Reader Interview Responses

The interviews I conducted for this assignment turned out how I thought they might: they revealed that people (who aren’t English majors) don’t read very often, if at all, and especially not typically for pleasure. I’d be interested to do a study wherein these questions are asked to people of all walks of life. I learned a few things:

1. People spend a baffling amount of time online and/or using their technology (i.e. phones, laptops, TVs).
2. Reading (or lack thereof) is not always generational. Even the oldest participant could use a little page-turning time.
3. While a lot of people hate reading, there are still some that say they could enjoy it if they had more time to sit down and delve in. Unfortunately, not many people have that luxury.
4. Most people only read what is necessary for their schoolwork or jobs; they don’t typically read things in their entirety either. They mostly just skim—even articles!

The people I interviewed are listed below:

• Josephine Drewes: 20 yrs, Business Major
• Meghan Ulsh: 20 yrs, Undecided
• Leo Smith: 21 yrs, Electrical Engineering Major
• Lisa Rosett: 41 yrs, Administrative Assistant

Interview Q&A:

Generally, do you think of yourself as someone who likes to read?

Jo: No, not really.

Meghan: It depends on what I’m reading.

Leo: No, I read plenty of textbooks, papers and labs but never a book for pleasure.

Lisa: No.

When you read for pleasure, what do you read?

Jo: Stuff like The Hunger Games or interesting action mystery.

Meghan: Anything really: magazines, classic novels, contemporary novels, poetry, etc.

Leo: I will read books on science, theory and self-improvement.

Lisa: People / Home decorating magazines.

About how many hardbound books do you own, and of these how many would you classify as either “literary” or “literature?”

Jo: 0

Meghan: Probably like 50 or so. I might only consider 5-10 to not be literary.

Leo: I own about 40 books and only 2-3 would be considered “literary”.

Lisa: 15 and none are literature.

In the past year, have you read a novel from cover to cover?

Jo: No.

Meghan: Yes.

Leo: No.

Lisa: Absolutely not.

When you sit down to read a book, how long do you read before stopping?

Jo: 20 minutes.

Meghan: It depends on how much time I have. Normally I just fall asleep reading though so maybe   

               like 2 hours?

Leo: I can read for 1-2 hours without stopping.

Lisa: I haven’t read a book in years.

How much time do you spend on social media each day?

Jo: Probably 2 hours.

Meghan: Um 2 or 3 hours, I don’t know.

Leo: I spend very little time on social media; around 0.5-1 hours.

Lisa: None.

How much time do you spend on your cell phone each day (talking, texting, using Apps, searching the internet)?

Jo: 5 hours.

Meghan: Wow like 4 hours, is that a lot?

Leo: I spend around 1-2 hours on my cell phone each day.

Lisa: 1 hour.

How much time do you spend either studying and/or working each day?  How much of this time is spent reading?

Jo: 5 hours working/studying and reading books none; reading stuff in general 4 hours.

Meghan: I’d say about 7 hours or so on average. I read for about half of that time.

Leo: I spend most of my day studying and working on schoolwork. Reading takes up 2/3 and math 

        takes up 1/3.

Lisa: 12 hours working most days per week. Very little time reading.

How much time do you spend on the internet each day?

Jo: 4 hours.

Meghan: 3 hours on a good day.

Leo: I spend 4-5 hours on the Internet each day.

Lisa: 2 hours.

How much time do you spend watching television or streaming video each day? 

Jo: 3 hours.

Meghan: I don’t watch TV but I will get on Netflix and Hulu every so often, not enough to average a 

               daily amount though.

Leo: I do not watch any television.

Lisa: 1 hour.

How much time do you spend totally unconnected from all media technology each day?

Jo: 1 hour.

Meghan: I try to stay unconnected but it doesn’t always work out. While I’m awake? Like an hour 

               maybe.

Leo: 1-2 hours.

Lisa: 8 hours, when I’m sleeping.

What are your favorite forms of relaxation and entertainment?

Jo: Napping for relaxation and Netflix for entertainment.

Meghan: Shopping, being with friends, going to the movies, eating lol.

Leo: I enjoy being outside and listening to music when relaxing from the day’s activites.

Lisa: Spending time with family and/or friends, bubble baths, and shopping.

Complete the following sentence: “Reading is  . . .”

Jo: a struggle.

Meghan: an opportunity that many aren’t afforded.

Leo: a necessity to learning.

Lisa: time consuming.

Complete the following sentence: “My favorite book is . . .”

Jo: The Hunger Games.

Meghan: As I Lay Dying.

Leo: The Lord of the Rings trilogy (specifically The Two Towers).

Lisa: Unfortunately, I don’t have a favorite book, it could be the one I just bought to

         read though. Who knows?

Complete the following sentence: “The word “literary” refers to . . .”

Jo: anything to read that’s studious.

Meghan: a textual work.

Leo: stories.

Lisa: someone who’s scholarly.

Complete the following sentence: “Reading poetry is like . . .”

Jo: falling asleep.

Meghan: stuffing yourself with Neapolitan ice cream and trying to decipher where each color rests in 

               your stomach without an X-Ray.

Leo: decoding a puzzle.

Lisa: torture.