The Benefits of Reading

I began reading because of my older brother. We read a lot of entertaining books together but I think I particularly enjoyed reading with him because I enjoyed spending time with my brother. When I was younger, I enjoyed reading more because I wasn't forced to read. The books that were assigned in High School didn’t maintain my interest. I enjoyed reading non- fiction and everything in high school was fiction. While I did not enjoy most of the books assigned in High School, there is one that I grew attached to: The Great Gatsby. I am not sure if it was the teacher that taught the book or just the book in general, but this was by far one of the most enjoyable books for me to read. Reading The Great Gatsby and reading with my brother were two experiences in my life that has enhanced my reading experience.
When I was younger, I always wanted to read the same books as my older brother. However, sometimes these books became a little confusing; but I still liked the challenge. My brother would explain the plot of the book at first to help me understand. But, after a while my reading improved immensely and I was more than capable of reading these books without assistance. The best serious of books that I read when I was younger was "Goosebumps". These books were very thrilling for me to read and always left me on the edge of my seat. My brother and I shared this interest for this particular series so we would read them together every night before we would go to bed. This meant that I was able to hang out with my older brother every night. This helped me become a more proficient reader and helped me build an interest for reading.
All through High School I was assigned boring book after boring book, until my senior year. My teacher, Mr. DeAngelo, assigned us a book that was “his personal favorite:” The Great Gatsby. Little did I know that this book was soon to be my favorite too. I found this book fascinating because the characters in the story ranged from good hearted people that just wanted to attain the American Dream to rich snobs whose main goal in life was stopping people from achieving their ambitions. My teacher, Mr. DeAngelo, taught me how to look deeper into the text rather than just looking at what is in plain print. He taught me the significance of many things in this book that I would have missed had it not been for him. This has allowed me to better analyze not just The Great Gatsby, but every other thing I read today.

These experiences enhanced my reading and will hopefully profit my future. Had I not had these experiences, I may not have achieved what I have today: good grades and attending my preferred college. Reading has been an essential part of my life because it allows me to further my education.