centering people of the general public, but don’t get out of it what you can if its easy to relate to the characters.
I love reading books with strong, young female characters because I can effortlessly see myself in her. I can use the character as a roll model and example for myself and my own life. Without this, the reading experience feels more distant, like watching a movie, rather than being in it.
Different from Mártir’s experience, I never struggle to find books about people like me (as a white, female, straight person), if thats what I want to read. But, this can get old pretty fast because stories about the same type of person tend to be very similar to each other. I love reading books and watching movies with variations in the lead character’s race, gender, economic class, and sexuality. It adds variety and excitement, and helps me see into other people’s stories and lives to gain a wider perspective.
With the books I am assigned in school it is difficult for me to feel a connection These characters always have tremendous life stories or simply known the meaning of their life. I can not relate to this. My life overall is pretty bland and I don't know the meaning of my life yet I just live it day by day
The books I choose to read however I can find connections to. They may not have a deeper meaning or a life lesson in them but that is the type of book I can see myself in. The ones with normal lives and normal minds. I get to choose if I want to keep reading it after the first few pages, im not forced to read a book I simply don't enjoy. While this forced reading helps teachers with their lesson plans, unless you're finding a way to relate it to everyone it gets boring.
Martir had a different issue with relating her herself to books. Since I've grown up the strongly represented race this has never been an issue. Having to struggle with this opens a whole new door to feeling unrepresented.
While I think Ms. Mártir’s experience is important, I haven’t had the same deep connection. Most books I read are for school and do not relate to my current personal life. When I was little, though, I related to the characters in children’s books. I think it is important to be able to relate to characters in the things you read because it’s more interesting and helps you find yourself. It's also just nice to know that you're not the only one. Like Ms. Mártir said, it helps provoke a sense of pride in your heritage.
I agree with Ms. Bishop’s metaphor that books can either be sliding glass doors or mirrors. In most books I’ve read, they’ve been sliding glass doors. They’ve been “windows into worlds previously unknown”. I learn a lot through books because, while I may not always be seeing my own reflection, I am discovering the lifestyles of others. I learn about peoples’ unique cultures and identities. I also agree that it’s important for young people to be represented in their books because it shows them that “their lives and experiences are valued”.
Unlike Ms. Martir, I never struggled to find representation in the books I read because many book’s main characters are white. With ethnicity aside, I do find myself in other characters based off their struggles, accomplishments, and mundane things like doing a sport. I don’t choose books based off of my connection to the character because I would be reading the same story over and over again. I do however, choose books based off of genres that I like which may connect to what type of person I am, but in my eyes I like a book based off of the story that is told and I don’t think my opinion would change if the characters were of different ethnicity or even age.
I wish that I could learn about philosophy in school. Most kids today have absolutely no direction in their life. The majority have either rejected Christianity or do not fully believe in it. Without direction from Christianity the children of today have nothing to guide them. They recognize that nothing we do in this world matters, that we are simply intelligent monkeys stuck to blue marble in the infinity of space. They recognize that in 100 years no one will know who they are and they might as well not have existed.
Many of kids that recognize this fact try their best to ignore it and go through life with the fact that nothing matters in the back of their head, a few recognize the futility of it all and decide to spare themselves the pain of life, fewer still decide that if nothing matters they might as well try to buy themselves a couple more hundred years of remembrance and spare a couple others the pain of life.
We need to replace this utter apathy with something deeper. We need to replace it with Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, and Nietzsche. Give those who have rejected traditional Christianity a purpose through attaining the ubermensch and becoming the best person they can possibly be. If we do nothing then tragedies of apathy will continue to occur to the masses which have no deeper purpose.
I see myself in most of the books that I read. I love books, so I can usually see myself in at least one of the characters. When I was a sophomore and we read Cather in the Rye, I totally and completely saw myself in Holden Caulfield. I was the Holden Caulfield of my grade when I was a sophomore. The way he talked and how he expressed his feelings for the ones he loved and the ones he hated rang true for me as well. When I read this book, it taught me many things about myself that I didn't know were true. He didn't like school and he knew everyone was fake and he wasn't afraid to say something. This is how I'm trying to be. I want to be up front and honest with everyone and want to stay true to myself.
@Madeline Butler
I too see myself in Holden Cauflield from The Catcher in the Rye. Not only do I relate to the basic fact that he is a white high school boy, I also relate to his personality. His satiracle, dry humor, and skeptical mindset toward life is similar to my own. This book gave men an outside perspective of how others might see me. I think it is important for children to see themselves in books. For children, especially at a young age, it is beneficial to see people whoo look like them in terms of gender, race, and cultural background in books, It excites them to read and helps them dream of being just like the heros we find in books.
When reading books I definitely visualize what is going on or how the person may feel from my own perspective. Throughout the times I have read, I have found some amazing books. Why amazing? I believe that what makes a book interesting and above all others is the fact that you can relate or reflect yourself to the character or whatever it may be in the story that is making the overall main idea. Moreover, it is important to read books that we can relate to and keep us into it more than boring us. I think that is important for authors to write about unique situations but for those who can't there situation in a novel I encourage you to look a little closer and you may be able to relate to characters in a different way even if the situation isn't exactly the same.
@Mehejabin LB
I agree with your reasoning on why people choose or favor the books that they enjoy. Recently I read a book that I can relate to a lot. I’m a total introvert and the book I was reading was The Power of Introverts in a World That Cant Stop Talking by Susan Cain. Also I'm not really a reader so I didn’t expect to enjoy and relate to a book so much. Every time I would read something in my thoughts all I kept thinking was “ Oh my gosh that is total me” or “ Wow I relate to this”. You’re right on how authors should write more books so that there readers can relate to something because it keeps us engaged in the book and make us reflect on how it relate to us or others.
@Mehejabin LB
I agree with your reasoning on why people choose or favor the books that they enjoy. Recently I read a book that I can relate to a lot. I’m a total introvert and the book I was reading was The Power of Introverts in a World That Cant Stop Talking by Susan Cain. Also I'm not really a reader so I didn’t expect to enjoy and relate to a book so much. Every time I would read something in my thoughts all I kept thinking was “ Oh my gosh that is total me” or “ Wow I relate to this”. You’re right on how authors should write more books so that there readers can relate to something because it keeps us engaged in the book and make us reflect on how it relate to us or others.
As an avid reader, I do not struggle to imagine myself as the characters. However, as a minority, I do struggle finding characters that portray me in novels. I sometimes forget that the characters in the novels I read are Caucasian or African-American because the plot captures me. When I was seven years old, I read “Inside Out and Back Again” by Thannha Lai, a Vietnamese author, which describes the experience of a Vietnamese girl, Ha, and her family after fleeing the fall of Saigon in 1975. Although the novel is historical fiction, I connected more to Ha than any other character I have read in other novels. Not only because she was Vietnamese but I related to her struggles to fit in a school setting. I was referred to as the “dog-eater” in my school and reading Ha’s experience being called “dog-eater” gave me comfort. I was an ESL, English as a Second Language, student for four years and would come across difficulty in writing a full sentence in English like Ha. Essentially, I found solace through the novel because I connected with the life experiences being portrayed and the novel encouraged me to overcome my own hardships as a minority while embracing my culture. Reading novels by Vietnamese authors or with Vietnamese characters made me recognize the amount of beauty behind my culture and the amount of struggles to get to that point.
I used to read books and see myself in them very often but that was when I was younger. This is probably because I could choose what I wanted to read when I was younger and I guess I chose more books that I could relate to and see myself in because of that. Now, in school we either have to read a book as a class or pick one off of a list, which isn't a negative thing at all it just limits the ability to relate to the book for some students.
Another reason why I am no longer able to relate to as many books as I have gotten older is probably because I am more interested in true stories, and as I have not had to deal with much in my life, these stories are harder t relate to or see myself in.
It can be somewhat important to be able to relate to books you read but it is also important to read about new things that you haven't experienced or maybe didn't even know about. Like Ms. Mártir’s idea of teaching books that reflect students' heritage and personalities to spread culture and new knowledge to readers.
I am a very avid reader and I always have been since I was little. My love of books stems from the fascination with fantasy worlds. I’ve noticed that I'm more interested in books that aren’t related to reality but I’m more connected to books that I can relate to.
One book that I really connected to was The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls. It’s a memoir about her hard childhood and family. While I was reading this book I was enticed by our such different but similar lives. Jeanette Wall’s father was very similar to my own in a lot of ways. Because of this I got really connected to the characters and their lives which made it an even better read.
Part 2
It’s important to connect to these types of books because they keep us grounded. Everybody should read them. We often just think about ourselves, and we don’t appreciate much. We act as if we’re the biggest thing in life and the world. These books open our eyes and tell us that we are being ignorant. They make us think about poverty, racism, discrimination, rape and murder, and overall struggle, and it doesn’t feel good, but that’s the point! It’s not supposed to! We shouldn’t feel good about those things, especially when we finally visualize ourselves in that position. We connect to those characters, and we start wishing that these things never happen to us. It makes us aware and proactive about these issues. They teach us to never be the villain in these books, and to feel so sorry about it if we find that we’ve already been the villain. It makes sure that our story doesn’t end up like the one we just read.
I never saw the importance of representation in books or other media when I was younger. Maybe it was because I was surrounded by white people, but only seeing white people on a screen or paper never really bothered me. At this point in my life, though, I see the innate value representation has. Whether I want to admit it or not, my experiences in life will be inherently different than those of my peers. Whether I want to admit it or not, my view of the world will be inherently different than those of my friends. Representation is important because it provides a different perspective. Representation allows for people like me to connect with other people like me. It allows for me to know that my struggles and my thoughts are not unique, and that other people share them.
