I have a bit of a confession. I didn't love doing my required reading in high school. I don't know why they subjected (and continue to subject) kids to certain "literature." (without Cliff's Notes, I probably wouldn't have graduated) And don't get me started on some of the poetry.
Here's one list of the ten novels most often taught in high school American Lit classes. I haven't read all of them. I am shocked (and a little afraid) that the list hasn't changed in the almost 25 years since I graduated high school.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn--Have read it twice. After reading Tom Sawyer, which I liked very much, I was surprised at how much I loved Huck Finn because I thought it would just be more of the same.
The Scarlett Letter--Borderline child abuse. Show me a HS English teacher under the age of 60 who thinks that teaching this book is a good idea.
To Kill a Mockingbird--As stated in an earlier post, another all time favorite of mine.
The Red Badge of Courage--I missed this one.
The Great Gatsby--Great novel. I actually enjoyed Tender is the Night more, probably because I read it for pleasure instead of out of school mandated obligation.
The Grapes of Wrath--A feel good story for the ages. I keep this book by my bed so that whenever I'm feeling a little blue, I can read about the great life of the Joads. It always cheers me right up.
Call of the Wild; Invisible Man--Missed these.
Farewell to Arms--I actually enjoyed Hemingway quite a bit and read more than just his required works. You either love or hate his writing style so this is definitely a matter of taste.
Fahrenheit 451--I was pleasantly surprised to see this on the list. First, it's a novella. Second, it's oft-overlooked science fiction.
I'm looking forward to catching some of the books I missed when my kids read them during high school. I am not, however, re-reading The Scarlet Letter to find out if perhaps I "missed something" the first time around.
Maybe you missed Demi Moore in the movie version of "The Scarlet Letter." That really helped me to understand the novel.
ReplyDeleteI read The Great Gatsby almost every year. It's an absolute masterpiece. I'm hoping to inherit my father's old paperback copy full of different color underlining and marginalia, representing many years of rereading.
ReplyDeleteHemingway has flat female characters and a certain sense of chauvinism, but I do enjoy his narrative style. I like A Farewell to Arms more than The Sun Also Rises.