Is your high schooler reading classic novels in school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My freshman son read the Odyssey, Romeo & Juliet, a Tale of Two Cities, and All the Creatures Great and Small, and All Quiet on the Western Front so far this year-- maybe more but they read the whole book, and he complains a lot about it.

My junior also has the same English teacher for AP lang and her class is assigned a good amount of reading.

All Quiet on the Western Front is an excellent book and worthy because of its historical telling stories about WW1.

I wish they would read a book about the Vietnam War. This generation knows so little about the details of it, the brutality, the uselessness of it, the way they dropped 18 year olds into jungles with monsoons, disease, starvation and they had to fend for themselves.

Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes is a bestseller about a Vietnam veteran and his experiences. This could replace the love story of Romeo and Juliet.

Mine did. They read The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien.

Bloods is a terrific work about the experience of black soldiers in Vietnam. Also allows for the discussion of civil rights. It is very raw though so not sure how HS appropriate it would be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My freshman son read the Odyssey, Romeo & Juliet, a Tale of Two Cities, and All the Creatures Great and Small, and All Quiet on the Western Front so far this year-- maybe more but they read the whole book, and he complains a lot about it.

My junior also has the same English teacher for AP lang and her class is assigned a good amount of reading.

All Quiet on the Western Front is an excellent book and worthy because of its historical telling stories about WW1.

I wish they would read a book about the Vietnam War. This generation knows so little about the details of it, the brutality, the uselessness of it, the way they dropped 18 year olds into jungles with monsoons, disease, starvation and they had to fend for themselves.

Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes is a bestseller about a Vietnam veteran and his experiences. This could replace the love story of Romeo and Juliet.

You don’t know Matterhorn fool!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My freshman has read animal farm, romeo and juliet and now jurassic park. Hates them all.

Is this a joke? A typo?

+1, I laughed out loud when I saw Jurassic Park on PP's list. It's a fun read for sure, though, but to study it in school?

Why not? This is the description of the book …

Jurassic Park is a 1990 science fiction novel by Michael Crichton about a theme park on a remote island where genetically engineered dinosaurs are brought to life, which ultimately fails due to scientific hubris and chaos theory, leading to a fight for survival. The book, a bestseller that blends science fiction with action-adventure, explores themes of genetic engineering, the dangers of unchecked science, and the unpredictability of complex systems.

Genetic engineering and unchecked science if relevant right now. Reading more than one Shakespeare is wasting valuable time that could be used reading more current novels that actually mean something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ones we’ve heard of and read? Ones that are more than 10-20 years old?

I don’t think my all-honors senior has read more than a couple books I’ve heard of, and even those were ones she chose from a school list, not books assigned to the whole class.

Barely ! It seems that pretty much every book they read is about the story of a slave, the story of a boy during the civil rights movement, the story of a trans kid, the story of a gay kid, ...
Before everyone comes with guns blazing, I am a liberal, not MAGA, and encourage my kids to read such books but I ALSO want them to read the classics. Why can't we just have a happy medium?! Read some of these books in addition to Mark Twain, Shakespeare, Ernest Hemingway, ...

This! All the book selections (and there are not many full books assigned period) are of the themes above. Add in something about recent immigrants/refugees and someone with mental illness

+1 it infuriates me. My kid can’t relate to refugees, mental illness, trans kids, or gay kids. I want good old fun classics.

Of course they can. Or they should be able to. If not relate to, then at least try to understand or empathize with. That’s one of the beautiful things about literature.

I've glanced at some of these books (as a gay parent) and while I want to be sympathetic, they are far more political than they need to be. They will not be classics, but faddish books forgotten in a decade. I find the whole "be kind to everyone" mantra overkill these days. Of course we want to be "kind" but I'm also aware that plenty of lasting unkind things are happening because we must be kind to everyone regardless of whatever their issues are and it's often perpetuating, not helping to fix, a problem.

You need to say what books you are referring to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My freshman son read the Odyssey, Romeo & Juliet, a Tale of Two Cities, and All the Creatures Great and Small, and All Quiet on the Western Front so far this year-- maybe more but they read the whole book, and he complains a lot about it.

My junior also has the same English teacher for AP lang and her class is assigned a good amount of reading.

All Quiet on the Western Front is an excellent book and worthy because of its historical telling stories about WW1.

I wish they would read a book about the Vietnam War. This generation knows so little about the details of it, the brutality, the uselessness of it, the way they dropped 18 year olds into jungles with monsoons, disease, starvation and they had to fend for themselves.

Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes is a bestseller about a Vietnam veteran and his experiences. This could replace the love story of Romeo and Juliet.