I didn’t see myself in the books I read before this year. Before “Between the World and Me”, and “The Mis-Education of the Negro”, and “Things Fall Apart”, all I had was books written by old white people 50+ years ago. It wasn’t impossible for me to connect to them, but it was difficult. Thanks to a few people in my life introducing me to more black authors, however, I finally see myself in the books I read.
I do sometimes struggle to find books that I can connect with, but in my opinion people are drawn to books that relate to them, and they will turn away an unfamiliar book without trying to understand it. One of my favorite books is "A Walk In The Woods" by Bill Bryson. It's kind of a travel book and a book about the wonders of nature at the same time, with a little bit of comedy mixed in. I love nature and hiking, and I also like to keep things light, so this book is a great representation of me. My dad showed me this book about 2 years ago and I have read it twice since then. My dad shares a lot of the same views as me, so we like a lot of the same books.
I do think it is important to find books you connect with, but also ones that you don't connect with, because they bring new realizations about life.
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@Evan Peña
I too believe that people are drawn to read the books that they can connect with and have things in it that they enjoy, like you with hiking and nature. I also think people tend to stay in the same genres that they enjoy, like mystery and adventure. Personally I was always drawn to adventure and action filled series like Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and Percy Jackson.
However, I think that everyone should try to get out of their comfort zone and try to read something completely different from their interests. This will give everyone else more perspective and maybe even show them something else they can enjoy. I was always told to read something you are interested in, but sometimes I think I gain more from reading a brutally slow, but more abstract book with more meaning than can be found in basic adventure books.
Part 1
I don’t always see myself in the books I need. I don’t necessarily think that’s so important. It’s just a sense of comfort when I do. Just like Ms. Mártir, I just realize that there are so many people like me out there. That there's someone else who is feeling what I am. It’s nice to know that, but I think that just feeling a connection to the book is more important.
Especially banned books. Those are the ones that give us wisdom on all the problems in the world and in our lives/society, and that’s why people are so ready to have them be banned. We’re so ready to censor anything that gives us any sort of thought, feeling, or even a little pain, but that’s the reason we aren’t so lifeless and heartless. The Kite Runner. Fahrenheit 451. To Kill a Mockingbird. The Christmas Carol. The Book Thief. The author of these books are ahead of their time, and we should be learning and connecting to them rather than adding them to the list of books to keep out of libraries.
I sometimes see myself in the stories I read. It’s not often in books that I have to read, or books in the library at all, it’s more so books on the apps I have, like wattpad, but let’s not get into that if you know you know.
I do feel it’s important that some of the books we read in school, and take apart in class, can be related to a student. I say this because what we talk about could help them better cope or deal with whatever the problem is.
In the article when Vanessa says her English professor gave her a book she should read, that has a Spanish name, made me think about how last Friday, i was doing a chef project for culinary arts, and we had a sub. I was set on doing Gordon Ramsay and the sub brung me a sticky note with a black chef and told me I should do her. I didn’t know she was black but I seen it when I looked her up and thought, wow this lady is black and I’m black and yeah....but anyways, later in the article it says that she reflected to the books character. I didn’t do the chef but maybe I could’ve related to her if I did, and maybe that would’ve made me better understand.
When I was younger I always read book with characters who were not like me at all. I read them for class or fun but could never really relate to them. They weren’t about me or who I am. As a black girl or black culture in America.
In today's world, teens need that. We need to see different kinds of books about us and our culture whether we are Latina, African American, East Indian or other races. It is nice to see, read, and relate to a book that is about you or has an author of your own race. The hear them read you mind, know what you are thinking in this day and age and really enjoy a book that can truly be about you.
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I think it is amazing that people are able to read books and see characters they relate to because they look like them, or have family's with the same customs, but for me, there aren't many stories out there that offer that for me. This allowed me to explore the world of personality when connecting with characters, and I have found so much in it.
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As a biracial asian girl living in North Carolina, it is pretty close to never when I am assigned or read a book with characters who I can relate to on a physical or ethnical standpoint. My parents are both from asian descent, and immigrated here when they were in college. Not many books are written about such topics and thus make it very hard for me to find characters that I can relate to in those means. That is not to say, however, that I am not able to relate to characters on a personality standpoint just because we don't quite look the same or eat the same food at home.
My favorite book of all time is Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. Elizabeth Bennet is someone who I see myself relating to far too many times while reading that story. Elizabeth Bennet, who is, of course, a white, 20 year old woman, living in England. I relate to the way that she is unhappy because she is unsure of what she wants out of her life, and how she feels left behind when her mother and sisters want to figure it out for her. I can relate to the way that she stays true to herself, and is able to put her happiness above her mother's when making decisions for herself. I relate to the way she cares for her sister, even when she is in a bad place herself. These things, personality traits, and actions, are relatable to me, even though Elizabeth Bennet and I are polar opposites physical wise.
@Uma Volety
I read Pride and Prejudice about four months ago for the first time and I absolutely loved it. One quote came out of the book that may be my favorite quote ever: “Do not consider me now as an elegant female intending to plague you, but as a rational creature speaking the truth from her heart.”
In books I don’t ever entirely relate myself to a character. I see bits and pieces of myself, spread across the books and it’s personalities. Mostly when I read I see qualities and ideas I admire and wish to develop. Within Elizabeth Bennett I find we share the same determination, and passion for words.
As I have gotten older I have seen myself in a lot of the books I read. With that said, I am not a minority; I am a white, middle-class female who goes to the nicest public school in the county and I don’t want to come across as complaining or trying to brag. I wish I saw more minorities in books, whether it’s LGBTQ+ representation or books from a Latin, African-American or even a disabled person’s point of view. The books I have had to read for school are primarily from a white male’s perspective and I wish teachers would try to deviate from that stereotypical book.
Ms. Mártir’s philosophy on teaching books that reflect student’s personalities and heritage is one that should be felt across the world. It is so important that young people read something they relate to because it can increase pride in a personal culture that was never there before. Reading these books in classes will also create awareness for different races, genders, and sexualities to prevent bullying in schools similar to bullying experienced by Ms. Mártir.
I like how i can find books that I can relate to like the girl in the article. I am currently reading the book Pat Conroy my losing season which i feel like i can relate to in many areas of the book. In my book Pat Conroy is in a non stop basketball cycle like the one I am currently in with only one day breaks like the one he gets in the book.
He doesn't really get the opportunity to go hangout with friends and do things outside of school on friday nights or weekends. I feel like most books there is a part of it that does revolve around your life. They I feel like are so written to be like that.
I enjoy seeing that other people go through some of the same situations as you or reading about something that you understand because you went through it too.
I haven’t been much of a reader until this year, which was mainly due to the force of my english teacher. In the past, I would never read just to read, I would read because I had to. Recently, I have found myself not being able to put a book down. I think most of the books I have read are teaching me something. I have never really seen myself in a book, sometimes I feel the same as the characters that I am reading about but I have never coralsyed myself with a character, mainly because I have never really thought about it.
Reading the article, I think I realized that reading has a lot bigger meaning than words on a page and a general “Theme” at the end. Books can honestly help you find your way, and possible make you feel less alone. Rather than talking to someone in real life and relating your issues with theirs, the author, Vanessa Martir, related her life to a character in a book. She was surrounded by people that she couldn’t talk, but ended up finding hope through something that she never expected.
My english teacher is actually making us do something similar with relating our lives to the books that we read. It is hard to find personal anecdotes from your life that relate to a book, I honestly just find myself learning different ways to live life. I used to take the purpose of reading like a grain of salt, but being able to read books that interest you make a big difference.
I usually do not see myself in the books I read. There might be the rare occasion, but I mostly read for the experience. I don’t see myself in the book, yet I still see myself in the book. I don’t personally connect with a lot of books, but I still can imagine being the character.
If you are able to personally connect with a book, that is great. You can enjoy the book more because you could just as easily be one of the characters. If you can “be a character” then you can understand the book better, and have something to relate to.
In the related article, it talks about Vanessa Mártir and how she discovered books written by authors of the same ethnicity as hers. She was able to relate her story to the ones in the books. As she got older, whenever she would read these books, she was able to recapture a pride in her culture. She now gets her children these books so that they can have the same experience of personally relating to them.
When I read books, specifically with a teenager or child as the main character, I draw all sorts of parallels between them and myself. Particularly, the characters who wonder all the time and who break the rules every now and then. I'm an incredibly curious person and this is common among children, so it's not unusual to find that young characters in stories are shown asking many questions and trying to understand everything.
Seeing as this description fits me so well, I would not say that I feel misrepresented in literature. Because everyone is different, when I read stories, I do not feel as though the author is trying to represent a large group of people through one character because it's impossible; there's so much variation and so much diversity even within similar groups that it is fruitless to try and characterize everyone through the use of a singular person.
One of the great things about books is that readers are allowed to experience stories from all sorts of perspectives. When I read books, I often find myself engrossed in the literature or empathizing with the characters and experiences, but I don’t often connect with the books I read on a personal level. This is in contrast with Ms. Mártir, who felt alienated growing up; her peers and teachers never had much exposure to latinas. When she was introduced to books written by other Latina authors, she could reflect with the book because the experiences of the characters in the books and herself were similar.
As an ethnically Chinese person, I have become more invested in stories if an Asian character were to appear simply due to my bias. However, while I can connect to these stories more, I don’t actively seek them out, nor do I feel as though being able to connect on a personal level is very important to me. There are so many good books and stories out there, it’d be a waste of time spending a lot of time looking for a book where I’m in someway represented when my purpose for reading is to experience from more perspectives, to expand my view.
