Critical literacy in the classroom

Twelve adult students in an upgrading English composition class are beginning a lesson around Wendell Berry's essay "Why I Am Not Going to Buy a Computer" (Berry, 1990). A few students offer examples from their own lives that illustrate their support for Berry's argument that purchasing a computer is comparable to environmentally destructive practices like strip coal mining. One class member announces that though he disagrees with Berry's opinion, he nonetheless defends his right to express it. The teacher points out that after this essay was reprinted in Harper's Magazine, the editors published letters from disgruntled readers who took offense to the article. To help them determine the source of the controversy, the teacher and the students develop a list of questions: What kind of language does the author use? What is the text saying about people who buy computers? How else could the text have been written? What has been left out of the text? What view of the world is the text presenting?

In response to these questions, the students begin by describing their feelings toward the text. One student admits that she feels that Berry sounds "a bit old-fashioned," and she points to some of the language in the essay as evidence. Other students join in, suggesting that Berry sounds like "a snob," and one class member adds that she dislikes snobs because they "act like they're better than everyone." The teacher acknowledges the students' feelings, but also encourages them to move beyond the personal and toward more subtle interpretations of the text. As the class begins to examine some of Berry's sentences and phrasings, another student comments that while all people are entitled to express their opinions, the manner in which an argument is expressed has much to do with its reception. The spirited debate that follows touches on the author's intentions, the multiple meanings contained in the text, and social issues, including the right to free speech. When the class is dismissed, one student heads to the library to research strip coal mining for a possible future protest.

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