Advice for writing themes into the story without hitting the reader over the head with them

[Finchbearer]

I found all three American modern classics I cited enjoyable and easy to understand, but we do have literature over here that I would also consider to be modern classics that maybe could also be looked at. To Kill a Mockingbird would be my favourite, although Steinbeck was masterful IMO with his writing, but I preferred the Grapes of Wrath over Of Mice and Men.

Out of curiosity, the British authored books studied at GCSE level are Lord of the Flies, An Inspector Calls, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hide, A Tale of Two Cities, Pride and Prejudice or Emma and Frankenstein. I didn’t study any of them while at school.

 

[Prince of Spires]

Shakespeare was voted Man of the Millenium for a reason.

I didn't know that he was. But considering everything that happened last millenium, and all the great people who featured in it, then I can think of plenty of better candidates.

Regardless of that, the main point of the argument wasn't the hightlighted part, but rather the part where it's a terrible way to get kids to read. Plenty of teachers probably get handed a curriculum where they get told what to teach and which works to focus on. But if you force kids in their formative years to read boring and difficult works, then you might teach one or two to appreciate literature, and you'll teach the rest of the class that reading is terrible and boring and you should stay as far away from it as possible.

 

[Jackarandajam]

I don’t know if kids still have these choices but when I was at school it was Shakespeare (whether you liked it or not!) and a choice of To Kill a Mockingbird, Catcher in the Rye or Of Mice and Men, which made total sense given our proud British American heritage…

LOVE of Mice and Men. It's like a little pocketbook on writer soft skills. You can read it in a sitting and it's a case study in so many things; colorful side characters that don't take over reader interest, antags and protags that are both clearly victims of circumstance and their own psychology, the thumping beat of mounting suspense, perfect foreshadowing that gives the reader exactly as much as the need so they don't understand it until the reveal, a strong and consistent but very specific theme that doesn't jump out until the book is finished...
I can honestly say I didn't realize how much I wanted to be a writer until I read that book (on my own volition) at about 15.

Of course you can add in one or two classics. But this focus on long dead authors just because they make the teacher feel important is a terrible way to make kids enjoy reading. I think you'd get a far better teaching engagement ripping apart Twilight than Moby Dick.

Depends on the grade. An intelligent middle schooler with any natural interest in lit at all should be able to rip apart twilight.

I was homeschooled though, so...

 

[Demesnedenoir]

That Brit list is pretty good, though I don't know An Inspector Calls at all, though I admit to limited knowledge of theater. Also, a rather entertaining group of works without being too dense.

I found all three American modern classics I cited enjoyable and easy to understand, but we do have literature over here that I would also consider to be modern classics that maybe could also be looked at. To Kill a Mockingbird would be my favourite, although Steinbeck was masterful IMO with his writing, but I preferred the Grapes of Wrath over Of Mice and Men.

Out of curiosity, the British authored books studied at GCSE level are Lord of the Flies, An Inspector Calls, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hide, A Tale of Two Cities, Pride and Prejudice or Emma and Frankenstein. I didn’t study any of them while at school.

 

[Demesnedenoir]

I think you'd get a far better teaching engagement ripping apart Twilight than Moby Dick.

I don't wanna pay for the book to rip it apart, but if I get a copy for free, let the pages fly! Stupid twinkling vampires anyhow.