Rose 1

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Literacy Memoir

Micayla Rose
Professor Cassandra Blandford
UWRT 1101
23 September 2015

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I was the baby of the family, the innocent one. I grew up with one older brother, four
years older to be exact. Along with having an older brother came occasional bickering,
misunderstandings, and teasing, but I wouldnt trade those moments for the world. Being a
younger sister definitely had its perks. My brother taught me how to be patient, tough,
competitive, compassionate, silly, and most importantly, he taught me how a real man should
treat a lady he taught me to keep my standards high and not to settle for anything but the best.
And for this, I looked up to him throughout my whole childhood. I also got to be his personal
stylist sometimes too (even though he wouldnt admit it). I guess you could say we were pretty
close.
I was in the eighth grade when my brother was a senior in high school. I was simply
trying to figure out how to adjust to the high school atmosphere in the fall, which seemed like a
big deal at the time, while he was trying to figure out what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.
He is very indecisive, like me. One minute he wanted to be a welder, and the next he wanted to
be a North Carolina State Highway Patrol officer. Then one day, out of nowhere, he stated that he
wanted to join the military. Not only did he want to join the military, but he wanted to join the
United States Marine Corps and be assigned to infantry. This decision took my whole family by
surprise. We were unsure whether he was actually going to go through with this plan, or if this
was just another crazy idea that would disappear in the blink of an eye. A few weeks went by and
his decision was still the same. At this point, we knew this was definitely what he was going to
pursue. This was such a rash decision that came along with numerous responsibilities. We were
happy for him, but at the same time we were concerned for his safety and well-being. I on the
other hand was also a little selfish. I didnt want my only brother to leave me alone, as an only
child for the next four years. 1 was going to be so lonesome with no one to annoy or vent to.

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What was I going to do in all my spare time? This question led to my unexpected interest in
reading and writing.
The day had come. It was September 16, 2012. I remember this day clearer than ever.
This was the day that my brother left for boot camp for three long, treacherous months, but this
was also a happy day a day to rejoice his accomplishments and give him hope and reassurance
on his decision. This was his fresh start. We dropped him off in Asheville, North Carolina and
had to exchange quick goodbyes. Unfortunately, this goodbye, alongside other events my dad
possibly losing his job and the stress behind paying for all of my school activities and other
minor events, led to my dad becoming an alcoholic. Times were hard, not only for my dad, but
for my family as a whole. My dad was depressed and he turned to alcohol as a comfort. Every
day was the same; my parents were constantly arguing and it got old really fast. I tried to block
the noise out, but it was not easy by any means. These were the times that I needed my brother
more than anything; I knew he would understand my pain and anger. These were the times when
all I wanted was someone to talk to, but no one was there to listen. It seemed as if nothing could
go right. It was one thing after another. I often would just get in my car and drive for miles to
clear my mind until gas money became an inconvenience. When I realized that there was no
one and nothing else to ease the pain, I decided to take up reading and writing as an escape.
Growing up, reading and writing had never been something I loved to do. I looked up to
everyone in my family and none of them enjoyed it, so why would I? The only time I ever read
or wrote was in school because I was required to. Accelerated reading points are what made me
despise reading as a child. Each student was assigned a certain amount of points for the semester
based on a test and each book was labeled with a number of points. In order to earn those points,
we had to take tests on the computer and pass them. I am a slower reader than most and I get

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distracted easily so reading was very time consuming for me. I deemed it as mundane. I never
hated writing like I did reading, I just didnt like writing about topics I wasnt interested in or
that were set to a certain page limit. Rarely did I ever get to write about a topic of my choice in
all thirteen years of schooling, but it was bearable.
This was the first time in my life that I actually somewhat enjoyed reading and writing.
Because of all of the sorrow and exhaustion in my life, reading became an outlet for me. It was a
way for me to escape from reality, even if it was only for a little while. Reading books I
thoroughly liked took my mind off of all the chaos going on in my life and helped me focus on
more positive things. The best part is getting lost in a book you are reading and forgetting about
your surroundings. The book that changed my perspective on reading was To Kill A Mockingbird
by Harper Lee, which I was required to read for school purposes. This novel grew on me because
it was something I could relate to. Scout Finch and her brother Jem grew up in a small town and
went on all kinds of adventures, much like my brother and I did. Their father, Atticus, a respected
lawyer in town, defended a black man named Tom Robinson against false rape charges. This
exposed the children to the evils of the world racism and stereotyping. As a child, I was
exposed to these exact same things. When you grow up in a public school, you hear and see all
sorts of evil. Also, the main character was Scout the female protagonist. She didnt have any
interest in stereotypical girl things. Much like me, she was more tomboyish until she matured.
She always wanted to be outside with her brother instead of playing with dolls like most girls her
age. The theme of family in the novel really caught my attention, especially with my
circumstances. Family is destiny. Being from a small town with many generations, you are
bound to follow in your familys footsteps in one way or another. You are expected to at least live
up to your familys expectations.

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Much like reading, writing helped ease some of my pain. When you dont have
anyone to talk to, writing can be a great channel to express how you feel and thats exactly
what it served as for me. When I was full of all sorts of emotions, I would sit down and vent to
my journal. It was a great way for me to clear my thoughts. I could express how I felt without
anyone judging me. My journal became my go-to throughout the past four years of my life.
My brother has always been my best friend. He played a big role in helping me
get to where I am today. Through a decision he made, I became a different person. My familys
actions pushed me to become absorbed in reading and writing, something I never thought I
would enjoy. I endured some pretty heart wrenching days throughout my childhood, but I would
go back and do it all over again if it meant that I get to be the person I am today.