One book I did really enjoy, though, was Heart of a Samurai, by Margi Preus, finding it while randomly browsing my school library. The story is about one of the first Japanese people to land in America, set in a historical setting and the adversities he faced. I would be lying if I said I didn’t see myself in the story as I read it.
I am not an avid reader, but this year in my English class we did have to read a lot of books and what I soon found it was very hard for me to read books that I didn't see myself in. For example we recently read the book To Kill a Mockingbird, and although it is a fantastic classic book I had trouble reading it because I could see myself in Scout or the other characters. Where as in some of the books I had chosen to read myself i enjoyed much more because I could relate to the characters more.
The article talks about a woman named Vanessa Mártir, she talks about her experiences at boarding school and how growing up she never read books where she could see herself in the characters but when she was older someone recommend a book to her that she was able to connect better with.
I believe that it is important for young people to feel represented in the literature that they read. When people can envision themselves as the character, it makes the novel more interesting and easier to understand. Everyone should at least read one piece of literature in life where they have a deep connection with one of the characters. People not only relate to these characters by just their looks but along with their personalities.
In the article, Vanessa Martir talks about her experiences in boarding school. She talks about how her English teacher, Mr. Goddard, exposed her to literature that she was able to personally connect to. She saw herself reflected in “the story of the Garcia sisters, who fled to the United States from the Dominican Republic.” She then realized that there must be other writers like this and began to look for more literature. She now has tried to become a role model for those with similar experiences her.
@Bennett M I can't read a book without somewhat relating to it. Anything that I don't relate to is considered boring and I won't be able to read it well and It would be more difficult to comprehend. I agree we should be able to envision ourselves as the main character, it brings more life to the book when you read thinking this and you can also picture yourself in that role, or even see from another person's point of view.
Lately I’ve been seeing a lot about the importance of representation in media. It’s seems like such a minor thing but it turns out to be more important after first glance.
There’s the existence of Tiana, the first African American Disney princess and Moana, a movie whose production emphasized the importance of the culture it was representing. There’s also the ever growing representation of Lgbt+ communities in media which is being celebrated when done well and criticized when done wrong.
Often times this can cause some people to be confused because, does it really matter?
The response I see most often to this is that, people who don’t see the importance of this are already represented well in media. Media shows how people perceive others. The way one depicts a minority in a work shows how they perceive that minority, and will subconsciously affect how others perceive that minority by putting the ideas together.
School makes us read a lot of classic novels, something historical novels like this involving the Holocaust. I enjoy these books occasionally, but I can’t say that I’ve ever related to the characters in them. Often times the analysis assignments that come when we read these books for schools ruins the experience for me, which doesn’t help either.
But the I have found characters I relate to. As cliche as it may sound I find myself relate most to loner characters, those who are alone not because they want to be but because they don't know how to socialize.
@Natalia Rivera I am similar to you, in that I have never really related to any of the characters in the books I have had to read about in school. This may be because I am just a pretty normal kid and my life is not that interesting. I do have any extremely under represented ethnicities, like French Polynesian in Moana— for example — either. I do find more characters somewhat like me in books I choose to read however because the books I choose to read are not about racism in the early 1900’s or about some crazy journey through the Ancient Greek world.
I can connect to some characters in a few books but for the majority, I cannot connect to whole books. I think that if you want to get that kind of connection with books you need to either start at an early age and/or not have people force books on you. Mrs. Martir happens to find a book that brings out the similarities in her life and the book which opens her eyes to the world of places that a book can take you. She not only uses this book but many of the other books by the same author, for lots of extensions in her life. This special eye opening moment has yet to impact me, though I cannot say that I’ve not been interested in any of the books I’ve read, there just hasn’t been that book that made me believe it had connections to my personal life. I have learned a lot from books but connections on how to deal with my own day to day life never seemed to come up.
I haven't read many books that have a character I can relate to, but I think it’s gotta be a great feeling knowing someone knows how you are and what you feel and what you go through in your life. Being able to connect with a character and have the same thoughts and emotions, even if they’re fictional or not, must be a very relieving feeling. At least you know you're not the only one going through that and your emotions are spelled out perfectly for you.
In the related article, we see that Vanessa Martir was introduced to writers from different ethnicities and parts of the world. She was used to reading books by American writers but that changed when she read about the Garcia sisters. I can understand why she felt more connected to them and I’m glad she was exposed to that because she really needed it. She could connect with them more and share experiences with the characters.
It’s important to read books in which you feel like you are represented. I think it is important that you can see both your ethnicity and personality reflected in a book.
There is so much more that makes us up as a person than just our ethnicity. So many things determine who we are our personality, the way we were raised, our interests and disinterest and so much more.
While it’s great that Vanessa Mártir found books written by and with characters who looked like her, and it’s great that they helped her to feel represented and like she belonged. Our looks are not the only things that needs to be represented in what we read.
Just because someone looks like me in a book doesn’t mean that I am going to relate with their experiences. For me to relate to them I have to be like the character on both the inside and the outside. Once you find those books though, with the characters like you inside and out, it is amazing. Those are some of the best books you will ever read.
The more complex a character is within a book the easier i find it to relate to them. A well developed character with a defined background and hopes for the future is easier to find similarities with then a one dimensional underdeveloped character. This is usually more important to me than what the characters background is, the don’t have to be the exact same as me to be relatable they just have to be understandable enough that I can find similarities to relate to.
I see myself in The Catcher in the Rye. It was not until I reached Holden’s struggles that I started to realize what Salinger was expressing. To Holden the world was moving without him and this was scary beyond belief. I was trying to preserve the present. At first my senior friends started to get accepted into college. By May they would leave to their internships. It felt weird without them, but it was okay because we always had rehearsals after school. This is what I would say to myself but in the back of my mind I felt my company being ripped apart. By the time June came reality hit. People were leaving whether I liked it or not. I had to stay and I felt cheated. Holden did not get to say goodbye to his brother when he died. I missed senior graduation and did not get to say a formal farewell. Neither of us had closure. A new year has started and I am in the same situation. I am still dreading June but I have realized something unlike Holden. I know they are gone but I will remember them. To be accepted by a great group of people has felt like a dream. In my mind we are still reckless and have wild hearts. I will hold them safe there. What I lost in them I will not replace. I could run away and let them down but I chose a different way. Sometimes when we are all together, I get the feeling that the rest of us are somewhere close and I want to do my best to make them proud. I want them to know I’m not alone and I’ll carry them in every breath I take until my very last.
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All people, whether they do it on a daily basis or once every six months, read books and indulge in literature. For the most part, I enjoy reading books, and often when I am free and have nothing to do, I sit down on a couch and pick up a book. Even though this would be different for most people, I enjoy reading books even if I do not connect to the characters. There are not many books in which I feel do not feel a relationship with the characters, yet I enjoy reading them. Unlike Ms. Martir in the article, I read books about people who have lives very different from mine. For example, I have read the Harry Potter series numerous times even though my life does not relate to Harry Potter’s life. After reading this article, I am more compelled to try and read books to which I can relate to as it would help me be more proud of who I am.
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I believe it is essential for all people to be able to connect with the characters in a book. Being able to feel a connection allows us to step into the character’s shoes and helps us understand the message and the purpose of the book better. As shown by Ms. Martir, it could help improve your self-esteem by making you feel better about who you are. Many people, especially teenagers, become discouraged when they realize that there is no one else like them. After reading a book about a character similar to them, the confidence of a person would considerably increase as they would become encouraged by the fact that they are not alone.
Being able to see yourself in the books you read has beneficial effects far beyond getting more into books and literature; it could help you improve your life. The author of the article began to completely alter her life after reading books to which she could relate. She was able to regain pride in her culture and began to look at her culture and the neighborhood in which she grew up in a positive light. The extent to which books can transform us may be astounding and everyone should pick up a book that they can relate to in order to experience this transformation.
I relate very closely to Vanessa Mártir’s experience with the book “How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents” and how that book assisted in shaping the way she went forward in the future. In my 10th grade English class, we had the opportunity to choose a book to read and I chose the book “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson. The story follows a highschool freshman named Melinda Sordino who becomes an outcast at school because she called the police who busted a party she was attending. But throughout the course of the book, we find out that the reason Melinda called the police was because she had been raped. “Speak” was a difficult book to read by both me and my peers, but it was hard for me for a different reason. I have been sexually assaulted and connected with the character Melinda in my emotions and my circumstances. The connection that I made with Melinda helped me become more unashamed to share about what had happened in the past, she made me realize that I wasn’t alone. I believe that many people connect with characters in books and that those characters help trigger something inside us that may change how we view our circumstances, our mindset, and possibly even our future.
I love reading, and finding characters you connect to makes it a thousand times more poignant. However, as a white female, my “connection” to characters has nothing to do with how I look or what gender I am, but about the actual personality and experiences of the character. Even if the character is a middle-aged asian man, that hardly matters when I relate to him; the whole appearance thing only becomes difficult when trying to dress up on Halloween. For me, the connection is purely personality-based, much like it is with my friends in real life.
That’s not to say anything against people who enjoy reading literature by and/or about people who look like them. For me, a white girl whose family has lived in America for generations, outward appearance doesn’t matter because I hardly have a particular group with particular experiences that I particularly connect to. Ms. Mártir, however, did have a specific character group she could best connect to because of her appearance and history. Kudos to those people for showing people like myself windows to the world I may have otherwise not seen, but I think it’s more important if we take into consideration the heart of the character rather than where they’re from or what they look like.
@Grace Robertson I agree that it's possible to relate to book characters even if they don't look just like you. I have read books of a different race than me but still related to them just the same. When I try to relate to characters I don't take outward appearance into consideration I look into the inside in the way the characters act and interact with the people around them.