Mine did. They read The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien.

Bloods is a terrific work about the experience of black soldiers in Vietnam. Also allows for the discussion of civil rights. It is very raw though so not sure how HS appropriate it would be.

Describing the Vietnam War cannot be censored. Kids right out of high school were dropped into a jungle with a gun and had no idea why they were righting. High schoolers need to be able to read about the horror and why so many Vietnam Vets came back with debilitating trauma. It is very appropriate for high schoolers juniors and seniors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My junior is reading Hamlet and is bored out of her mind. I really wish the curriculum was better/more interesting.

Because she already read Hamlet? Or are you criticizing WS?

Love Hamlet, as well as the related Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.

Read both in AP English years ago. I know my DD’s school teaches both, and I’m glad she’ll get the chance to read them.

+1. PP is doing her DD no favors by promoting Shakespeare as boring and not interesting. So much she can be/ should be learning. Sorry it's not all an easy read, PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My freshman son read the Odyssey, Romeo & Juliet, a Tale of Two Cities, and All the Creatures Great and Small, and All Quiet on the Western Front so far this year-- maybe more but they read the whole book, and he complains a lot about it.

My junior also has the same English teacher for AP lang and her class is assigned a good amount of reading.

All Quiet on the Western Front is an excellent book and worthy because of its historical telling stories about WW1.

I wish they would read a book about the Vietnam War. This generation knows so little about the details of it, the brutality, the uselessness of it, the way they dropped 18 year olds into jungles with monsoons, disease, starvation and they had to fend for themselves.

Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes is a bestseller about a Vietnam veteran and his experiences. This could replace the love story of Romeo and Juliet.

Mine did. They read The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien.

Bloods is a terrific work about the experience of black soldiers in Vietnam. Also allows for the discussion of civil rights. It is very raw though so not sure how HS appropriate it would be.

Describing the Vietnam War cannot be censored. Kids right out of high school were dropped into a jungle with a gun and had no idea why they were righting. High schoolers need to be able to read about the horror and why so many Vietnam Vets came back with debilitating trauma. It is very appropriate for high schoolers juniors and seniors.

Some of the atrocities described are graphic. I read it when I was in college and it was a difficult read, emotionally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My freshman son read the Odyssey, Romeo & Juliet, a Tale of Two Cities, and All the Creatures Great and Small, and All Quiet on the Western Front so far this year-- maybe more but they read the whole book, and he complains a lot about it.

My junior also has the same English teacher for AP lang and her class is assigned a good amount of reading.

All Quiet on the Western Front is an excellent book and worthy because of its historical telling stories about WW1.

I wish they would read a book about the Vietnam War. This generation knows so little about the details of it, the brutality, the uselessness of it, the way they dropped 18 year olds into jungles with monsoons, disease, starvation and they had to fend for themselves.

Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes is a bestseller about a Vietnam veteran and his experiences. This could replace the love story of Romeo and Juliet.

Mine did. They read The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien.

Bloods is a terrific work about the experience of black soldiers in Vietnam. Also allows for the discussion of civil rights. It is very raw though so not sure how HS appropriate it would be.

Describing the Vietnam War cannot be censored. Kids right out of high school were dropped into a jungle with a gun and had no idea why they were righting. High schoolers need to be able to read about the horror and why so many Vietnam Vets came back with debilitating trauma. It is very appropriate for high schoolers juniors and seniors.

Some of the atrocities described are graphic. I read it when I was in college and it was a difficult read, emotionally.

Why so emotional bro

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My freshman son read the Odyssey, Romeo & Juliet, a Tale of Two Cities, and All the Creatures Great and Small, and All Quiet on the Western Front so far this year-- maybe more but they read the whole book, and he complains a lot about it.

My junior also has the same English teacher for AP lang and her class is assigned a good amount of reading.

All Quiet on the Western Front is an excellent book and worthy because of its historical telling stories about WW1.

I wish they would read a book about the Vietnam War. This generation knows so little about the details of it, the brutality, the uselessness of it, the way they dropped 18 year olds into jungles with monsoons, disease, starvation and they had to fend for themselves.

Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes is a bestseller about a Vietnam veteran and his experiences. This could replace the love story of Romeo and Juliet.

Mine did. They read The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien.

Bloods is a terrific work about the experience of black soldiers in Vietnam. Also allows for the discussion of civil rights. It is very raw though so not sure how HS appropriate it would be.

