The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie is a novel that came out in 1988 that was the most polarizing piece of fiction in that era. It outraged the Muslim community since a lot of the topics in the book criticize and question their faith; leading to a fatwa on the author's head. Rushdie was in hiding for a decade, and still to this day people are outraged by this book. To those who have read it, what do you think would happen if this book was released today, would it receive the same backlash and would Mr. Rushdie still have a death sentence subjected to him?
Analyse the popular opinion that Harry Potter has increased youth literary interest. Has Rowling inspired young readers to go on to new and different content outside her stable, or has her pervasive Wizarding Universe sought to monopolise marketshare?
A good issue, I'm just not sure how to measure this. In addition, interest in Harry Potter books may not carry over to reading other literature or the New York Times. This might be approached as a pedagogy issue at the middle school level: Has Harry Potter been added to classrooms to help inspire other reading. – Joseph Cernik5 years ago
Does reading classical literature (written predominantly by white male writers) still have a place among young people today? A lot of high school students lose their interest in reading when they are instructed to read books that don't seem to fit in the society that we live in today. It may not even be that they hate reading all together, but that they hate reading books they find boring. For example, when the Hunger Games came out, every kid had their hands on a Hunger Games novel, even people that said they detest reading. The Hunger Games is much more action packed and fast moving compared to many older books, and it still deals with really important themes and issues that you can find in classic books as well. Not only that, but a lot of classics are casually racist or sexist. Is it right to keep teaching books that preach hateful ideas, just because they are "classics?" Will changing the curriculum to books that relate to high school students more, encourage more young people to read? Does learning English Literature lose its meaning if the classics are not taught? What is more beneficial in the long run?
I feel like this ties into a common misconception of what English class is for. The point of English class, as I understand it, is not just or even primarily to encourage a love of reading. The point is to teach a very specific set of skills pertaining to how to read something, as well as to understand where all of the literary references we see in our everyday lives came from. The works that are read in English class are picked, by and large, because they accomplish those aims, and any attempts to replace them would need to be able to function similarly. There is an argument to be made that required reading should be more diverse than what we've currently got, of course; but just because a book is enjoyable or has some "important" message (whatever that means) doesn't mean it's suitable to be taught in an English class. People can always read whatever they want on their own time. – Debs5 years ago
Hunger Games is unsophisticated pulp and does not require anything from the reader. Classical literature tells a story using metaphor, which must be uncovered through higher level thinking. This is why classical literature is taught in schools regardless of the race of the author. Using race as an argument is not constructive in this case, and is quite frankly, just racist. – kim5 years ago
I'd just like to clarify, that I did not mean classic literature should be completely eradicated from the system. Many classics do teach great skills on how to read and these classics are taught because they were one of the first to introduce the ideas they present and they impacted english literature greatly. I was just wondering if anyone else felt that some of the ideas presented in these books could be outdated. In the english classes I've taken, we often discussed how these books impacted society at the time, such as To Kill a Mockingbird, or Jane Eyre. I used the Hunger Games as an example only because it discusses issues pertaining to war and government which can be applied to real life as well. Just because a novel is a classic, does not mean it can only be understood through a "higher level of thinking". I think race and gender of an author is important because often times, authors include racism or misogyny in their work, and students are forced to ignore it, even if this kind of violence is directed at them. For example, 1984 had misogynistic undertones, just like many other books, and it loses its value to me because of that. I'm not sure if this counts as a classic, but I was reading the second Narnia book recently and was appalled at the amount of racism that existed in a series that is praised and cherished by so many people. My point, is that many students don't see the value of classical literature because it's becoming more difficult to understand WHY it is so important, therefore they seem to lose interest in reading itself. Shouldn't we be more critical of the classics taught in school, instead of just giving it so much value just because it's a classic? Shouldn't a variety of books be taught, old and new, to get a full understanding of reading and language itself? Why do we need to praise books that are racist or misogynistic, but give it a pass just because it was written in a different time period? – IElias5 years ago
I agree with your argument for a critical reading of Classic (and Classical!) texts. As a teacher, I can also vouch for the enjoyment my students experience when reading novels such as 'Pride and Prejudice' and 'Jane Eyre' etc - they can enjoy, yet also apply a critical lens to their reading. Rigorous textual analysis doesn't ask students to 'ignore' those themes and ideas which challenge their own cultural context - far from it. And texts which appear to privilege views at variance with our own make for important examination. I support your varied text selections. I also agree that many contemporary texts are as complex and worthy of study as the dear old 'classics'. 'The Hunger Games' is richly allegorical and figurative. Like any text, its value may be determined by the interplay between text and reader, its intertextuality, its cultural 'constructedness' and the extent to which it prompts question and debate. – garjo5 years ago
