Moby Dick

[Keith Inc.]

A 'political gadfly' in our area has taken on a new quest. Since Melville wrote Moby Dick in this county, he feels it should be required reading in the schools.

He's sending long, rambling emails to all English Teachers in the system.

First off, as one put it in her reply to him, 'I cannot change the required reading books, I lack the authority.'

'Second,' she continues, 'the number of grammar and spelling mistakes in your letter really, really are not going to collect English Teachers to your cause.'

It's getting hilarious.

Anyway, what i wanted to discuss was the reasons for putting a book on RR. Personally, i'd hope to choose books with some literary merit.

I don't disagree, Moby Dick has that.

But you want the students to learn something from their reading.

And I doubt todays public school students are going to be able to wade through Melville's paid-by-the-pound style to get anything out of it beyond a headache.

Hell, i couldn't get through Moby Dick.

Picking a book for pride of place? Why? This is not the same thing, quite, but it does remind me of governments that approve art based on the political leanings of the artist. That's not for learning, but propaganda.

WHERE he was when he wrote MD is not, to me, a reason to select literature for learning.

I can see picking some sentences out of the story to diagram, because you're really going to get your money's worth.

On one side hung a very large oil-painting so thoroughly besmoked, and every way defaced, that in the unequal cross-lights by which you viewed it, it was only by diligent study and a series of systematic visits to it, and careful inquiry of the neighbors, that you could any way arrive at an understanding of its purpose. such unaccountable masses of shades and shadows, that at first you almost thought some ambitious young artist, in the time of the New England hags, had endeavored to delineate chaos bewitched. But by dint of much and earnest contemplation, and oft repeated ponderings, and especially by throwing open the little window towards the back of the entry, you at last come to the conclusion that such an idea, however wild, might not be altogether unwarranted.

[Guest Madapple]

In truth, it's not that difficult to change a required reading list.

At the college here (where I teach Latin), you edit the syllabus, including content and goals which include what ever points you are attempting to make with the book, and submit it to the committee for approval. Depending on the committee, and schools committee tenureship, it is either approved or torn apart (not literally) and has to be rewritten.

Ususally, it has to be rewritten, the process itself can (at least in my experience) take up to 2 years.

There are many great American authors. How can instructors possibly get to them all?

(As an aside: I helped write a course titled: Harry Potter and the Magic of Myth, and submitted it to the committee a few weeks ago. So hopefully in the Fall ...)

[StoryJunkie]

Most of the required reading in high school was dismal. I could never understand how someone's depressed state could possibly garner them brownie points for good writing. The literature may have been first class, but the attitude brought me down. I'd rather read a corny fanfiction any day. There are some awesome writers on this site. Way better than DH Lawrence or Emily Bronte or even John Steinbeck. (I actually liked O. Henry, though. Thanks to the jailbird for those satisfying endings)