Typically, when I read books, I find myself often times putting myself in the other characters shoes, and seeing how they react and or handle the situation. While I can also in certain cases sympathize with a character and feel what they are going through, I can never really picture myself in the book going through the same situation. I think there is a big difference between being able to sympathize with a character and putting yourself in their shoes, versus picturing yourself go through everything the main character goes through throughout the book. While I can make connections in my own life according to the characters, I don’t see myself when I am reading the book. Instead, I am imagining them and what their situation looks like.
I don’t feel or like to feel connected to the characters in books. That might be because I was told what Ms. Mártir was saying at an early age, effectively making any sort of connection to characters an immediate repellant, but I do believe that lots of people need to feel that sort of connection to characters from books. Any time that I do happen to feel even the slightest connection to them, I am suddenly put into a bad mood, this usually happens when they say that they do something in a way that most people do etc.
I do believe that books can be represented as mirrors and windows, and I also believe that can seriously change how well people think of themselves. I don’t really know why, but I think that it’s easier for certain kids to process things when they have something to hang on to (i.e. books). We need people to maintain a flow of books to people and that is up to adults, some types of people really need it. I feel like anyone who cares at least a little bit to get that job done.
I love reading books. It’s one of my favorite past times, and that is because I can always disappear into a world that I can relate to or one that will motivate me to be a better person. I feel relatively represented in books, but the only thing that stands out that I wish I could find is a book about a prominent Asian athlete that doesn’t come from an extremely impoverished area. There’s always stories about athletes that come from difficult parts of town or ones about people who have gone through great struggles just to have a chance to compete. And I love stories. But those stories don’t describe me. There’s infinite stories that have an Asian that is on the math and science teams, but I don’t want to read another one of those stories. But like Vanessa Mártir, I have found some books that at least partially relate to me.
I know I haven’t gone through near the amount of struggle to truly have the same mindset as the main character, but Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand has really motivated me, despite all of the setbacks and people that don’t believe in you along the way, to do what I am passionate about. I love running track and field, but when I’m seen in school, I’m not “the fast kid that runs the 200 meter.” I’m “the smart kid that’s in this math and this science” or “the person applying to this school.” And those expectations do weigh heavy sometimes. But seeing Louis Zamperini go through so much and still come out on top keeps me striving for my goals.
In every book I read, I'm able to find ways that society or characters can to myself. Fortunately I haven't faced the ostracism that Venessa Martir found herself relating too. Instead, I see reflections of myself in classic books that show more universal themes and lessons.
In my English class we’re reading and analyzing Fahrenheit 451. I feel that I belong to parts of each character. My curiosity through Clarisse, desire to discover more through Montag. On the other hand my laziness and cowardliness are seen in Mildred and Faber. If you search hard enough you can see parts of yourself in every book, whether that be the good or the bad. No matter how we relate to books, their lessons can apply to our lives in the same way Venessa saw that being just like everyone else doesn't make you special. She learned to love herself and where she came from. That's what books are meant to do, they help us discover more about ourselves and others around us.
Personally, I love to read all kind of books but I am mostly drawn to fiction or mystery. I can somehow find that I relate more to the mystery horror genre because I tend to share a similar mindset to all of the characters within the book, killers included. One of the mystery, horror books I first read was "Once Taken" written by Blake Pierce. The main character is a woman named Riley Pierce who is a criminal investigator that has case where women are "randomly" going missing. In finding out who the killer is, that character and I tend to share a similar mindset and would find it extremely easy to find the murderer. These books keep my mind open to new ideas and the concept of thinking outside of the box. And they also keep me chasing after the answer and I do that regardless of if I am reading a book or not. I love the chase.
How do I relate to the stories I read?
Books can definitely be life changing. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers changed my life. I haven't been wholeheartedly interested in a book since elementary school but when my English teacher recommended this book to me, from the first page I read, I knew I was in love. I couldn't put the book down. I was captivated with the characters and the theme that Gods love is everlasting and redeeming.
Although I have felt like an outsider and the odd ball out at times, I have never had the issues Ms. Martir had growing up and not being able to find any books or characters in books that she could personally connect with. In Redeeming Love, Sarah is orphaned and sold into prostitution at a young age. She has seen and been through so much and her journey to becoming a follower of Christ is fascinating to read about.
I can relate to Sarah because I too have been through things kids shouldn't have to go through and I have found god is by my side through it all. After I read the book and returned it to my teacher, I went and bought it myself! I have not read any more books by Francine but I look forward to reading more of her works of art.
I am lucky enough to feel represented in most of the books I read; in the young adult novels I have read, there are a lot of white high school girls. I am aware that this is a very small population of people that can see themselves in these books, and it has helped me learn more truths about myself and others around me.
In the book, "Every Exquisite Thing" by Matthew Quick, the protagonist Nanette rebels against everything she knew in her previous life. I was in my sophomore year when I first read this book, and I loved it. It was angsty and raw, and that was exactly what I needed at that point in my life; I was so ready to break free from my own life and go onto explore my true passions, not what I was conforming my interests to.
I believe that everyone should be able to see themselves in books, movies, and on television. Being represented by fictional characters is powerful, and can help kids have role models that might not exist in their own lives. Whether we need to support more diverse authors and stories, or librarians and teachers need to expose students to more than one story or archetype; something needs to be done.
Reading this article, I can understand where a kid would stand on this. Reading doesnt bother me as a student or just as an individual. Getting involved with the characters and and watching everything that takes place from a different perspective is what makes reading fun for me.
No, not ever it's not like I don't ever read but when I do read I feel like the story I read is usually not as relatable. And even so the story you read is usually supposed to be for the entertainment and the adventure. The stories in High School are supposed to be an assignment and I often just read the necessities just because I do not wanna be apart of schools requirements for reading since all we read those books are for the grade.
I like to imagine the characters that the book gives me instead of putting myself in the character's shoes. I like to usually read fiction books or sports fiction books because they are more interesting to me so when I read about the characters I imagine their own life because it is to complicated for me to overthink the character's life.
When I read , I usually read for the entertainment aspect. I don’t think about seeing myself in books because it doesn’t cross my mind at all. However I do picture some sceneries from the book and think what would happen if I was in that type of situation. Most of the time, books make you think a lot, and that’s a good thing.
@Nico Guillen I find myself doing exactly what you're doing all the time when I read. I don't look for how I relate to the characters, but what I would do if I was put in the same situation as the main character. Sometimes I'll sit there any hypothesize over what I think will happen next, and then go over scenarios about what I would do in order to get to take the direction in the same way the author does. Comparing what I would do to what the main character would do helps show me the differences in our thought processes and define our personalities. In coming to understand the differences in main characters and myself, I have actually come to have a better understanding of my personality and how others see me, which has allowed me to become more socially aware
I love to read fiction books because somehow I can relate myself to the story. Books also give us the advice to deal with some familiar situations given in the book. I read a book in age of 13 named "Ami Topu" written by Humayun Ahmed it is a story of my age boy. I love this book because it reflect my age teenager emotion. There are so many books that pick up our social problems or current situation so that easily understand the writer's intention. Sometimes few books also misrepresent the stories but conscience of reading books is worthy
While I am able to empathize with most fictional characters, I've struggled to find a character that I relate to on a deep level. I find the most relatable characters are blank slates. The best way to make a relatable character is to make the reader the character.
@Aiden I also empathize to many fictional characters, some more than others. I have read the Ender’s game series and loved it, making Ender into the hero I think he is and how I want him to be. In other books that I read but can’t really relate to, like “all the Light we cannot see” it was harder for me to relate to the characters, because the time and psyche of the characters are so different from my life, because it takes place in World War 2. However I disagree that a relatable character must be you, because you can relate to someone because you sympathize with them, not because they are exactly the same as you.
Reading isn’t the best thing in the world, at least for me its not. When it comes to me reading i tend to go more towards the side in which I’ll read something but only when im completely bored, without a phone and its nothing to do around me.
This doesn’t change the fact that reading in school or out of school should make everyone feel as if they’re represented. Books should have a variety of people ranging from short and stubby to tall and slim, disabled to not disabled. Books should have similar outlooks of life of the intended audience. People shouldn’t only read from a singular persons point of view, which seems like in every book its the same person. They should be able to relate to the characters of books.
I don’t think it’s important at all to feel represented in the books I read. I like to read books that have an intriguing plot, something that not everyone could have experienced because it’s the author's own story. If I were to read something that I related to and saw myself in a character I find that I would lose interest in the novel because if I’ve already experienced similar things in the book it’s not unique, it doesn't stand out amongst the wide variety of other books that share personal yet fascinating detailed and different stories. I like old books based on a time that I wasn't alive yet to understand the culture and the way life was. Sure I can relate to a character's feelings or emotions at times but as a whole, their story couldn’t have been told by anyone but themselves and nobody really knows what it was like to feel the things they felt except themselves.
@Chloerose Ratcliff I feel the same way when it comes to books, but some people need to feel that. Some people have gone through very troubling times, they sometimes feel stressed and aren't as worried when they see a book where the person is going through the same things as they are.
@Chloerose Ratcliff I completely understand why you feel that there shouldn’t be a connection with the characters in the book and the reader. When you do relate to a particular character, a special element of what makes a book a book can be lost. After all, we read books so that we can see the perspective of someone different, and not to reread our own lives. However, I think that a book can have a character similar to you, and you can still gain something from it. Sometimes it’s that different perspective that shines light on something you see as a flaw.
