Personal Essay Example: Importance of Literature in My Life

In my eyes, literacy is freedom. It offered an escape into a new reality and the chance to expand my understanding of the world around me. The ability to efficiently read and write fundamentally changed the person I am today. Literature has been a masive part of my life through every stage thus far.

My parents did very little when teaching me to read and write. Teachers and family friends mostly instructed me, but my mother did play a small role in my interest in stories. She read books to me frequently as a young child. After a while, I had memorized a few of the books she read and would try to read them myself when left unattended. I frequently looked to books for company due to their inattentiveness. My favorite book at the age of seven was The Moorchild by Eloise Mcgraw. It was a little above my reading level but that didn't matter to me. I saw quite a fair amount of myself in the mischievously good-natured main character of the story, Saaski. Her blonde hair, love of music, and ability to find the fun in anything were all things I heavily identified with. As an adult, the character remains an inspiration to include whimsy in my day-to-day life. One of the ways I do that is to write.

There are a lot of things that I like to write about. Poetry and songs, to name a couple. Though I am fond of all the work I've written, the work I'm most enthusiastic about is a novel series I've been writing for nearly five years. The plot follows a teen boy within the foster care system attempting to settle into a family that cares deeply for his well-being and healing from past abuse. When I began writing the tale at twenty-one, it started as a small passion project to help me overcome personal trauma. Now, it's so much more. It has not only helped me understand what I went through better but connect with others who find themselves in my characters.

Connection through the use of literature is an invaluable skill I've cultivated throughout my life. Around eleven years old, I met one of my closest friends, Michelle. It wasn't uncommon for us to spend hours at the library, reading together and bonding over our favorite books. We even collaborated on writing short stories on multiple occassions. Thanks to our shared love of literature, it sparked a decade and a half-long friendship that has only become better with time.

Though the daily utilization of language is taken for granted by the average person, it remains the backbone of my life. From texting my friends and family to reading books and self-betterment through the lens of a fictional world; Literature has given me the freedom to explore the many aspects of life.