The Importance of Reading
A person who wears blinkers cannot grow and be independent. He can only be led. Education is by no means merely an acquisition of knowledge and its transference to the answer papers; it is a process of growth and of the development of one’s potentialities. Schools and colleges are places where young students are sent so that they can participate in other activities besides classroom learning.
Reading is a very important activity for growing children for it brings the world to their doorsteps. It also makes the task of learning more enjoyable. Children like to listen to stories. We are aware of this from our personal experiences. Children like to see pictures for pictorial representation makes the whole story vivid and interesting. Beginning with fairy tales and children’s stories one can progress to geographical and general knowledge. Reading books of every kind helps in the development of a child’s intelligence and personality. There are books about birds, about social customs, about inventions, wildlife or planets. They serve a purpose. They activate the intellectual curiosity of a person and leads him to further reading. A person who reads a great deal will usually do well in a debate or a discussion; he or she will be in a position to organize other activities and above all will never be lonely or solely dependent on human company. A person who is fond of reading will stay away from senseless agitation and activities. It is more likely for such a person to develop greater sensitivity and also greater appreciation of nature.
The drama is yet another activity that helps develop and express human personality. It adds an extra dimension to the relationship between human beings. Men and women who are normally shy and introverted may emerge as entirely different beings on the stage. Drama gives them an opportunity to shed or camouflage their inner beings and for a short while acquire a brand new extrovert personality.
The drama is in many ways a direct offshoot of reading. Those who read a great deal possess active imaginations and may indulge in a lot of play-acting in the privacy of their study. Moreover, being always on the lookout for good plays and good roles, they may read a lot.
There is another aspect to drama. It develops confidence and a young child can get rid of the initial stage shyness more easily than an adult. An appearance on the stage also gives the child a sense of importance. Applause brings him recognition, a role confers an identity. More than this, appearance on the stage also helps them to relate to others. In some ways it is an effective check on inflated ego. Rehearsals are as much team work as any sports event and every actor is quick to realize that the success or the failure does not depend on any single person. It is the result of a combined effort. Thus the drama helps both the shy and the out-going to arrive at a balance in their personalities.
School education, if confined to the classroom, is likely to be incomplete. It must take into consideration various activities which help a child to grow. Sports, games and athletics have their good points just like reading and acting.
