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Author Topic: Why do schools assign the most boring books imaginable?  (Read 1631 times)

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Deep Thought

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Why do schools assign the most boring books imaginable?
« on: June 09, 2006, 03:55:12 PM »
Thoughts, anyone?
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Anthony Horvath

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Why do schools assign the most boring books imaginable?
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2006, 04:03:33 PM »
They are smarter than you.  Accept that and move on.
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Why do schools assign the most boring books imaginable?
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2006, 04:03:46 PM »
;)
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Zagzagel

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Why do schools assign the most boring books imaginable?
« Reply #3 on: June 09, 2006, 04:27:03 PM »
I agree.  Accept and move on.
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Ragnar

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Why do schools assign the most boring books imaginable?
« Reply #4 on: June 09, 2006, 05:35:06 PM »
DT, examples?
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Deep Thought

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Why do schools assign the most boring books imaginable?
« Reply #5 on: June 09, 2006, 05:49:53 PM »
Quote from: Ragnar
DT, examples?


Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt. I seem to remember that it won some kind of award, but it still bored the crap out of me.

Moby Dick, too. That was excruciating...

The only exceptions to the rule that I've encountered are One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and The Catcher in the Rye, as well as a few summer reading books, but during the school years I've rarely been assigned a book with real interest-factor.

I guess I might change my mind about some of them (Stephen King did), but I still wonder why school assigns such horrid reads. X_X Is there some conspiracy to destroy my love of reading, or what?
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Ragnar

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Why do schools assign the most boring books imaginable?
« Reply #6 on: June 13, 2006, 10:45:17 PM »
Quote from: Deep Thought
Quote from: Ragnar
DT, examples?


Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt. I seem to remember that it won some kind of award, but it still bored the crap out of me.

Moby Dick, too. That was excruciating...

The only exceptions to the rule that I've encountered are One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and The Catcher in the Rye, as well as a few summer reading books, but during the school years I've rarely been assigned a book with real interest-factor.

I guess I might change my mind about some of them (Stephen King did), but I still wonder why school assigns such horrid reads. X_X Is there some conspiracy to destroy my love of reading, or what?


Didn't read either of the first two, loved Cuckoo, didn't care for Catcher - I thought it was juvenile. I think I agree with you here. I always thought you should be free to read pretty much whatever you want, within limits, and as long as everyone reads about the same amount. Never liked the idea of "canon," whatever that is.

On the other hand, I'm now glad I was forced to read Shakespeare in highschool, as I've come to enjoy his work immensely as an adult. Plus, there are so many references to Shakespeare and great books and movies about Shakespeare that you would really miss a lot just in popular culture if you weren't familiar with the original.

I do want to read Moby Dick eventually just to see what all the hoopla is about. Plus an old friend of mine highly recommended it, and he's the one that steered me to Rand and David Foster Wallace and Huxley and Ginsberg and lots of wonderful music besides.
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[batman

"My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute."  
- Ayn Rand

"Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself makes you fearless."
- Lao Tzu

"Your side hates our side because you think we think you're stupid. Our side hates your side because we think you're stupid."
- Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Copernicus

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Re: Why do schools assign the most boring books imaginable?
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2006, 12:01:09 AM »
One of the goals of English classes is to help you appreciate why books like Moby Dick and Across Five Aprils have won acclaim as literature.  Merely giving out a reading assignment isn't the point.  Nor is giving out reading assignments that students would normally find appealing.  Unfortunately, not all teachers are able to teach literature well, and not all are gifted with students who value the opportunity to learn about literature.  We can standardize the curriculum, but we can't guarantee excellent teachers and diligent students.
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SML

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Why do schools assign the most boring books imaginable?
« Reply #8 on: June 14, 2006, 12:10:05 AM »
Cop, I've wondered why Moby Dick was acclaimed for a long time.  So... why is it great literature when it is sheer torture to read?
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