Before reading Fahrenheit 451, I never really understood how damaging technology can be in our lives. I knew that too much technology was obviously going to be harmful, but in my eyes the benefits outweigh the negatives. Reading about Mildred, an emotionless robot whose life revolved around technology made me realize that I too live a life dependent on technology. The grasp technology has on me is terrifying, and seeing myself through Mildred helped me recognize it. That new perspective brought change to my life, a change that might not have ever happened if I didn’t see myself as Mildred.
When I read for enjoyment, I read a book that I chose for myself. If I am reading for fun, I usually become embedded in the story. Visualizing myself in the book is not something that happens often. If I can really get into the book to the point where I am excited to read more, my focus is on what is happening next not if I can relate to it. I will say that I may agree with a view point of a character or see similarities in our personalities, but I do not see myself in books. The article asks the question if it is important for young people to represented in literature. I do think it is important that there is a variety of characters that are represented in different stories. Having access to many genres makes it easier for people to find a story they can connect with. Reading does something different for everyone. My focus is not connecting with the book or the character. I just love reading because I can go into a story different from the life I live. My goal is to just enjoy the story the author provides.
The article talks about the importance of representation in media. I wholeheartedly agree with what Ms. Martir is saying in the article. It’s absolutely vital that marginalized and underrepresented kids see themselves in books, on screen, and in other forms of media. Without seeing people like you, it’s so easy to feel so alone.
I know for a fact that representation is important. As part of the lgbtq community, seeing gay and trans people on screen or in books makes me happier than pretty much anything else. Seeing characters going through the same things I go through is such a validating experience. It shows you that you’re not wrong for being who you are, and it shows you that straight and white isn’t necessarily what has to be “normal” anymore.
I believe that representation is one of the most important parts of reading throughout childhood. If children are not exposed to people that look like them, grow up in similar settings to them, and have the same culture as them, it could lead to many negative repercussions, such as the ones the woman in the article faced. At her boarding school, she was constantly made fun of for being Latino, but once her English professor recommended a book from a Latino writer, her world was completely changed. She saw herself in the literature she was reading, and it affected her mentality towards herself and her culture. If more students were represented at school, and if minorities were taught about to the privileged students more often, cases of bullying like this would not happen. This is an issue of miseducation, from both sides, and causes a divide that goes far beyond the pages of a book.
When I came to middle school, I had a realization that my sexuality was not what I always thought it was. I had no further education about this other than that it was always a topic that was hushed up - I had never read a book that didn’t depict heterosexuals as the main characters or have a straight love story somewhere in the plot. But I started reading young adult books that had gay, lesbian, bi, or pan main characters, and educated myself on LGBTQ+ history and culture.
Ironically, the reading I do for school causes me to read less outside of school. Maybe it's the fact that I always feel like reading is an assignment now, but I just can't get myself to sit down and read a good book like I could in the past. Because of this, I struggle to relate with Ms. Mártir's experience. Finding stories to relate with can be hard sometimes when you're reading about things entirely disconnected from your personal life. In high school, I've read novels like The Things They Carried, Night, and The Kite Runner. Each one of these stories is fantastic in its own right, but it's difficult for me to relate to the struggles of soldiers in Vietnam, Holocaust survivors, or people coming from the war-torn Middle East.
Despite this, one book did connect with me more than any other: The Catcher in the Rye. Holden Caulfield's journey into adulthood didn't have many literal parallels with my own--I've never switched high schools, and I certainly haven't ran away to get black-out drunk in New York City. That being said, Holden's sarcasm and compulsiveness resonated with me. To an extent, I suppose every teenager is sarcastic and compulsive. However, seeing these traits in Holden's character helped me take a look at myself in a way that I never would have without reading the book.
As for a story I haven't seen in literature and would like to, give me a realistic story about high school. Many authors use unrealistic dialogue or situations, but I just want something real.
When reading books I definitely visualize what is going on or how the person may feel from my own perspective. Throughout the times I have read, I have found some amazing books. Why amazing? I believe that what makes a book interesting and above all others is the fact that you can relate or reflect yourself to the character or whatever it may be in the story that is making the overall main idea. As in this passage, I related to it because as well as she struggled to fit in and find herself in a new place, so have I. Having that thought in the back of your head that you won’t be able to make it past the situation you are in brings you down a lot. It is very stereotypical of me to say that as a "hispanic" some of us tend to get kind of loud at times because of the way we grew up talking to our peers in the household. When I started attending school I realized that I annoyed people with the way that I talk. I never really understood why because it was pretty normal to me. It took me a lot of time to get used to the environment I was in but it was also not impossible. I can say that I feel better when I see that someone else can relate to what I feel. It also makes me feel less insecure and as if I am not alone.
Personally I am not a big reader, which means, I do not enjoy reading assignments that we get in english class at school, I am not one of those people that reads for fun or when they are bored, and lastly I always hear the words, “Maybe if you did some reading you wouldn’t be having this problem.” from my parents. I have recently found a book that I enjoy reading which has caused me to have some thoughts on this topic actually. Most books have been told to read in the past have been those older classics that pretty much everyone goes through their life reading, but a couple weeks I found something completely different.
‘After’ is the book I am talking about. I had seen the movie and fell in love with it so I decided to give the book a try. My first night I read over 100 pages which is not normal for me, at all. Reading this article now I am beginning to see the reason why I was so interested. ‘After’ is about a young innocent girl who is a freshman girl in college who meets a bad boy and falls for him, he changes her life forever and when he goes away there is just, after. This girl reminds me of myself in some ways which I have come to believe that is why I was so intrigued by this book. I can relate to her lifestyle, only I’m not a freshman in college. I study for tests just like her, until she gets distracted by a boy. In my case it is my friends, not some bad boy from the other side of the tracks. I find that the more I can relate the more interested I am going to be.
I struggle to find books that I relate to, in the plot or even just the characters. Especially the assigned books in school and the books my dad wants me to read. I cannot get into a book when I don't relate to it and I think that that is why I have grown to be such a resentful reader. I've become the person that would rather do anything else over reading, it simply bores me to death. I have read a few books that have kept me hooked. They are always the books by Nicholas Sparks, not a college level war book or something like my teachers want. I think it is important to read books that we can relate to and keep us into it more than boring us.
I consider is very important you have a connection with characters that you are reading. It is important since it helps to create more proof in reading and create routines of learning. Today and generation after generation leave away habits of reading, ignoring the importance that it has. The other hand while it is true that schools have to promote reading for students, I think this is a responsibility from parents. However we can encourage our children identifying what kind of books them like and in this way try to offer them something useful. I agree when the article cite that if we have books where we can find something similar with us, this is a good way to join as with this practice.
As a student that reads rarely I do not find myself inside the books. I struggled for so long to find a book that I can relate to in any way. The book I think I related to the most was Diary of a Wimpy Kid back in fourth grade. Which sounds weird but I could relate to Greg's life with his siblings and school life. I felt like I was apart of the book every single page. Diary of a Wimpy Kid was the last book I read that I enjoyed.
I found Jeff Kinney first book when I was in my elementary school book fair. I saw the cover and thought it looked interesting. After the first book i was hooked and I felt inclined to read all of them. Each book with a plot and a different year in Greg’s life.
In this it talks about a girl for was different from the other kids she was a Latina and she was bullied and never made a lot of friends. She loved to read and that was her happy place when she was down she would read but it was getting old, it didn't work as well now. One day her teacher gives her a book by a latina writer and this changed everything for her she was so happy.
She learned from reading that book that if you can see yourself in a book, it can change your life, change the way you see the world. She read many more books like that one and her life took a change now she teaches other kids with the books and helps change their lives like hers did.
For me I don't enjoy reading but the books I read and like I try to make a connection with them and me. This makes the book better and what I really like to do is put myself into their situation. I also do this with shows I watch which i feel i can relate to more because I can the whole story and the characters.
Dakota's Part 1
I don't always see myself in the books I read, the only time I see myself is in a scene that relates to me or my life. Some books I'm able to relate to the main characters position, and sometimes I am able to put myself in the character's shoes. Most of the time I only see the story from the narrator's point of view.
A book I was best able to relate to was the book Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. Growing up in Northwest Montana everyday was an adventure, I would walk out into the forest with my dog and explore for hours. Every summer we would go to Alaska in a plane exactly described in the book, this being the case I was able to put myself in the character's shoes. I read a couple more of his books but I didn't connect with them as I did the the book Hatchet.
Most books I read don't make me feel the same as the book Hatchet did. I don't mind this because the majority of the time when I read a book I want to escape the world and invest myself into a good story. It's entertaining to read books like this because you see the plot differently through the eyes of the main character, not your eyes. I do think it's important and entertaining to read books where you can relate to the character or plot because it makes it feel much more real and important. It also holds you and sticks with you.
I see myself in every book I read. I try and think like the character. I do this no matter race or gender. But I’ve never really had a problem of finding characters that did look like me. I understand how being Latina you might not find a lot of books, especially in school, that represent you.
Vanessa Mártir never thought about how the books she read didn’t represent her. She said she was too young to understand the difference or know it could matter. Her english teacher gave her a book called “How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents.” and it had a hispanic author. The characters in the book perfectly represented her. Hispanic girls going to a boarding school and struggling to fit in.
Vanessa became an author and found somewhere she belonged. With other writers of color. She buys her daughter books written by women of color so that she can feel represented too.
Dakota's Part 2
In conclusion I do believe students should read books that they are able to relate to and books where they see life through the eyes of someone else. It will allow them to be more understanding of other people's point of view. For example Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut, this book most people will be unable to relate to because the book is depicted through the eyes of a man who has PTSD after WW2 and is having flashbacks and “flashforwards” randomly throughout the book. This is a good example of seeing life through the eyes of someone else which will allow the reader to be more understanding of what other people feel.
