It's what you make of it.

“One person by himself is not a complete human being…” (p.6)

We can only learn so much by ourselves. We can try and gain as much information as possible and store it in our memories, but what good are facts when there are no experiences to apply them to? To be a “complete” human being, one must learn from the journeys of others and their accomplishments-even their failures. By yourself you will live a standard life, but if you take in your surroundings you will live an exceptional life. I think Frye also means that through literature we become complete human beings. Of course two people can read the same book but both may get something completely different from out of it, meaning it’s all about how you interpret it. This point is also supported in McCullough’s speech when he says, “Information can save your life. The value of information, facts, figures, and the like, depends on what we make of it-on judgment.” Frye and McCullough both have similar messages. Life presents us with opportunities, some people grasp them and some people don’t.