Describing the Vietnam War cannot be censored. Kids right out of high school were dropped into a jungle with a gun and had no idea why they were righting. High schoolers need to be able to read about the horror and why so many Vietnam Vets came back with debilitating trauma. It is very appropriate for high schoolers juniors and seniors.

Some of the atrocities described are graphic. I read it when I was in college and it was a difficult read, emotionally.

It was the Vietnam War, it was full of atrocities. These high schoolers are our future adults making decisions on war. They can’t think it’s simple as the current leadership is claiming. This is no Vietnam but we are still killing innocent people.

[Anonymous]

So happy someone is reading The Things They Carried. That is such an amazing book!

[Anonymous]

Reading a Michael Crichton book is fine, but I would not pick Jurassic Park. Andromeda Strain would be a better choice.

[Anonymous]

All wars have (at least some) atrocities, so we really only need to read one book on that topic.

"With the Old Breed" by Eugene Sledge might be a WW2 candidate. (Warning: it is graphics and emotionally upsetting.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All wars have (at least some) atrocities, so we really only need to read one book on that topic.

"With the Old Breed" by Eugene Sledge might be a WW2 candidate. (Warning: it is graphics and emotionally upsetting.)

The wars are completely different and can’t be lumped together. WW1 and WW2 were started in Europe and moved fast. The aggressors were easily winning, there were genocides and governments falling. We stepped in to help end these war.

Vietnam was a 20 year civil war between the communist north side and the noncommunist south side. The US got involved because their fear of what they called “The Domino Theory “ or communist spreading. It was nothing like the world wars.

Maybe these books can be read in history class along with their factual textbooks. I don’t think current students know enough about Vietnam and the destruction in South America caused by the US fear of communism.

Ask your high schoolers what they can tell you about the Domino Theory and Vietnam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP- what do you mean by “classic” books? Do you mean books written by white authors about white society only?

Yep. These classic books, meaning old, from another time, all have the same viewpoint, are all about living in a white community. This past century saw novels written by more of a variety of authors that deserve recognition.

In middle school they usually read one Steinbeck. No need to read another. Limit English authors to one Dickens or someone similar. Let Shakespeare go except a short study of his works. There are plenty of quality current novels with the same themes.

Shakespeare is unreadable for most. I know posters here see their kids as brilliant but the language used makes the reading unpleasant and so difficult that you can’t enjoy it. Some people say the themes of his plays are timeless, about love, jealousy, death, ambition, power, fate, freedom. These themes are done better in dozens of contemporary novels that are readable.

Time to move on to better quality, relevant novels for today’s society.

What is wrong with reading about white society? If someone says they don’t want to read about black society that isn’t ok but it is ok to say you don’t want to read about white society?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They aren’t, not really. Public high school, in AP english lang. They have literally read zero full books yet. They had to pick two off a long list, not really classics. A mix. But they haven’t even had to red them yet- its March

AP Lang is intended to be focused on shorter texts with the purpose to understand the authors purpose in the writing and why they used the stylistic choices they did. Reading the classics would not be very good for this. In AP Lit a lot more classics are read. So far we have read Macbeth, Song of Solomon, Frankenstein, Madea, Oedipus Rex, and our next unit is the choice of any classic book. This is a large public highschool in dc.

They read one book in all of honors 11 English- Beowulf. Honors 9 and 10 had a couple more, but not more than 2-3 books for the whole year and not classics, except a Shakespeare play

Yes because it is meant to somewhat mimic what kids learn in AP lang. At least at my school so they are reading less classics and are focused more on short texts

I don’t get it, are you defending this poor excuse for public education?

As a public school student the education I have gotten from my english classes has been not poor at all. As a freshman we read around 2 books a term. Sophmore year we did about 1 a term but they were much longer and we learned how to write analytical essays. Junior year I took AP lang which teaches you about important things in writing such as syntax, diction, different writing styles/purposes, figuartive language, and more. This though comes at the cost of long texts because it is simply not realistic to read the classics and learn about all of the different writing components. Despite this we still managed to read four books. Now senior year in AP Lit we have read multiple classics, greek tradgedies, modern literature, and shakespeare. If you think the standard for an English class is solely reading the classics then yeah I guess it would be a poor education but the main purpose is to teach students how to read and write like a scholar. Which is what English 3 and AP Lang mainly focus on and then after you are able to do so you can then read the classics and understad and write about them in a more complex manner.

They need to teach paragraphs and grammar also.

yall pmo. this is social media im not gonna write this like a paper. Get over it and actually think about what im saying.

Can’t. Your writing about how you are learning to write is sooo bad. Just can’t.

You're just being intentionally obtuse then. I dont know what to tell you.