Ascher and Kozol

The essays we read last night addressed awareness of homelessness (Ascher's) or illiteracy (Kozol's): two similar human conditions in that they both deprive their sufferers of common advantages (or, as some might emphasize, necessities). In the process we learned about two distinct types of examples. Ascher, with her law-trained brevity, used her own experiences as examples, applying images in her memory to her consideration of compassion. Kozol used less personal examples (although he includes individual accounts from illiterates, these are not his accounts) to illustrate this humanity of illiteracy. Here follow some of his examples: he opens with a caution label on a can of Drano, mentions menu-reading in multiple instances, and expresses the illiterate's struggle as a parent. For the most part, Kozol expresses generalities but often uses present-tense and specifics, making these examples animate narratives which seem to come directly from distressed individuals.

Although Ascher's essay is more immediate, both have the effect of striking the reader's emotions with detail. Often these details seem irrelevant to the purpose, yet their presence intensifies perception and makes everything in the essay more palpable. Buttery croissants, the moody French woman, the stained blanket; handsome cowboys lighting cigarettes, "a child choking"-- these are some of the specific images which we remember best. These are examples, memorized unconsciously, which link our minds to less internalized understandings.

Kozol is not as subjective, but "Illiterate Society" affects us to compassion with its examples. Ascher does not do so to the same degree. Instead, we are made to ultimately examine our feelings of compassion rather than be captivated by them. Already burdened with the oddities of metacognition, Ascher goes on to contrast the life of the homeless with a Greek play: both teach us compassion if we will watch, yet the homeless "players" can't go home. The play never ends, because these people of misfortune perpetually exist. But Ascher expresses fear of being unaware of this play or the "rags with voices" and the "inarticulate rage". Defending ourselves from these images may be natural, but it is a dangerous irresponsibility. Kozol carries what Ascher hints at into direct cognizance: we need to use compassion to correct the problem.

Most striking is Kozol's dream, expressing the otherworldly feeling of being surrounded by a strange language. Indeed, these illiterates and homeless live in an alien land. It is our duty to help them to a comfortable home.