Trey Achterhoff Assignment 1B Rhetorical Reflection Section HBMcGough September 18, 2013 Comment Over the past few

decades, the emergence of new technologies has begun to change the way society views reading. Gone are the days where the only way to obtain information was sifting through books at the library. With todays prevalence of technology, reading has transformed into something many people only do for leisure and that many more may never do at all. E.B. White had incredible foresight with his Comment reproduced in Convergences. Nearly fifty years before the internet became a legitimate source of information, White could see the nation gradually devaluing reading. His Comment was an effective plea to the American public, especially the younger generation and educational institutions, to not devalue reading, and its recreation in Convergences, though having a similar message, is not nearly as effective because of the vast changes in context. E.B. White was a lover of literature. The majority of his life was devoted to the creation and compiling of works of writing. Whites Comment originally appeared in the newspaper for which he wrote, The New Yorker, around 1940 and was later compiled into his book The Second Tree from the Corner in 1954 (Hirst). During this time, the entertainment industry was beginning to boom, with color television making its first appearances across the country. White likely watched in dismay as Americans were slowly zombified by the entertainment industry and the media. Because of his passion for literature, it is evident that his Comment was meant to remind society of the importance of reading and to encourage them to not lose their respect of the written word. This reminder was most meant for the subset of the population in universities across the country. Coming from such a prominent writer of the time, this message likely struck home with people and universities all over the country. In the context of such a volatile time in the history of entertainment and information, E.B. Whites statement was very applicable. Today, information and entertainment have evolved so far that this same thought reprinted in Convergences, while attempting to portray a similar message, has a completely different context. Reading large quantities of text is no longer the sole source of information for students. Large amounts of information can be more efficiently gathered through videos and presentations rather than sitting and reading a textbook. This is not to say that Whites statement is totally useless, however. Because of its different context, it simply has to be revised to say that students and universities cannot stop striving to attain new knowledge. Much of this must still be done through reading, whether in a book or on a computer screen, but much can also be done through various other media like video presentations. The message of Whites statement is essentially the same, it is only converted into a more appropriate context for the present day. It does, however, lose some of its effectiveness when it is reprinted in Convergences. College students will likely be the only people to read the quote in this context, and they are the ones who know best how to obtain information in ways other than reading. In a plea to the masses, E.B. White issued his Comment in the midst of drastic changes in technology and entertainment. This was an effective means to show Americans that reading must stay a part of their lives. In Convergences, the quote is used to portray a similar message for a much different audience in a changed context. Although it is less effective in its current context, it now attempts to declare that although knowledge may not be gained totally through books in the present age, the acquisition of knowledge is still one of the most important aspects of life in order to guarantee a safe and progressive future both for an individual and for society.

Work Cited Hirst, Kris. E.B. White on the Future of Reading. About.com Archaeology. About.com, 2013. Web. 17 Sept. 2013.