Evaluation of a Reading Through Critical Analysis

Muhlisa Nazarova

Simon Kelly

English ESL 711

September 20, 2017

Evaluation of a Reading through Critical Analysis

“The Fortune Traveler: Shuttling between Communities and Literacies by Economy Class”

        In “The Fortune Traveler: Shuttling between Communities and Literacies by Economy Class,” Suresh Canagarajah writes his essay based on his experiences as a bilingual speaker. Bilingualism refers to a situation when a child grows up and know two distinct languages. He came to United States from Sri Lanka as an international student. Eventually Canagarajah became an English professor. He was born in a family that was already bilingual. Growing up his parents spoke English and he did not. As a result, he saw English as secret language and powerful language. He explained why it is a power to speak English “a language that could put into disadvantage to those who aren’t proficient in it” (Canagarajah 24). One by one he began to put the pieces together and “broke the code”. Later on, his parents realized that they could no longer use English as their secret language. As he continued his journey, he explained his challenges he faced to learn English. Many students who are also bilingual can relate to his story. International students will find Canagarajah’s essay interesting because they see mirror of themselves in his writing.

        For students where English is a second language, they are strangers to the genres, knowledge traditions, and the tone used in American university. American university require rhetorical and creativity. Some ESL students does not seem to be too knowledgeable in writing the American university way. School in the USA requires individuality and voice, but people who are from different backgrounds seem to be disinterested in voice.

        Canagarajah attracts his audience and he is well organized in writing the essay. He gives many of his own experiences where he had a hard time writing a paper and dealing with professors. While Canagarajah was learning college literacy, he wrote an essay that was “praised by his tutorial instructor and fresh use of language”, he received an A. So, he thought this approach of writing sensational and dramatic is acceptable in American university. He extended his approach for the next essay, but he did not do a great job because his approach was not appropriate for the topic. (Canagarajah 27). Instructor used a red pen to criticize his paper. Canagarajah did not know all these rules, such as two spaces after my periods, single space after the commas, and five spaces at the beginning of the indent. As a result, he was a little bitter on his tone. “I found the instructor’s red pen used a bit too much for my liking. He wanted to know why I didn’t have two spaces after my periods, a single space after my commas, and five spaces at the beginning of my paragraph” (Canagarajah 29). These might be small details but it is a very important detail that students have to follow when writing an essay in American schools.

        Young people need to master a bigger communicative repertoire and then we also need to treat other languages with respect. Every language is equally valuable, equally colorful, and equally interesting.

        Canagarajah’s essay surely persuade the readers by a massage of how English language or any language is not simple to learn. When you learn the language and the culture, you have a powerful skill and as the writer said, “you are breaking the code”. That is the power an individual can have, multilingualism engages us with power.