If the book is telling a story that matches something that has already happened to me, I can identify with the book or the character. However, most of the books I have read, I do not relate to them because I do not feel identified with the characters or with what happens in the story. It does not mean that I do not like it. I only read for entertainment not to see myself in the story.
To be honest, I have not read so many books, but I can say that some of the books that I already read I can feel identify, not all the time. However, when I read a book, I only connect with the character in the story until I read half of the book. After reading until the end, the scene change, it is completely different from my personality or my life. I think that it is important to us feel represented by the books that we read because when we are reading a book, we compare what is happening in the book with our life or someone's life that we already know, and we tend to get into the character.
Children should see people like them reflected in all sorts of media, not just literature, and it’s as simple as that. Representation is incredibly important, no matter what naysayers may say (though I suppose they’re mostly just saying “nay”). I think Ms. Mártir’s experience illustrates this particularly well. She struggled to fit in because she was different, and reading books and (to an assumedly lesser extent) viewing media that show others like her in those situations, and they helped her accept those differences and move on, and now she’s doing the same for her daughter.
On a more personal note, as a white male in America, I was never really alienated that much, because I looked like (almost) everyone else. It’s because of this that I can’t personally relate to Ms. Mártir’s story, but I do hear and understand what she’s saying, and I completely agree.
I personally haven’t had a struggle to find pieces of literature that I personally connect with because I’m not an avid reader, I don’t read often, but when I do read I choose books that seem interesting/exciting, I don’t read for a personal connection. I can’t really say that I feel misrepresented in Literature because in the books that I have read, a lot of the main characters and I share certain aspects/traits, but I do think that other people of the same background/similar to me that have read a greater variety of books than I have may feel misrepresented.
I really can’t think of a book that I have had a deep connection with, though their probably is one.
I would like to read a book about how a high school student struggled with balancing their freetime, harsh workload, relationships, extracurricular activities, volunteering, and their jobs, but perseveres, and graduates. This is an important an important story to tell because a lot of high schoolers are feeling stressed out and this story may be able to help them get through it/persevere.
I agree with Bishop’s metaphor that when books reflect our own experiences, we feel more valued, even though I haven’t personally experienced any books that closely relate to me. I personally don’t think that it’s important for young people to feel represented by the books that they’re reading because I just don’t think that it’s important, books should just be interesting, not mirrors of themselves.
I don’t feel or like to feel connected to the characters in books. That might be because I was told what Ms. Mártir was saying at an early age, effectively making any sort of connection to characters an immediate repellant, but I do believe that lots of people need to feel that sort of connection to characters from books. Any time that I do happen to feel even the slightest connection to them, I am suddenly put into a bad mood, this usually happens when they say that they do something in a way that most people do etc.
I do believe that books can be represented as mirrors and windows, and I also believe that can seriously change how well people think of themselves. I don’t really know why, but I think that it’s easier for certain kids to process things when they have something to hang on to (i.e. books). We need people to maintain a flow of books to people and that is up to adults, some types of people really need it. I feel like anyone who cares at least a little bit to get that job done.
I’m saying this not from a cultural standpoint but more of an emotional understanding of what I get from books and whether it affects me. Whether or not I’m able to push myself to be in the character's shoes is dependent on what book I’m reading and how interested I am in it. One of the first books I had this experience with was the Percy Jackson books that really let my imagination run wild with reenacting the scenes within my head. More recently has been To Kill A Mockingbird where you have to imagine yourself in the character's shoes in a much more serious situation. The Percy Jackson books related more towards the me in that past with the energetic information vs. the To Kill A Mockingbird which I see the development of emotional experiences similar to just about every person.
Experiences found in books to me are very hard to be relatable to real-life experiences, however, I feel that I connect to them on an emotional level similarly to what Ms. Mártir’s is feeling. I’ve had experiences with far-out books in a very different setting like Feed that gives great lessons that I feel I almost wouldn’t be the same person I am now.
Until I read the article, I had never thought about how privileged I am to be able to read literature by countless authors that look like me and share a similar background. I grew up reading books that reflected my life without ever thinking that not everyone lived in the same world I did. After reading about the journey of Vanessa Martir, how she struggled to find herself in books and finally felt complete when she did, I realized how easy I have it in ways I had never even thought of.
As a culture, we never really appreciate the things we have until we see someone who does not share the same luxuries. I grew up reading books like "The Magic Tree House" that depicted a childhood similar to that of mine, adventurous and creative (with a bit less magic and time travel). To this day, reading classics, I know that all of the authors look like me and had a similar relationship with gender and race. I now realize this isn't the case for everyone.
I believe that as a society, we should work to empower unique voices in the writing community to ensure that every child can grow up knowing that they are not alone and have role models in the books they read.
When I was younger, reading was something I dreaded. I was the type of person who could never sit still long enough to dive into a book. This all changed when I read Turtles All The Way Down by John Green. I finally found a character that was me in every way. Once I picked up that book it was glued to my fingers. After this, I couldn’t get enough of reading and relating to the stories and characters. It was so important for me to understand and read about characters who suffered from a mental illness because I finally wasn't alone in the battle. I now write my own material and poetry hoping that someone who reads my work will feel the same way.
In the related article, Vanessa Matir describes the same experience I had with reading, but in her own way. She found books that brought her back to her culture and roots. She had felt out of place for so long, but reading these books made her realize she belonged. I believe finding a book you can relate to is so important and something everyone should experience.
@Lilah Pate I can completely relate to you, I actually had the same experience with Turtles All The Way Down. I also like how you mentioned how important it is for you to be able to relate to a character to feel not alone in your battle. I read the book when I was younger and when I read it again once I got older the view I had on it was completely different. I actually understood why I liked the book so much.
The article also mentions how you don't have to look like the described character to feel a relation with that character. I think this is important because it shows who you are goes beyond what everyone sees, which goes along with your point of mental illness and feeling alone in the fight.
I, personally, have never seen myself in books that I read, although I can see the appeal to it. I think it has to do with the fact that I still haven’t had an overwhelming struggle like most characters in books do. I’ve just been cruising merrily through life and always keeping my head high when something goes wrong. All books have characters that have these massive burdens whether that be saving the world or standing up against something that is unfair, I feel like I just try to keep myself happy and don’t think about the bad things in life.
Ms. Mártir reads various books in her youth that she “can’t” connect with. As a latina, she was looking for specific traits of characters that physically looked like her. While it’s always good to find literature that relates to you in all ways possible including cultural backgrounds, there’s more to connect with than just physical traits. It wasn’t that she couldn’t connect with the characters, but that she wasn’t allowing herself to. Good literature represents certain groups. Classic and meaningful literature pertains to various groups. It is important to represent these diverse groups, however their ethnicity shouldn’t be the only thing that attracts readers. It should be the societal issues, underlying symbolism, and intricate characters that we reflect on in a book, not what the character looked like. To pick such books is ultimately the responsibility of one's self. Teachers and parents should be there to guide you and recommend these hard hitting books, but in the end the book has to be analyzed by you. No two people will read it the same and take away the exact same lessons. The representation that Ms. Mártir claims to feel by seeing someone of her skin tone is false comfort in something familiar. The purpose of meaningful books isn’t always to make one pleased. It’s, as Socrates would say, to make individuals question everything. Good books come in all sizes and shapes just as good people come in all races and from all different backgrounds.
Like Vanessa Mártir, I had a similar experience like her. When I was in 6th grade, our class was assigned to read this novel titled “Esperanza rising” by Pam Muñoz Ryan. Usually with an assigned book I have to read, I tend to dread it. But it was different this time. The main character was from Mexico. Being a Latina myself, I related with her character more. The book itself had a lot of Spanish words in it and when my teacher read the book aloud in class, trying to pronounce the Spanish phrases, I would feel as if I knew a secret that the teacher didn’t. Even though I didn’t entirely relate with the character’s situation, we had the same culture and that made me feel connected to her. Prior to that, I was reading comic books like ”Babymouse” so going from a mouse character to a character that represented me was a nice change of pace.
I feel that It's very important for people especially young people to be represented in literature and culture in general. What if they have no one else to relate to and books can be that for them. Or they grow up and they don’t see anyone who looks like them and they feel as if their not normal. Simply for the fact of wanting to fit in. I also think it’s a way to connect with books and start to enjoy reading, because you finally feel as you can connect with something.
The woman/ girl in the article talks about reading and how when she was handed this book and she seemed surprised that the author had a Hispanic last name. Let's be honest the publishing industry is dominated by white American/European people. Me fitting very nicely in that niche have never really lacked representation. I feel that it's important because these children need to see that they can do anything too and they are not looked over or forsaken in our society so they know they have a place here. But hey, what do I really know.
Books are a place where more times than not people go to escape their reality and slip into a new world. There will be some individuals who disagree with this idea because they have not found a book that connects with them. The book for me was Wonder by R.J. Palacio. Being able to picture myself as Jack Will who took Auggie under his wing, was life changing. The realization hit that everyone has the ability to be friended and loved on. In life there are going to be people who have disabilities which might require a different approach of showing love and kindness, but their ability to give and receive it is there. It's crazy to think that by signing up for a book club, a lesson vital to being an overall human being would be taught to me. Pick up a book because there is a surprise waiting to be discovered between the pages.
Most books that I read, whether inside or out of class, feature characters forced to fight for their life in a dystopian society, or work their way out of a poverty stricken lifestyle that they grew up living. I don't have a story like this. I've grown up sheltered, and I've never had a traumatic experience that changed my life. The books I chose to read are for entertainment, so maybe I don't try hard enough to find a book that I connect with. Maybe I focus too much on finding a book that keeps me turning the pages rather than finding one that really means something to me.
