Superman and Me by Sherman Alexie

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Superman and Me by Sherman Alexie
Children in modern civilization are continually encouraged to read because reading is believed to be the gateway to education. Multiple employers consider literacy a mandatory skill for their prospective workers. Reading inspires imagination, increase the knowledge of the reader, and is a crucial element for success. In his essay “Superman and Me,” Sherman Alexie explains the significance of reading through the use of various literary devices. Alexie explained that after going through his father’s collection of books, he realized that “a paragraph was a fence that held words” (1). He uses the word paragraph to symbolize the people and things in his world. Alexie envisioned the whole world as his paragraph meaning he could change how the clause developed over time. This mentality encouraged him to read as many books as possible despite ridicule from his Indian classmates. Alexie uses hyperbole when he argues that “I was trying to save my life” by reading any materials he could find (2). In the reservation, Indian children were not expected to be smart, and most of them endeavored to live up to this reputation. But, Alexie defied expectations by paying attention in class and expressing a thirst for knowledge. Through reading, Alexie developed an interest in a vast collection of published works which contributed to his success as an author and an instructor. Alexie repeatedly uses the phrase “trying to save my life” to provide emphasis on his subject matter: the significance of reading (2).

Also, he attempts to persuade the audience to acknowledge the truth of his argument. Conclusively, in his essay “Superman and Me”, Alexie employs figurative language, for instance, symbolism and hyperbole, and repetition to depict the importance of reading.
Work Cited
Alexie, Sherman. “Superman and me.” Los Angeles Times 19 (1998).