The Problem with Literature Classes (and Why I Hated Taking Them)
Anyone who knows me is aware of my serious gripe with the U.S. educational system. Aside from the horrid curriculum requirements, many students are left disheartened and woefully unprepared for life. Mood disorders are at an all time high among American students, and those who do not prosper in a traditional school environment are ignored. There is a popular meme about students not knowing how to do taxes, but boy, do we know about those mitochondria!
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I have absolutely no issue with academia. I go to a private liberal arts university. I love books. I watch documentaries. I LOVE learning, and I love encouraging other people to learn. I think it is important that future generations are well versed and knowledgeable in a variety of fields and subjects. However, I believe that the current educational algorithm is failing, because so many students are forced into unhealthy environments that totally destroy their individualism and confidence. I was a very average student in high school. I barely passed math and science (because I am the worst at those subjects), but even in the subjects I loved (history, English, art, etc.) I got Bs and Cs, because I HATED school. I didn’t care enough to do most of my work, let alone do it well. I was also severely depressed due to bullying. Once I got to college, however, and I was able to focus on things I was actually good at, the game totally changed. I got all As my first semester. I have a 3.8 GPA. I even managed to get Bs in my required math and science courses, because my confidence wasn’t totally destroyed. Unfortunately, I can still see the lingering effects of my high school experiences in college.
As I said before, my grades in high school were pretty average, even in classes I loved. However, my high school English and literature classes stick out in my head in particular. I absolutely despise the way literature is taught in American schools. Honestly, most of the literature curriculum is bull. The discussions about symbolism are flimsy and boring. A lot of the selected martial is so tired. No wonder so many young people hate to read! I do advocate for the teaching of classic literature, but can we mix it up a bit? Maybe assign some books that aren’t boring as hell? (*cough cough* The Scarlet Letter).
Image from Poorly Drawn Lines
I distinctly remember spending an entire class discussing the phallic imagery in Ethan Frome. Literally, 50 minutes talking about penises. And theeeeen, you have to write all of those crap analysis papers about books you hate, and you have to pull discussion points out of thin air, because what writer really puts that much thought into imagery? I don’t! I plan storyline, I plan foreshadowing, I maybe drop in SOME symbolism, but I don’t use the color of the coffee mug on the faded, scratched table to represent the melancholia my character is experiencing. It’s a load of crap.
Students need to discuss literature in a way that’s relevant to them. These pieces of classic literature need to be taught in a way that teenagers can relate to and understand. Have them discuss the character’s personality and development, then relate it to how the students themselves have changed throughout their lives. Make connections to current events. When you teach To Kill a Mockingbird, don’t talk about the symbolism of Boo Radley’s freaking house. Talk about how Boo Radley is casted out because of his differences and the presence of bullying in modern times. Talk about how the racism in the novel is experienced today. And don’t, for goodness sake, tell a student their opinion is wrong.
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My high school English classes nearly ruined reading for me. I still have a hard time reading classic lit because I have freaking war flashbacks to symbolism analysis. If you’re still in school and suffering through these classes, I feel you. Just don’t let all of that crap destroy your love of reading. There are so many great books out there that tell amazing stories.