Vanessa Martir read one book that she related to, and it turned her perspective of her life around. She realized that there were people out there like her, which is when she discovered her love for poetry and for writing literature. Just by finding a few authors and fictional characters that related to her was able to show her that there was more out there for her.
Maybe I underestimate the value of reading a book to relate to it rather than to be entertained by it. Reading Martir's article has made me think that if I found a group of people in the literature world that I saw myself in, it could shift my experience with reading and show me a different side of myself that I would learn to love.
Revised Comment: I think it's important to read books that you can relate to but I also believe that its important to be able to relate to novels even if the characters in the book are not in a similar situation as you. While I am reading novels I am aware that I may not have sacrificed my life for my sister as Katniss Everdeen did in the Hunger Games or I may not being a valiant wizard like Harry Potter but I am able to relate to Katniss in how sometimes I have to make sacrifices and Harry Potter in the fact that I have to be brave in difficult situations. In Vanessa Martir's situation which is no doubt a hard one it's a good thing that she was able to find a novel in which she could relate to in a way in which she couldn't relate to it before. I think that is important for authors to write about unique situations but for those who can't there situation in a novel I encourage you to look a little closer and you may be able to relate to characters in a different way even if the situation isn't exactly the same.
For a student to personally connect with a novel, it should be something they truly want to read. Assigned reading work is often portrayed as a negative to most students. I myself dislike being forced to read a novel. I get into a negative taste for the book and proceed to read it with such taste. This ruins the book for students and there opinion on the theme and description of the book. However, books themselves are great for the mind. Not only do they take you to a different world, but they show you culture, history, sci-fi and different opinions on taboo topics. Reading a piece of literature or poetry broadens your mind and shows you different aspects in life. Though I believe it gives out a negative feeling, assigned reading has more pros then it does cons.
I’ve never had an experience like Ms. Martir. I don’t actively look for books that have characters who remind me of myself, because I would rather hear about a sassy, quick-witted protagonist than the shy, slow-to-respond person I am. I mostly like to read adventure books, and most of the people who go on adventures in young-adult books tend to fit into the sassy, quick-witted box. If I read a book about someone like me, I would be flooded with second-hand embarrassment. Additionally, authors want to be published, and the vast majority of people probably think, like me, that a character like that isn’t as interesting, and no one would want to read a book like that. Authors have time to go back and revise arguments a billion times if they can’t think of a witty comeback as they write the scene, and if they choose, they could make a character with no flaws, or regret, or hesitation, all things of which I have an abundance.
I think reading a book with an awkward main character would give confidence to lots of teenagers, because we all sort of think we’re the only one who experiences anxiety or embarrassment, and the books about sassy characters only reiterate that. We never read stories in which the main character only thinks of a comeback an hour after the conversation, or in which they stress over an embarrassing moment from a year ago. I would want a book to make me feel confident in myself instead of showing me someone who’s automatically a fun, extroverted sass master.
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I don't often feel represented in literature, especially not in school-assigned reading. Most of the major novels we read- Of Mice and Men, The Things They Carried, Catcher in the Rye- don't even have female main characters. In Mice of Men, the only woman exists as "Curly's Wife" and exists to die an unnamed victim. In The Things They Carried, women only represent ideas for the plot and the main character. And I don't quite relate to Holden Caulfield's child sister, the adult women he hits on or the prostitute he hires. Even when women do exist in our curriculum, they are Shakespearean and only exist as tragedies. Juliet dies with Romeo, Hero must fake her own death after being falsely accused of having an affair, and Ophelia loses her mind when Hamlet kills her father. Men get to be characters; they are soldiers, princes, farmers, dropouts, and complex. Women get to be wives or dead.
And still, it's not that rare to be female, and it's not much of a basis for relatability. A television show can't just have a woman in it and be lauded for unprecedented representation. I've never read a book for any English class with a gay character. When I do find a lesbian to relate to in the library, she is either a side character or a sob story. For the well-being of us both, I wish she stays out of the spotlight.
I am a huge proponent of good representation. People need to see themselves in media. It would be nice to read myself as a real character- not a metaphor, and not a tragedy.
@Vanessa Ellis I'm sorry to read that you don't see yourself in literature. When I began reading the article I had a hard time thinking about the characters that I could relate to. I then remembered the Harry Potter series where Hermione Granger takes the strong female role and is praised for being a intellectual witch. Another character you might be able to see yourself as is Scout from How To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Scout is a curious soul who finds fun by reading with her father and playing with roly polies. She grows a character throughout the story and sees the world in a new shade of rose.
I recommend you read these books as they are magnificent and you might even learn something from it just like Ms. Martier.
It is important for students to not only read literature assigned to them, but to also search for novels that resonate with their past, present, or dreams of the future. Many times books are viewed negatively because they are often forced upon people through assigned reading; however, books are not things to be dreaded, they should be fervently seeker out.
Books can take you to places you never thought you could go. There are books on astrology, sports, fantastical lands, royals, or any other topic a person could think of. When people are able to identify with characters, they are given hope- if the character can succeed then why can’t they, they are inspired- artificial intelligence may not reach the level of sci-fi, but what if they could be the one to do it, but most importantly they feel understood-they realize that they are not alone, satisfying the most basic need of humanity: companionship. If the author of a story chooses to make an issue known it is because the issue is important to them, allowing the reader to be a part of their thirst for justice, insatiable need to be heard, or simply to step back from the craziness that is everyday life. Sometimes it is better for people to allow a hero in a story to figure life out, then use their example to take on the problems within their own lives.
Assigned reading is helpful and essential to education, but reading for entertainment is essential to a thriving life and joy to face the many tomorrows ahead.
@Jillian Colclasure I usually read a variety of different books some have a deeper meaning some don't. The books I seem to enjoy are the books I tend to relate to a little more. Whether it be on a small level of just having the same age all the way to deeper subjects. Like the author says in the passage about how many people have found books that they relate to more interesting I couldn't agree more and I feel as if you feel the same way.
Being able to relate to a piece of literature, film, poetry, or a song is a very important aspect in life. Not only are books entertaining for many, but they are even relatable. This causes the readers to feel attached to the characters and to be influenced by the main character, the story, or the underlying messages in the reading. My favorite author, Cassandra Clare, wrote that "Words have the power to change us," meaning that what you read and how you interpret it can greatly change your character or your emotions. For me, reading has enabled me to have an outlet for stress and other negative emotions. Reading and writing allows me to connect with the story and concentrate my emotions elsewhere. I believe it is vital for every person to find something that resonates with them, even if it is not literature. Many believe that the joy that books and other medias brings people can issue them great joy. Cassandra Clare believes that "If they've never cried at a book, a movie, a piece of music, then they've missed one of the great pleasures life has to offer," and I wholeheartedly agree.
Similarly to how Vanessa Mátir relates her reading “How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accent” I often find myself picking up books off the shelf that I can in some way relate to my own life. Sometimes when going through hard times in life I resort back to books, music, or movies that can tie into how I’m feeling. When you find these kinds of works they can help you as a reader sometimes feel less lonely in your situations or even provide insight on coping with things that you are fighting. When my parents were going through their divorce I subconsciously found myself attracted to books from the perspective of a kid in a broken home. It helped and gave me hope that if this character could deal with the same situation then so could I. I find myself quickly getting attached emotionally to these characters. When they fail I feel for them, when they succeed then I feel pride for them. Submerging myself into the lives of the characters and putting myself in their skin and walking around makes me feel better and less hopeless even if by page three hundred when I am done with the book and turning the last page, they are done and I have to return to my own reality, those few hours of refuge into the pages of a book I could personally feel was enough for me to be able and take on my own life headfirst.
Read a book is like take a trip where the airplane is our imagination. When I read I try to be empathic with the characters, I try to see the things as they see and that help me to understand their feelings and their actions. In some case, I identify myself with the character because their experience are like mine or sometimes I learn how I can do something in the right way according with their experience and result. One book with which I deeply connected is “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” a story by Richard Bach, I read this book when I was a child and I loved because I felt identified with the main character. The author teaches us how we can be good at something if we take a chance and fight for what we want even when all people around us don’t believe and our capacity. It is not bad to be different. Each of us can dream to be unique because we are and we can be whatever we want to be. In addition, I think is very important that young people feel represented by the books they read because as the Ms. Bishop’s metaphor, books are like a mirror and windows that help everybody to understand the reality in what we live and to dream about what we want with the hope that we can make it possible someday.
Books that are relatable are extremely important in literature, especially when it comes to young adults. While books can have entertainment value regardless of who the main character is, when readers relate to a protagonist, they often resonate more with the messages and themes of the book. This creates a fully immersive reading experience, and has a far stronger impact on the reader. Some of my favorite books - The Bell Jar, Fried Green Tomatoes, and the Outsiders - all had protagonists who I could relate to. In contrast, I often find that when I struggle to connect with a book, it's because I can't see myself in any of the characters. Finding a character in a book who has the same background, values, or struggles as you can be a cathartic experience, and seeing these characters overcome their struggles is extremely empowering.
In some books that I had read, I can feel identified with at least one character. I have not felt yet this complete identification with a character, but regularly I feel identified with a manner, the way s/he thinks or some behaviors that person has. Recently in college, I am reading a novel called Girl in Translation, by Jean Kwok. In that novel I feel identified not directly with a character if not identified with a few situations they have to struggle with throughout the chapters. In my opinion, to give students books encourage and can cause in them an impact either good or bad. It actually depends in how the author presents the characters; if a character is so superficial, students may feel incapable to achieve what this character had achieved. However, if in a reading the character is a normal person who works hard in order improve himself and get a better life, probably students may feel identified and capable to achieve their dreams.
