A peer review

In the 2023 Literacy Narrative of author Nazokat Ibrohimova, a CCNY Student, asserts the frightening image of being isolated by a language barrier and suggests how scary this feeling is for such a small child. The happier side of the situation was soon enough shown to be the rewarding feeling of learning how to read shines through. Ibrohimova is currently a college student who you’d assume would be quiet and plain due to her reserved nature but she’s quite the opposite! Ibrohimova has quite the backstory. She shares the isolation of a language barrier and how scary it can be. She shows this by doing the following: first, she explains the setting she was placed in and how clueless she was as a child due to not knowing English; next, she emphasizes how isolating and scary the feeling was of being left out of practices that everyone around her knew (reading); last, she shows when she finally can fit in with the others and their reading capabilities (she felt so relieved and proud of herself!). Ibrohimova appears to write in hopes of conveying the genuine fear that a language barrier creates in order to show the growth of her child self when she is finally able to sit down and make out the letters in front of her. Because of the author’s reminiscent and story-telling tone, it seems as if she writes for people who have been affected by something similar to her situation AKA a non-English speaking audience.

Throughout her writing, Ibrohimova uses lots of imagery. Imagery is visual symbolism that helps the reader envision the information written. In Ibrohimova’s case, she uses a beautiful way of imagery to describe her emotions. Right at the beginning of  her writing we read, “Fluorescent lights shine down on me as we enter the cold room.” As we continue we also read, “Leering over I see I’m the only child in this enormous room, being alone makes me feel even smaller.”  I thoroughly enjoyed reading her imagery because she shows a contrasting image of her child-self and the “cold” and “enormous” room. In this contrasting image, we can also zoom in even further on how her child-self had felt in the situations she was put into. Ibrohimova focuses on one thing at a time, the main one being the rich descriptors of how child her interpreted the room around her. Whether it was when she was waiting for her father or alone in the classroom the imagery was still just as descriptive.

Ibrohimova’s word choice was wonderful as well. She was able to convey such emotions and scenery that did her narrative justice. In order to express her story one would need a deliberate vocabulary to ensure that their reader follows and that is what Ibrohimova does! In her narrative we see her explain the exact moment where younger her was truly left alone. We are given a good chunk of sentences to understand the severity of the fear that she had as a child. We read, “Sobbing out pleads as I beg them not to leave me… My cries fell on deaf ears.” Both these sentences are impactful due to the words chosen for them. The word sobbing confirms the severity of the situation. The phrase “fell on deaf ears” makes this so interesting because it is an unexpected yet completely fitting saying that goes with this scene. 

With the use of imagery and word choice, I’d say that Ibrohimova accurately conveyed the emotions that she had felt in the past. I found it interesting that with the use of this imagery, you can tell where the character’s growth begins and where it is finished. Her purpose was to correctly interpret the world that surrounded her in the past and the difference once younger her had learned how to read. Accompanied by trying to ensure the reader can empathize with her past self.  I’d say her audience is people who face a similar background ( people whose second language is English). She appeals to them by describing how isolating it is to be the only one not truly understanding the language used and using descriptors that would bring a sense of relatability to her and the reader.