I think it's important for anyone of any age to be exposed to literature widely regarded as having much literary weight. Having said that, it seems that it's always the same authors and books taught. While Shakespeare's texts are timeless, something along the lines of Marlowe or Jonson would certainly make things more interesting. In terms of novels, it's vital to be able to debate whether something is truly 'Classic' in order to progress with English. I agree that we need more diversity, but some books are 'Classic' for a reason. – Thomas19275 years ago
I think we need to be rid of the idea that reading old texts is inherently joyless, or that texts that are the product of their time aren't read in context. A text written during a period of history where racism, for instance, was entirely normalised isn't inherently promoting it by its inclusion. Some things age better than others, and not everything is everyone's cup of tea, but if the students can't find any joy in any classics they probably won't in contemporary popular literature either. There are plenty of classics that were neither by white male authors and plenty that were ardently against the prejudices of their times. Likewise, the phrase "classics," paints with a broad brush. The late Toni Morrison's Beloved is indisputably considered a contemporary classic and it's certainly not casually racist or sexist material authored by white male authors. Going back a little further, Virginia Woolf likewise has assumed classic status that has not been questioned, and her writing as a whole could be considered antithetical to the stereotype of the hateful old white man cantankerously writing boring books. Often, particularly since the turn of the last century, what has defined a classic has been not only its merits as an artistic work but the ways in which it has succeeded in going against the grain and in anticipating social change. I'd like to know what works you're referring to that are classics that preach hateful ideas, given that classics have an overall proclivity for being forward-thinking, within reason for the periods in which they were written. – benjamindmuir5 years ago
For decades, Salman Rushdie's novel; 'The Satanic Verses' which was published in 1988, had aroused controversy in the Islamic world moving the community to rebel against the author by arousing conflict, leading protests and even sending death threats towards the author. So, what sparked such a backlash? It's just a novel, right?
Well, the Islamic community reacted to the apparent blasphemous nature of Rushdie's novel which employs the use of magical realism with contemporary events from the early years of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). The novel follows the storyline of how the Qur'an was revealed at first by the angel Jibreel (Gabriel in the novel). However, the controversy sprung from Rushdie imposing a false personality and characteristic upon such valued and respectable beings from the Islamic world. This immediately caught the attention of millions of Muslims around the world, even capturing the eyes of politicians, so much so that the Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989, ordered the killing of Rushdie for creating such a blasphemous text. In Rushdie's defence, literary critics have argued that the text analyses the boundaries between fact and fiction. Rushdie himself argued that books, texts, religion, communities, beliefs and ideas can all be questioned if it means people are understanding the idea and theory better by building tolerance.
Throughout time, artists and authors have brought about new ideas worth exploring, which increases the contentious nature of some of these novels. Even as recent as 2003, Dan Brown's 'The Da Vinci Code' had earned disapproval by Christians and Catholic leaders for its blasphemous material leading to the book being banned in countries such as India and Lebanon. Moving on to 2005, Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell's 'And Tango Makes Three' had been one of the most challenged/banned books for seven years. The book makes many assumptions about homosexuality generating controversial questions about what makes a family. In more recent years, E.L. James's 'Fifty Shades of Grey' was seen as 'poorly written' and 'semi-pornographic' , thus, leading it to become banned in 17 libraries in Florida in 2012.
Looking into some of these texts, should it be allowed for literary texts or even other artistic forms to create controversy by disrespecting a belief, in order to question, challenge, debate and understand this belief better globally?
Actually, an effective comment. The other case study could be: (Jesus Christ Superstar which is a 1970 rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice). The writer who takes this topic can incorporate both events (novelistic and operatic) into the final analysis. As for the title, try: "Complexion of Artistic Expression." For what it's worth. – L:Freire5 years ago
Vicious can be summed up as two brilliant and ambitious college friends who get their own superhero origins by deliberately manufacturing near-death experiences that (if survived) will let them become "ExtraOrdinary." With their newfound powers, Victor and Eli find themselves on opposing sides, each now capable of doing inhuman things. As the story progresses, it becomes incredibly difficult to categorize either character as a complete hero or villain because their causes are a conflict of both right and wrong.
Analyze Eli and Victor's philosophies of morality (particularly after they become EOs) and why they believe they are each justified to act as they do. Eli's occupation with religion will be helpful here. Also look at how they involve and treat other people in their plans (like Angie, Sydney, or Serena).
