Carrying a 560 pound engine 20 feet

A college student’s journey through auto mechanic literacy and TikTok fame

Abstract

College student Riley Allen describes his journey through the discipline of auto mechanics. The reader can observe how Riley navigates language in a discipline that is new to him. In an attempt to repair a car, Riley participated in part of a local salvage yard promotion that advertised the price of $69.99 for anything that one individual could carry out of the yard. Riley recounts how he carried a 560lb engine out of the yard and then proceeded to repair his truck. His descriptions illuminate the disciplinary literacy of auto mechanics.