Dana Gioia on School Appeal Decline

When it comes to reading, school almost every student or child dreads it. The most common excuse or complaint when it comes is that it is boring and that it is not going to help them later in life. In the article “Why Literature Matters” by Dana Gioia, these complaints and excuses are put to rest. Based on research done by Gioia, with strong diction and emotional appeal the reader is left with a feeling of wanting to do better.

The emotional appeal of the article is based on the fear of parents and the future of society.

The future of the nation on based upon the growth of the younger generations. In the article written by Gioia, it is clear this topic is very dear to him. The first thing he does to open the passage is to speak about how society has grown but, not in the way that it should. The decline in reading has affected all ages but is more severe in younger adults, which Gioia uses as a point to focus on the emotional appeal.

With the audience that are older adults with children, Gioia plays on the fear and worry that they may have about the direction and future of this society and nation. Parents have a natural worry for their children and how well they might do later in life.

Society has put a responsibility on older adults to make sure that the younger generations are prepared for the real world. The decline in reading caused such a concern that the US Census released another report titled “Reading at Risk: Literary Reading in America”.

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This report was released to make all people aware of the growing problem among the younger adults in society.

The decline in reading also had an impact on the nonbusiness world. Gioia goes on to speak of how the decline in reading has coincided with the skills employers are seeking. This also makes the deficiencies that employees have more evident to the employer. Gioia emphasizes this point by using strong diction and emotions to connect more to the older audience that is reading. Gioia uses an example of a job interview to put this crisis in perspective for society.

With this problem being a larger focus on the younger generation Gioia goes on to talk about how this problem has a direct link to how the younger generation has a declining level of historical and political awareness. The one thing “Reading at Risk” uncovered was that those who did read were more likely to perform charity work, attend a sporting event, and be more social.

Reading and building social relations with others are directly linked together. Gioia uses this research found to emphasize how society and the nation are in danger. Gioia uses the slight fear that all people have about their future to try to motivate the audience to make a change. The hope that Gioia uses in the last line of the second to the last paragraph shows how much Gioia cares for the future of this nation. The intellectual and social habit that comes with reading is a key factor that the next generation is lacking.

Dana Gioia saw the decline in reading as a downfall that could destroy our nation in the future. He appeals to the younger generation with the hope of making our future brighter and appeals to the older generation with the use of fear that our future is doomed. Gioia shows his hope for the future by calling out politicians to help make a change. With the nation’s future so intertwined with reading Gioia uses strong emotions and diction to show the importance of reading.

Works Cited

1. Gioia, Dana. “Why Literature Matters.” New York Times (2005).