Books are a large part of my life. Both of my parents read often and they passed the love of reading down to me. Reading and literature have affected me greatly through my life and help me grow into the person I am today.

Books have impacted me to want to learn. I enjoy reading and being able to relate to different characters and see through different pairs of eyes. Reading is one of my favorite past times because I can “get away” from reality and become involved with new characters and their problems. I especially love reading action and suspense novels and trying to guess what is going to happen next. Well written action and suspense books keep me hooked and rooting for the protagonist. These books have caused me to want to be an FBI agent or police detective when I’m older. I also enjoy reading realistic fiction books written for teens.

If books were taken away, as in Fahrenheit 451, I believe I would be a very different person then who I am today because I would not know that there is a whole world outside of Rockwall to be explored. Life would be much simpler without books because people would not have the knowledge to question what they’re told. Opinions would not be strong without literature because many people would not have the information to back up what they believe. Our world would be much less advanced if we didn’t have books to help us learn from history because accomplishments and discoveries could only be spread by word of mouth. As with most of the characters in Fahrenheit 451, without books, I would probably be content with ignorance and not interested in learning more about how things work. I would not think as creatively and critically and I would be happy with second rate work.
Books help me and the rest of the world prevent the worst times in history from happening again. With out books like The Diary of Anne Frank I would not be aware of how horrible the Holocaust was. Therefore, I would not fight so much too keep it from happening again. Literature is a way of expanding your mind and learning more about different cultures. It helps people be more understanding and tolerant of other cultures and different types of people.

Books offer a way to let your imagination soar. Through reading I have learned that I can do anything I set my mind to and anything is possible. Literature has helped me expand my imagination and think outside of the box. Books allow you to fight dragons, live in the 1800s, or even own a pet giraffe. Poetry can give you a way to express yourself while literature gives you the reassurance that you’re not alone. Reading has allowed me an escape by becoming caught up in what I am reading.

Reading and literature have impacted me greatly and have allowed me to grow into the person I am today. They have helped my language skills, extend my understanding of other cultures, develop my imagination, and given me the knowledge to know that I can accomplish anything.