When I was in high school, we used to say that a novel was a "classic" if it ended badly, or if it's depressing. That's what it always seemed like, judging by the classics they were having us read. If I hadn't grown up loving books, high school would have made me hate reading.
Now that I'm a bit older (just a little bit, of course), I'm reading more and more classics. I've found some that I completely love and others that are worthy of being assigned to high school students.
For instance, high schoolers should have to read Moby Dick. Now there's a classic. It's boring and everybody dies in the end (well, almost everybody).
I've seen a couple of shows lately that had a character whose favorite book was Moby Dick. All I can say is WHATEVER! Give me a break! My apologies to anyone out there that loves the book, but I just don't see it. Maybe if it's an abridged version....no, not even then.
The book has chapter upon chapter about whales - their anatomy, the way you kill them, the reasons that they're fish and not mammals (apparently that was a hot topic in 1850). There's a story in there as well, but it seemed to be about a fourth of the book. Not that I mind informational chapters. Les Miserables had a lot of those, but I enjoyed that one. They were interesting, and they were interspersed amongst the plot, unlike Moby Dick, where the plot was interspersed among the informational chapters.
Yep, it's a good one for high school English. Right up there with the Grapes of Wrath.
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5 years ago
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So great, Autumn! I loved this post! I had to read Billy Budd in college, and that was enough for me. I can't believe you read all of Moby Dick--you are dedicated.
ReplyDeleteI agree! I don't understand why some of the classic favorites are labeled as such.
ReplyDeleteWuthering Heights. That's all I'm gonna say.
ReplyDeleteThat grapes of wrath was a complete waste of time. I am suing my high school to get back that time they stole from me.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of high school, Go West High!
Did anyone else have to read "To the Lighthouse" and do they happen to know what the heck stream of consciousness is? I think I read 5 pages of that book and then I didn't even listne to the lectures. I couldn't tell you what happened. Ms. Barnes was not cool.
ReplyDeleteI would have to say the Old Man and The Sea! I HATED having to read that in High School. Made my eyes shoot blood!! Of Mice and Men was horrid too!
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