Harold Bloom's Why Read

“Why Read” Essay: Journeys of Discovery and Information For those that look at reading as a way to gain knowledge for school, reading can also provide a sense of imagination and advice. In Harold Bloom’s “Why Read,” he does a great capturing the importance of reading. It doesn’t matter who you are, as a reader or an individual, we all read for the same reason. Bloom argues ideas of self-discovery and reading for knowledge. After reading Blooms stand of this debate, I agree with him. As a reader I can connect with his statements and can compare them to my life. Reading is not just about the information, although it can be, reading is more about the reader and who they can become. Reading is beneficial a skill that indulges individuals to find

Advice can be found in many books, advice that the reader can use in their own life and personal situations. Readers tend to find books that speak to them. For example, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, shows a girl named Scout and her the courage she has. This book benefits the reader to learn from others mistakes as well as their own. Like Bloom and Lee, many other authors give advice as well. Dr. Samuel Johnson stated “[Read] ‘ what comes near to [you], what [you] can put to use,” (Johnson qtd. in Bloom). Johnson is explaining to everyone they should read what they are given, even if they do not want to read it. The book or text given could be used for something more, it could even give advice. Bloom later uses a statement from Emerson, it explains that the books we are interested in and the books that give us advice are the ones written by our same nature. From the characters in these books, we can find similarities or we can find differences, the differences can steer us in a better direction. Readers can take the actions of characters from other books and translate into their lives. Take Amirs actions in The Kite Runner. Amir knew what he should have done but instead thought of himself before