Banned Books Week is coming up next month. If you went to public or private school, you probably ran into at least one book whose author endured censorship. If you were homeschooled, certain books may have been banned in your home. If not, your teachers and parents probably discussed literary censorship once or twice, minimum.
This writer has read her share of banned or questioned books, and she wants to know, what are some favorites in our community? The author should discuss some popular challenged books, especially favorites. Why are/were they challenged? If the challenge has died down, why–or why not? What particular literary value do these books have? Most importantly, what do we miss out on when we ban a particular book or author from our curricular or personal canon (s)?
Suggestions: -Judy Blume (Margaret, Blubber, Deenie, really almost any book) -J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter; witchcraft controversy not as hot but still present) -Any book, especially children's, featuring LGBT characters/situations -Anne Frank (yes, it was once banned for being a "downer" and because of Anne's discussions of marital relations/sex) -Shel Silverstein (any book) -John Green's Looking for Alaska
I actually read two on this list during middle school: Judy Blume and Anne Frank. I also read another book about a Jewish prisoner in Argentina and the sheer torture that he endured by his captors. But, this was during college and by that point I was mature enough to be exposed to it and to walk away from it a better person as a result. I feel that the Blume variety of distaste was mild in comparison. Further still, how is Anne Frank any different from 1984 by George Orwell in terms of social oppression and sexual deviance, looking back at it? Although I have never read any of Rowling's work, I have watch her televised speeches and interviews and feel that prose as vital and distinct must not be banned, it would be a disservice to art in general and literature in particular. – L:Freire5 years ago
I went to a Catholic K-8 school and many of these were banned. I actually learned how to read by following the release of the Harry Potter books as I grew up, so they were naturally my favorites. But a few other banned books not mentioned here were: Northern Lights/The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman, all of Scott Westerfeld's books, and The Picture of Dorian Gray (lol!). There were probably many more, but those were the ones I went out of my way to read. Thank you, public libraries! – Eden5 years ago
A long time ago I took a look at Frank's book and was absolutely shocked and devastated after watching the documentaries. This book shouldn't be banned whatsoever. IMHO. – tscosj5 years ago
No. No, it shouldn’t. In my opinion, Holocaust studies should be required starting in sixth grade up—full courses with supplements like trips to museums and resource centers. – Stephanie M.5 years ago
Analyze how dystopian books, movies, or TV shows impact how people view society. When President Trump was elected in 2016, book sales of famous dystopian novels such as 1984 and Brave New World increased. Dystopian stories are almost meant to be cautionary tales but do they create a paranoia that they are coming to life today?
It might also be worth noting that people use dystopian stories to make sense of events happening in reality. Dystopian stories seem linked to politics and serve as a way to discuss complicated events in both life and politics. I also think it's interesting that you mention how these type of stories might be causing paranoia. An exploration of the pros and cons that dystopian stories have on people's perspectives of real life would also be fitting under this topic. – jay6 years ago
I think an essay that looked at this issue would need to show how certain events or developments in the present can connect to a future presented in, say, 1984 or Brave New World. Sometimes the future as presented in certain novels or even movies is just there, but where did it develop from? These two books are set in a future but the books start from their visions of a future not somethings that are developing now taking us down a certain path toward an almost gloomy future. But, maybe there should also be some cautionary notes included in an essay that looks at a future in more optimistic ways that would challenge those presented in dystopian novels? If only a gloomy, or worse, future is presented, that creates an impression of inevitability, as though there is no other future. There is this tendency with novels such as 1984 and Brave New World to see them as starting points and then work backwards. Maybe the direction needs to be reversed, start in the here and now and ponder where that can lead. The movie "Downsized" presents an odd mix of impending doom but also presents a strange way of looking at a hope for humans. – Joseph Cernik6 years ago
Oh, wow, you could talk about this for days. Dozens if not hundreds of sub-topics exist. I say, narrow the topic some as above commenters have suggested but honestly? Don't be afraid to go a little nuts. – Stephanie M.5 years ago
We all know that experience of reading about some character who reminds us of someone who traumatised us. It's painful, but sometimes it's necessary to confront these feelings if we want to heal. If we confront these feelings and are able to empathise with perpetrators, we can learn what motivates them and avoid such motivations manifesting in ourselves. What psychological mechanisms are operating in this process?
A great book (object text) to look at/consider is the Cooking Gene by Michael W. Twitty – Pamela Maria5 years ago
Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club comes to mind. She even confesses that one of the reasons she wrote this novel is to come to terms with familial trauma. – Michael J. Berntsen5 years ago
