1.) Original– (Intro) Literacy narratives are stories told by individuals about their early experiences with literacy i.e. writing and reading. These stories can range from influential endings to depressing ones. Through the writings of Kara Poe Alexander we also know that there are different types of literacy narratives: Success, Victim, Hero, Child Prodigy, Literacy Winner, Rebel, Outsider, and Other. She notes that while students tend to follow a specific guideline to writing literacy narratives (the most common being the master narratives), that students also follow the eight themes when reminiscing on personal stories revolving around literacy. It is also important to take note that a lot of these narratives coincide with one another. For instance, victim and or outsider narratives that develop into success stories. Which then begs the question, how did an individual who once viewed his or her reading and or writing abilities as a hopeless cause become successful? What factors played a role in changing that individuals mind?

Revised – (Intro) Literacy narratives are stories told by individuals about their early experiences with writing and reading or as Kara Poe Alexander puts it, “such narratives reveal about student identities, schooling, and literacy” (Alexander 609). These stories can range from influential endings to depressing ones. Through the writings of Alexander, we also know that there are different types of literacy narratives: Success, Victim, Hero, Child Prodigy, Literacy Winner, Rebel, Outsider, and Other (Alexander 615). She notes that while students tend to follow a specific guideline to writing literacy narratives (the most common being the master narratives), that students also follow the eight themes when reminiscing on personal stories revolving around literacy (Alexander 611). It is also important to take note that a lot of these narratives coincide with one another. For instance, victim and or outsider narratives that develop into success stories. Which then begs the question, how did an individual who once viewed his or her reading and or writing abilities as a hopeless cause become successful? What factors played a role in changing that individuals mind? Factors such as identity shifts and Brandt’s idea about withholding and facilitating sponsors; people who don’t help children in their success of literacy versus people that do (Brandt 556). In this paper I will discuss through real life literacy narrative examples how this is possible and in fact, how influential it really is; that a person can find the courage to rise above and succeed no matter their story.

2.) Original – In Alexander’s article she discusses the three main literacy narrative topics I am interested in and breaks them down into their own categories. Alexander explains that ‘victim narratives’ are narratives where the person telling the story has experienced a negative literacy moment in their life, this negative experience could have happened in or outside of school. A good example of a victim narrative found in …

Another literacy narrative of interest that Alexander discusses in her article are ‘Outsider narratives’. These narratives are stories told about people who have felt left out of things or made fun of for either there level or skill in reading or writing.

Lastly, she describes ‘success narratives’ as, “Literacy acquisition with success, liberation, development, progression, and upward mobility; invokes optimistic and future-looking rhetoric; views literacy as utilitarian and useful, a means to economic, cultural, social, and political success.” (Alexander __)

Revised – In Alexander’s article she discusses the three main literacy narrative topics I am interested in and breaks them down into their own categories. Alexander explains that ‘victim narratives’ are narratives where the person telling the story has experienced a negative literacy moment in their life, this negative experience could have happened in or outside of school (Alexander 615). Another literacy narrative of interest that Alexander discusses in her article are ‘Outsider narratives’. These narratives are stories told about people who have felt left out of things or made fun of for either there level or skill in reading or writing (Alexander 615). Lastly, she describes ‘success narratives’ as, “Literacy acquisition with success, liberation, development, progression, and upward mobility; invokes optimistic and future-looking rhetoric; views literacy as utilitarian and useful, a means to economic, cultural, social, and political success.” (Alexander 615). Further, I will discuss the identity changes that occur throughout the student’s stories which leads to my next topic of discussion – Browyn Williams idea of identity shifts.