The story, “The Scribe”, written by Kristin Hunter talks about a thirteen teenager named James noticing that Mr. Silver and Mr. Dollar, the owner of the local Check Cashing Service, treated the customers who didn’t know how to read or write like criminals. Because of this, James starts a free “public scribe” service to help those who are not capable of reading, writing, or understanding forms. A cop came to warn James that he needs to have a business license to work here. Knowing that his parents have a bank account and get the cash check for free, James then began to wonder why people pay high fees to the local Check Cashing Service when banks offer free services. Therefore, James approached the customers in the local Check Cashing Service and convinced them to open accounts at a nearby bank. Only three people paid attention to what James suggested, but at last, one customer, the old lady, stayed. James then led the elderly lady to the bank and helped her open a bank account. The elderly lady, in turn, encouraged James to get a license and consider starting his own legal scribe business. This story leads readers to reflect on three issues: No Education, Poverty, and Discrimination.
Education has an individual acquire knowledge and develop skills in order to well prepare for employment. However, many people in the old times didn’t have a chance to receive education even though education is very important in people’s lives. Individuals who lack the ability to read, write, or count their change; don't understand how to pay gas bills; fill out forms; or address envelopes. And old man Silver and old man Dollar cleaned up on all of them by charging them an amount for a fee, which was expensive back then. Most people in real life can go to the bank to cash the checks, fill out the forms, or read or write letters to their loved ones all by themselves. Still few groups of people have to pay the scribe, a person who copies who writes something for other people, to read and write letters for them as well as doing check cashed. Is it reasonable to charge money? NO. Then why do those people still go to the Silver Dollar Check Cashing Service ? Because those people cannot recognize or understand English. Why don’t they just go to the bank since the cashing check service is free? Because they don’t have education. Obviously, Mr. Silver and Mr. Dollars are taking advantage of these illiteracy to get money for cashing the check. That’s why James wants to step in to help them from being exploited. Having education not only helps us communicate with other people in every part of our lives but also helps us not be exploited by others.
Limited access to education is closely linked to unemployment, leading individuals into poverty. Poverty means lacking financial resources, with insufficient income for essentials like food, clothing, health insurance, and education. Those without education struggle to find jobs as they can't independently complete application forms. People who don’t have education cannot find jobs because they cannot fill out the application form by themselves. Since these people cannot find a job, they become poor and they are placed in poverty. No one is willing to be in a state of poverty. People who don’t have education cannot read or write. When they are asked to fill out the job application form, they can’t because they are illiterate. No education means no job. No job means no money. No money means people are labeled as the poor. They cannot fill forms in the bank so they cannot open a bank account. Without a bank account, they cannot withdraw the money, cannot save the money, and they cannot cash the money. All of the above-mentioned are step by step, working as a chain. If you don’t have education, you are missing the chance to make/save money. It will get you to the worst situation which is poverty. In this story, Mr. Dollars and Mr. Silver is taking advantage of the illiterate people. They are not helping them. They are just using their poverty, using their weak situation to earn their own money. Poor education limits employment prospects, often leading individuals to remain in poverty; this cycle can continue across generations.
The discrimination against people who cannot recognize, read, or write English could stem from educational and economic biases. People sometimes practice the unfair treatment of discrimination toward others due to characteristics like race, gender, age, financial status, or ability. When Mr. Silver is helping Marie, the old gray-haired lady, to fill out the form. Marie cannot spell out her whole name or even remember what year she was born. Mr. Silver then sighs, rolls his eyes to the ceiling, and bangs his fist on the form angrily. Then he fills out the rest. Mr. Dollar and Mr. Silver is discriminating against these people who are illiterate. They treat them like criminals. When they are doing business with these people. They treated them like criminals. James was very unhappy. Why? One is that Mr. Dollar and Mr. Silver holds impatient and irrespectful attitudes toward these illiterate people. The other is that the cash checking service is free in bank and Mr. Dollar and Mr. Silver charged them an unreasonable fee. Why do Mr. Dollar and Mr. Silver act like this? Because they don’t have education and they do minimum-wage jobs in society. They are placed at the bottom of the society structure. This gives Mr. dollar and Mr. Silver a reason to discrimination at. Discrimination makes people use other people’s weaknesses to their own benefit.
The story “The Scribe” is a meaningful story. This story is centered on three themes: Education, Poverty, and Discrimination. Education is important in our lives and it helps us a lot during our daily lives. Education makes up most of our lives because we have education to learn to help us with our lives. If we don’t have proper and enough education, we will not be able to get a job earning money and we will be poor. Thus, we would become in poverty and have no money. Once people are labeled in the state of poverty, they tend to be discriminated against. Additionally, without Education, people might take advantage of a person who cannot read, write, or understand the form. These people would use your weakness to make their own benefit. Then the person would feel discriminated against because other people were making fun of you. From reading this story, I have a deeper understanding of the significance of education and knowledge. This story also shows how important it is to help people in need and how one person’s actions can change the lives of others.
Comments