I recently read a book "Girls In Translation " by jean Kwok , Its a book about immigrant girl .Who came a new country where she does not have any idea about language, culture etc. I was in the same situation where she was. When I came here in New York i don't have any idea about language or culture. After many years i am able to speak with my professor in English and others too. While i was reading the book i felt connection with the characters . Everything wasn't similar but most of the thing was same . I hope every immigrant are same when they came new country . some of them struggle more by himself or herself and some of them have shelter who could be the direction for them . Additionally everyone must be struggle as long as they want to survive . Books help people to feel and understand that how people get rid of from struggle and archive what they want in their life . Its important for Yong people because young child usually got shelter from their parents or elder person. They do not face problems how their parents does . So a book could be gave them the feeling about life . Then they will understand how their parents or elder guardian survive but still they got shelter.
I agree with most of the people who feel a connection with the stories that they are reading from books, sometimes with one of the characters, or with the author. Usually, some writers take the stories from real life and they can develop them following the storyline strictly or adding new events or new characters, but all of us are human beings and it is possible that in one moment of our life they reflect our personality or problems. Recently I read the book “Girl in Translation”, by Jean Kwok, and the majority of my English class see themselves reflecting with the main character, Kim, who tells in the story how she struggles with the language when she arrives like an immigrant in the United States. I felt a special connection with Kim because I remembered when I moved to my country from a little poor town to a big developed city in order to begin my university studies. I got my first job in a factory that makes ink for stamps and took my classes at the university in the nights. Like the character Kim, I had my main purpose which was a professional. Furthermore, sometimes we look for stories that help us with our personal issues, I read a book called “Wild”, by Sheryl Strayed, looking for advice to get a long walking. And the main character not only showed me how it does technically but also how you can review your experiences in life and find yourself. This book inspired and encourage me to live this experience in my close future
I believe book could be your best friend, good time spender and a great mentor. In an early age while I learned reading I was enjoying my time most. A reader could rely and lean on books while reading to enhance their knowledge. I enjoyed reading books, when I was kid and I liked to watch and read 'Mina and Raju' cartoon by UNICEF, and 'The best story of Aesop'. My experience resonate with Ms. Martir’s, as I have grown up at my country (Bangladesh) therefor I don’t had to struggle finding book. But since I’m in the USA I have to search the books that I want to read. However, while I read, I find myself with literature because it explain my feelings even much better way than I could ever express. By Robindranath Tagore 'Gitangali', and Kaji Nozrul Islam 'sanchita', ' Mrityukshuda 'are the best novel in Bangla that express our culture, society, limit of women’s right and freedom. Story should be told because its reveals our history about country, society, generation. It gives us a lesson and teaches us to make right decision based on those reflection of our own.
There have been some books in which I feel identified. I think everyone once has read a book and they feel connected deeply. The stores narrated in the books most of the time make us feel connected in many different ways. One of the books in which I feel identify is called “Girl in Translation” the author is named Jean Kwok. This is a really great history because the author tells us how difficulties she had to overcome with her mom as immigrants. I have not read more books from this author but I would like to do it one day. I knew about the book ‘’Girl in Translation” because my professor gave me. I can say that I had a story very similar to this book.
Do You See Yourself in The Book your self
The ability to read a book you can see yourself by feeling and emotion in the way you understand the author .Especially a book non fiction you have possibility to learn a lot of true information from of different culture .I consider book like a element very important that can people suppose to read all the time .With reading book people can change life by motivation some experience others people learn in life .For example in the test book by Marcus Mabru we learn how Marcus perform very well at University and how he excels well in daily life ,that is a non fiction information that can encourage people to read a book and some emotion in the way you understand the book you can see yourself .In My opinion I encourage people to read book ,when you read you learn a lot about non fiction science and learn diverse culture from other people of different country .
I think when someone start to read a book and that book has a introduction which that person can identify her/his self with, sh/e doesn’t want to stop reading that book because that mean the more information have the book the more can identify their self with. I remember once when I read a book in Spanish and I identify myself with the history what the author was talking about. The book called Un Nuevo Comienzo, at that time I didn’t felt good with me I had low self-esteem so when I read that book which says when the author was kid there were many of other kids who made bully on him and sometimes they challenged him to swim, but he could not know how to swim and they pushed him to the water and he almost drowned. Also, from that book I could learn that no matter where you came from if you know what future you want to have or you know where you will be tomorrow.
When I read books, the majorly come from Latina writers; I feel more comfortable when I read where they came from, what they are struggling with, or if they are immigrants, but what I appreciate most is that every single character have similar life experiences just like mine, so I feel a connection with the characters in the stories. I think that libraries either public, private, or in the school should have enough books; every schools grade should have diversity books according to the age of each student. I agree to Vanessa Mártir she said “When children see positive images of themselves reflected in front of the classroom, in books and on the big screen, it can make all the difference. This is how change happens, and it’s how we create a country in which all of us feel we belong. One story at a time”. One of the books that I have read and I felt reflected on is Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok, the character like me, we came to U.S.A without knowing English. I think that every school should have diversity of books to envelop the education, the knowledge of different cultures, and to reduce discrimination (racism).
The world of reading can take us to feel a lot of things, our imagination can transport to fictional world or in other hand we can feel identify with a reading. Ms. Mártir’s experience resonate in me because as same as her I am Latin and the struggle to try to understand this new culture happen to us. We never stop being who we are, our origin always will be the same it never will change and we should be proud of this. Time before, I read a news “Advocates seek diversity on reading lists” by Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech, which it said that in Public Schools they are asking for diversity in books. I did not go to school in this country, but I can say that I am agree with inclusive readings which means variety of authors from different cultures an environments because in front of diversity of students in schools, children can feel identify with their culture and learn more about others. How Ms. Mártir says, the change can happen, in house we can teach to the little ones to feel identify with their origins, and we are going to see how they will feel.
@Andrea LB I like how you said “We never stop being who we are, our origin always will be the same it never will change and we should be proud of this” because I resonate with that a lot. I agree with you that we should have more diversity in books because it could impact a child greatly. I would also say that just like in movies, we are slowly getting more representation in media. Hopefully one day people’s gender, culture, and sexual orientation are portrayed more and in a positive way.
I consider is very important you have a connection with characters that you are reading. It is important since it helps to create more proof in reading and create routines of learning. Today and generation after generation leave away habits of reading, ignoring the importance that it has. The other hand while it is true that schools have to promote reading for students, I think this is a responsibility from parents. However we can encourage our children identifying what kind of books them like and in this way try to offer them something useful. I agree when the article cite that if we have books where we can find something similar with us, this is a good way to join as with this practice.
Sometime in the books, you read great personal’s stories when you can feel a connection with the characters in the stories. Many stories in books are relate with many things that happen in the real life. I identify with a great books “Girl in translation” she was a girl that come here for a better life without know the language and very poor. In addition, to pass the time she improve her English. It is a great storied that can be related to many emigrants that come here for e better future. In this story, I learned that that with effort and dedication everything can be achieved Kim came here with nothing but she work hard and became a prepared and professional person. This book inspire me to fight for what I want and that with effort everything can be possible.
Many people feel identified in characters that they read in books. In some ways, the stories of the characters relate with our lives. I have read a book called “Girl in Translation” by Jean Kwok and the main character is Kimberly who came to the United States with her mom to have a better life. Kimberly did not any English, I was in the same situation with my family we travel to a different country, and I did not speak English as Kimberly. After many years, she learn English with a lot of difficult in her life and be a professional. This book relate with many people who travel to different country to have better opportunities. Books help people to feel identified and at the same time do not feel alone because the people in the books also live the same situation as them.
I have read a book that almost connects with my life experiences. The book is called "Girl in Translation" by Jean Kwok, it is a book about education and mostly about immigrants and culture. The narrator demonstrates a story about a teen girl who travels from Hong Kong to America without knowing how to speak English and she is poor. She gets bullied at school. It does not deeply connect to my life experience but however, it is almost similar because I came to this country without knowing how to speak the language and every time I went to school, I sat down and be quiet because I don't want them to bully me so I struggle with that for almost a year. The book is related to immigrants and culture because by reading it you will see the similarities between the characters and you. Sometimes, we read books that are exactly the same experiences that we are struggling with but just with different characters. I want to find a book that I'm deeply connected with such as a book about Muslims and people who put the Hijabs because at this moment many teenagers struggle with that in school and even myself.
I believe that when we read books related with our realities we can see ourselves in the books. Sometimes when we choose a book because our preference or for our benefit is because we want to find somebody that already been in the same position that you are and you want to see how this person made it with all the struggles they used to have in their lives. When I read books I like to read something that I feel identified with the characters in that way I will love to read the story and I will be more interesting about it, also it is good to see another stories and different characters because sometimes this characters in the book can show you how to know and treat and understand other people that have the same personalities as the characters in the book.
I have come across a few books with the main character being Muslim. However, I didn't resonate with them at all. One of the books included the girl being a hijabi (which I'm not) and the book I just read, "Love, Hate, and Other Filters" went through the main character's love life and an attack on her. I haven't ever read a book on a teen Muslim that wasn't something to do with arranged marriages or terrorist attacks. I just want a book that just has the Muslim character going about high school like any other realistic fiction book.
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@m. I feel the same way about gay characters, and I know many others do as well. When we want representation in media we just want normal stories where a character happens to be gay or muslim or whatever group you may be. Stories centered around these identities are good, don't get me wrong, but that's not what we always mean by representation.
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