Jake Chandler

Writing 1010-013
October 1, 2014
A Loaded Gun

Literacy is a major part in achieving the civilization we've achieved today. James Gee
stated that "Language makes us human, but literacy makes us civilized." (Gee 47) This is a
statement that rings true throughout James Gee's essay on the literacy myth and other relevant
topics. Gee articulates that literacy took us from a primitive state and brought us logical and
other ways of thinking, but literacy in itself, is somewhat hollow. James Gee hates the literacy
myth because it entails that literacy, in any certain discourse, brings political power over those
who are illiterate in that discourse.
James Gee writes that Plato saw writing as an empty form of speech."Once something is written
it cannot function on it's own" (Gee 48) That is how Gee see's Plato's mindset, Gee disagrees
with this. Gee specifies that he believes a reader can freely interpret pieces of literature. Writing
will always be interpreted in many right and wrong ways, Gee believes this can take power away
from writing. If someone who was illiterate in a discourse tried to interpret a paper on that
discourse then surely they would feel insuperior to the author, as well as the author feeling
superior, it's easy to see in this case how literacy brings power.
Writing can only repeat itself. If you read a text and end up with a question, you'll have to find
the answer elsewhere. Gee used eighteenth century Catholic and Protestant countries as a real
life example by speaking on how "Catholic dominated countries were much less willing than the
countries dominated by Protestants to put the sacred text in the hands of people due to fear they'd
misinterpret it." (Gee 54) Gee makes another good point in saying that writing falls when it's on

its own, without an author backing up and clarifying writing is bound to be misconstrued. If a
paper is read and the reader is illiterate in the subject's discourse, then the words are rendered
useless.
Literacy has an endless amount of capabilities. Gee argues that, "Given literature, the lower class
will accept the values held by those in the middle class and in turn, seek to behave in a manner
more like the middle class." He then goes on to speak on how the contrast between the literate
and nonliterate masses has become a "highly stratified social ranking based not on literacy per
se, but on the degree to which one controls a certain type of school-based literacy." (Gee 58)
Those literate in certain subjects seem to have an advantage over those who are not, this can
easily be misconstrued and having more/less power.

text is a loaded weapon. When an author writes anything, he or she gives up their opinion and it
is then forced to hold its own. Gee's essay shows that even though literacy is often seen paired
with, in his words, " A higher sense of authority or intelligence" it must come with drive or
passion. Literacy itself isn't so important but it's how we choose to enable it daily.

Gee, James. "The Literacy Myth and the History of Literacy." n/a. N.p.: n.p.,
n.d. 47-62. Print.