Classical Authors VS Modern Authors

[Princess]

The Handmaids tale was the only assigned book I enjoyed reading in highschool english.

Up to the last two years in high school we were always made to read contemporary young adult fiction, (usually post nucular holocaust sci-fi-agnst). Actually I don't think that was a bad choice as I remember most of the class enjoying them....but at that stage I was more into bodice rippers and airport novels

[Keffria]

The Handmaids tale was the only assigned book I enjoyed reading in highschool english.

I sincerely dislike Margaret Atwood, and (no offense meant, but...) "The Handmaid's Tale" is one of the worst pieces of hers I've ever read. And I wasn't even assigned the book for a project; I read it of my own free will.

-- But, of course, here in Canada, it's a mortal sin to say anything against her, because of everything she's done for Canadian literature. But really, the way she writes male characters drives me absolutely insane. Even when they're the protagonists (e.g. in "Oryx and Crake") they're still self-serving and shallow and generally portrayed as mere foils for the struggling female leads.

It irks me, though, that when you ask anyone (Canadian or not) to name a Canadian author, the first name they spit out is hers, and then they have to struggle to think of anyone else. Or, when I comment that I'm interested in writing the Great Canadian Novel someday, the first response is, "So, you'll be the next Margaret Atwood, eh?" DEAR GOD, NO.

[Princess]

if it makes you feel any better..... I didn't even know she was Canadian

[Blackaby]

2c: I hate Margaret Atwood. Although not as much as Cecila Dart-Thornton. But egads, that woman just takes the cake for Worst Author Ever.

Usually, when I picture myself punching someone to GET OVER THE STUPIDITY OF PEOPLE AT WORK, the person I picture is either Atwood, Virginia Woolf, or Sylvia Plath.

It's a shame people associate her with Canadian writing because I love Canadian authors. I have a whole pile of them lying around and I am/have been involved in a bunch of Canadian magazines and done reviews of Canadian books. Canada is filled with talent!

[ManyWorlds]

There are a lot of good classical authors, and a lot of good modern ones, too. What drives me nuts about English classes is that they can take a book I actually enjoyed, and then nearly ruin it by making me pick apart every word-choice, metaphor, and symbol in the book.
I don't know about you, but I read a book for good plot and characters. If i can pick up a few of the underlying symbols or whatever, great. But it's not critical to enjoying a book.

[TheSuburbanLetdown]

Sorry Toxic. That's lame as hell. Your three teachers should be smacked upside the head. King Lear is where it's at.

Lear is awesome stuff.

Luckily my high school was into serious preperation for college. You were obliterated if you didn't do your homework and we were taught how to do critical analysis on the books we read. And how to write papers! A disturbingly large amount of people still didn't know how to write papers in college. And among my circle of friends, it seems that I was the only one that actually studied and did homework in high school. If you did that at my school, you get "F."

[McDuffies]

I don't like analizing book word by word, but I like to find it's major metaphores, ideas, messages, what the writer wanted to say. It might sound harsh, but to me, if the writer wrote books just to tell the story, he is simply not a great writer.

[TheSuburbanLetdown]

I don't like analizing book word by word, but I like to find it's major metaphores, ideas, messages, what the writer wanted to say. It might sound harsh, but to me, if the writer wrote books just to tell the story, he is simply not a great writer.

That's what I mean by critical analysis. To discuss the major themes and sumbolisms, and how the particular story related to the time in which it was written.

I had one professor in college that was obsessed with what was said by what person on what page. That was stupid and uterly pointless. No major themes were covered, no big pictures ideas. Just dry "what hapened on page 64" type stuff.

[ManyWorlds]

The authors underlying ideas and message are great, I just don't like having lead an archeological dig to get to them.

There's a fine line between "so-obvious-it's-painful" and "what-the-hell-was-that-about". Good authors can hit the middle.

[Ida]

My litterature education so far has been pretty well-balanced between modern litteraure and 'classics' - nothing from the last decade, but plenty of 50's, 60's and 70's material, as well as a lot of 19th century and one play from the 16th centurty. What DOES bug me, though, is how ethnocentric danish 'litterature' classes are. Actually, there is no such subject as litterature; what we have is Danish, in which almost only danish and perhaps a few norwegian books are read. Foreign books are read in their respective language classes, and only on high levels, which means that there are not much time for that. Now, there's nothing wrong with Danish litterature, and I agree that some of the authors are brilliant, but Danish IS a very small language. I keep having the feeling that I'm missing out on some of the truly great pieces of litterature out there, and that is pretty bitter, because even though I can easily read those outside school, it still feels like a waste. There's nothing wrong with Holberg - but I don't see why that means I shouldn't read Moliere.

Damn, this was long. Lack of sleep makes me rant.

[Yeahduff]

*intends to spend the next twenty four hours hating Keffria and Blackaby*

The thing about literature class is that you're supposed to be learning something too. It can't just be about a good story. English class is largely about enriching the youth with culture, but it's also about building critical thinking skills. Analyzing something and seeing all there is to be seen. I always liked that part of literature, finding small obscure things that were really important to the major theme, but I guess I'm weird.

[The Neko]

My Jr. High English class ruined reading for me. I don't read for pleasure anymore because he ruined everything fun about it. The last one I read on my own time was "A Wind in the Door". The rest have all been the classics.

[McDuffies]

That's what I mean by critical analysis. To discuss the major themes and sumbolisms, and how the particular story related to the time in which it was written.

I had one professor in college that was obsessed with what was said by what person on what page. That was stupid and uterly pointless. No major themes were covered, no big pictures ideas. Just dry "what hapened on page 64" type stuff.

(incidentally, I was replying to ManyWorlds' post, you just squeezed in).

[Jared]

In Australia you need to do at least 1 english rich subject to get your PES certificate. Apprently learning Japanese is english rich, so I did that. I was one of the biggest book worms in the year and I don't mind thinking about what a books meaning is, but trying to discuss it in 2000-2500 words commenting on the role of whatever has allways destroyed the joy of reading for me.

[Sortelli]

When I was in school I couldn't be bothered to think very hard about the classics... or anything else for that matter. I was so dead set on being contrary that I thought any attempt to read between the lines of a literary work was just twaddle.

That's totally the opposite now. I can't say when the light turned on for sure, but it was some time well after high school, from my own experiences reading and writing and trying to understand the basis from which this stuff comes out. So I gotta say the classics are needed for a good education, even if it is hell while you're going through it. If you want to be able to compose a good story, even a good comic, you need to understand the art of storytelling and that's where you have to start.

[McDuffies]

True.

[The Neko]

Heh. As soon as I opened my mouth, I decided to put my own foot in it. I actually went out and got some non-course related books. "Kitchen" by Banana Yoshimoto and "Out" by Natsuo Kirino. It'll be interesting to read Japanese popular fiction instead of their old classics. But then again, Edogawa Rampo is more pulp than classic...

[MadTarnsman]

You've never heard of Zookeeper Zelda? You're a much purer soul for that......*evil laff*

[Sortelli]

Neko: I don't think you put your foot in your mouth... lord knows my idiot English teachers pretty much ruined the subject for me at the time. I still won't go anywhere near Kafka.

[Sortelli]

You've never heard of Zookeeper Zelda? You're a much purer soul for that......*evil laff*

mcDuffies is our resident pervert in charge.