As this is an English blog, I will write about literature. Thoughout my school life, I have been forced to read many "classic" novels, such as Catcher in the Rye, To Kill a Mockingbird, Animal Farm, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. While these novels do have modern appeal, they are not very relatable to today's youth (and if you can relate to Holden Caulfield, I pity you). I feel that novels that are considered "Modern Classics" would be more relatable to today's youth readers, and because they are more relatable, students will better understand the themes and emotions that are being conveyed.
Now, I am not saying we should do away with timeless classics from such writers as Shakespeare, Steinbeck, and Hemingway, I am just saying that we could cut out some of the literary fat (i.e. Nothing but the Truth and Tangerine).
If you were on the school board, what modern classic would pick to replace Nothing but the Truth or Tangerine and why? Remember, the book should be relatable for guys and girls and be school appropriate.
Tyler Levinson
Personally, I would replace these tired old novels with Harry Potter. I don't know many who would argue that Harry Potter is a modern classic. JK Rowling's writing style is lends itself perfectly to allow enough discussion of literary elements, thematic connections, and new vocabulary acquisition.
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ReplyDeleteI was going to say Harry Potter too. I think that the Harry Potter series has already become a classic in our time. Like some of those older books, some people criticize and some people praise the books. Harry Potter teaches about struggles in life and how powerful friendships can be. So many kids already love reading these. It would be nice to have to read a book like Harry Potter. Harry Potter has already been around our entire lifetime. I have not read the classics that were listed but my sister and brother have and I've heard them complain about them. My sister is obsessed with the Harry Potter books and has been ever since her second grade teacher read her class the first book. She treats all of her Harry Potter books like prized possessions. I think that Harry Potter is a series that should be read in school instead of books like Nothing but the Truth. There is no comparison.
ReplyDeleteLA Period 4/Trace Wolf
Gabrielle G.
ReplyDeleteLA Period 2
I've been hoping for years that my class would read the Harry Potter books in school! When I first read the series in second grade, I fell in love with it. I've read an immense amount of books in my life, too many to count, yet Harry Potter is still my favorite series EVER! Not only is it interesting, age-appropriate, and easy to relate to (besides the whole magic part), the Harry Potter books provide many significant morals and lessons that everyone should be taught: for example, it teaches the value of friendship and the importance of perseverance. Besides, once we're done reading the books, maybe the whole class could spend a couple days watching the movies! (Just kidding, though it would be so much fun! I'd love to be able to do that. :D) Schools should definitely start reading books like the Harry Potter series instead of boring novels such as Nothing But the Truth and Tangerine.
Isabella BIshop
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I couldn't agree more that Harry Potter is the best choice (seeing as I grew up with it) but I also think that The Lord of the Rings series is an excellent choice. Although it may be a bit past our generation, I still think that it can be considered a "modern classic." The Lord of the Rings series has everything a reader could want in them. It also has some fabulous moral lessons hidden in between the lines of the exciting plot. It is a series that has been very popular for many, many years (especially since the movie came out) and is definitely a story I think students would enjoy.
I know most people love Harry Potter, and personally I have nothing against it, except the books are so long! I personally have a short attention span and get bored with one thing after a short while. However, I also agree that the books we read now could use an update, don't know what we could replace it with, but I personally think that every class should be allowed to read a different novel so the kids have the say in what they read, that would be a good way to make sure everybody is included.
ReplyDeleteJennifer Garcia
Period 1
While the intial book I thought of was Harry Potter too (How could it not be? The series has wonderful morals, and is incredibly written.), I think the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini would be a great choice. The forth book in the series just came out a few weeks ago, and so far I'm loving it. Even though they are very large books, I know when I read the first three, I breezed through them. They are definitely very addicting. Also, Christopher Paolini did an incredible job writing them, which I think is a very important aspect to have in books. They are so well written and captivating. They take you on a journey with a teenager, Eragon, and his dragon. I think it would be a really fun and different series to read in the future.
ReplyDeleteRaquel Bejany
Period 1
Well, seeing as Harry Potter has already been taken... (By the way, I disagree.) I would have to choose something more along the lines of "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak. The book is great because the heroine is around eighth grade age and can be mature at times while still being goofy enough for more mature readers to enjoy. The book also has some great uses of irony, comic relief, SO MANY metaphors, and descriptive language in what can be considered a very unique writing style. (I recommend all of Zusak's books to anyone who enjoys reading.) Also, the interesting POV from which the book is told could lead to some very interesting analysis questions.
ReplyDeleteI also really like "The Outsiders" by S. E. Hinton. It's really just a beautiful book.
Cat Golner
When choosing a book for all eighth graders, both girls and boys, I think the most important qualities are that it is relatable, enjoyable, and appropriate. I do agree with Harry Potter being one of the choices, although that is not the only one. The books that we read in class are usually boring and not very captivating. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, Scat by Carl Hiaasen, and Flipped by Wendelin van Draanen would all be great books to read and discuss. They all have good morals and lessons, literary elements, high-level vocabulary, and examples of theme and mood.
ReplyDeleteAlyna Taub Period 4
LA 5 Lacey Larson
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do not doubt the enjoyable qualities of JK Rowling's writings, I would not choose this for all students to read. I personally am not allowed to read the books due to the amount of wizards and dark magic. I would create a problem for "religious" students like me. I really think the students should be able to choose like Jessica said. Books like are long in lengthen will loose those who find books hard to get into. If students were able to pick a book that interested them, they could get into it. Also, guys and girls have very different taste in books making it hard to pick a book that goes for both. There is no way I can choose a "modern classic" that everyone would enjoy.
Edward Menin
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It's funny how people say Harry Potter just so they don't have to write about another thing. If I had the ability to change the book I would change it to the Hunger Games series since it's an excellent, simple read.
Victoria Novie
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I personally would want to read the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer because they're the best books ever, but I don't think that a lot of guys would want to read that. I wouldn't mind reading the Hunger Games. The books look interesting and so does the movie.
I personally enjoy the Mike Lupica books. They are written for teenagers and are very fun to read. The morals of the stories are related to sports, but they can be applied to real-life situations besides sports.
ReplyDeleteLA 5 Jake Fuhrman
Jake Ukleja
ReplyDeletePeriod 6 of the past
I find this a strange question to answer personally. Being a picky reader, I find it hard to really list a modern classic. I read books that appeal to me. My interests and dislikes are quite different from others. Writers write to captivate an audience, convey their thoughts, and make money now that I think of it. Trying to force others to be captivated and learn from my interests doesn't seem really fair. I love when there are websites of RECOMMENDED books. This gives me opportunities to find books that are educational and appeal to me. I would rather there be a list of books to select from rather than have some piece of literature forced upon me.