Overview
The lecture guides students through reading and analyzing "Surrendering" by Ocean Vuong, focusing on personal experiences with literacy, cultural identity, and inspiration for writing.
Assignment Directions
- You will read "Surrendering" independently, highlighting meaningful passages.
- Answer margin questions throughout the text.
- Identify and comment on writing techniques you wish to use in your own writing.
Ocean Vuong’s Literacy Journey
- Vuong describes learning to read and write English as an ESL student from an illiterate Vietnamese family.
- He compares learning English to "immigrating all over again," emphasizing the challenge and newness.
- Spoken English came more easily to him than reading and writing.
- Vuong felt isolated in school, hiding his shame about poor writing skills.
- An assignment to write a poem pushed him beyond his comfort zone.
The Poetry Assignment
- Vuong’s teacher doubted the authenticity of his poem, suspecting plagiarism due to its quality.
- Vuong’s poem was inspired by listening to Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech tapes.
- He copied and learned new words from sources like gardening shows and a dictionary.
- The poem reflected his dreams and borrowed imagery from MLK’s speeches and his grandmother’s stories.
- Vuong realized that being unable to read doesn’t mean lacking stories; oral tradition and imagination filled that role.
Reflection and Understanding
- The teacher’s skepticism highlighted bias against students who don’t fit expectations.
- Vuong embraces the idea that he "plagiarized his life" to write, blending personal experience with literary inspiration.
- He defines himself as a writer shaped by nontraditional forms of reading and knowing.
Key Terms & Definitions
- ESL (English as a Second Language) — Learning English in addition to a native language.
- Plagiarize — To copy someone else’s work or ideas without credit.
- Literacy Autobiography — A narrative about one’s journey with reading and writing.
- Oral Tradition — Passing stories and knowledge through spoken word rather than written texts.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Highlight passages in the essay that stand out to you or demonstrate effective writing.
- Comment on sections where you notice a technique you want to use in your own writing.
- Answer the two post-reading questions about Vuong's inspiration and the meaning of “read them using everything but my eyes.”