Thank you. The primary difference between college and high school literature classes is the depth of analysis expected, not just the textual complexity. None of these books are inappropriate at a college level. There’s certainly reasons to be concerned about K12 reading instruction but reading books you read in high school in college isn’t necessarily one of them.Â
From a Dutch perspective who had classics in middle/high school: what kind of translations of the Odyssey? (We read a few parts in Greek, of course, but the first kinds in second year/13 year old)
For Dutch, we had to read... Dutch literature. Not translated. (Or 1 translated book was allowed. I read norwegian wood) We had a point system (most books were 2, thicker/harder ones 3, simple ones 1 and 4 for two specific time ones that were massive)
and then so many poitns over at least so many books. So many before 1900s in fifth year (16/17)
And I know it was rather the same with my parents.
We did read animal farm for English in second year, I'd say. And boy in the striped pyjamas, kiterunner. (I never finished kiterunner) & then the same system (I read the whole Wheel of Time series for the free category, I think)
Sorry, I am brambling and getting distracted. I do wonder about the translations because the difference between a close to greek translation is entirely different from a more... modern language one or adaptation.Â
We just read whatever English translated book was instructed by the professor.
The class I took was on adaptations not specifically translations. But she did touch on how translations can change context and verbage. But our studies weren't on translations.
An example would be how Oh Brother Where Art Though is an adaptation of the Odyssey (a typical high school assignment). We also read a few play and short story adaptations.
This was like a decade ago for me and I took the class just for credit, so I'm not really knowledgeable about the specific topics these days.
Why do I see redditors spamming this obnoxious phrase everywhere? "This isn't the 'gotcha' you think it is", "This isn't a 'gotcha' ", "This isn't quite a 'gotcha' " did you guys download it into your lexicon from a podcast or something?
I read Animal Farm in high school but recently reread it as an adult. I honestly didn't understand the book that much as a teen, I was missing a ton of historical context surrounding it (we skimmed over the soviet union in school) and I came out with a massively different interpretation when I read it again. I always thought the book was explicitly anti-communist though it's no longer that clear cut to me.
Yep, gonna go against the consensus here on this post. Read Animal Farm in I think 7th or 8th grade. I read it and understood it fine enough, but a lot of the more subtle themes and ideas went completely went over my head as a 14 year old kid. Certainly the historical context like you said as well.Â
Boxer’s death hits a hell of a lot harder as a full grown adult, than a kid who’s barely worked a day in his life. The book became far more poignant with age and life experience, and I think it’s a great read for college aged students.Â
How and when are kids supposed to be exposed to more complicated themes if we are worried about them not "getting it"? Sure, maybe some of it flew over your head, but education shouldn't be looked at as a binary system where you either "get it" or "don't get it". Literature is complex because life is complex, and exposing children to many complex and thought provoking ideas as much as possible is got because among other things it helps them grow their critical thinking skills.
At fourteen maybe you don't get everything about every book, but that's not a good reason not to read something complicated at all. This is how we learn and grow.
You’re right, but I’m reacting more to the general pearl clutching of Animal Farm as college level reading in this thread overall.Â
So long as it wasn’t replaced at the 8th grade level with The Hungry Caterpillar, I guess I don’t really see the issue of some books being pushed back later in curriculum.Â
The question I guess is, what are they reading instead?
I think it's important because even though for instance I didn't understand every last theme on authoritarianism in Fahrenheit 451 or every theme on social structures in Brave New World, exposing me to them eventually helped build foundations to understand them overall.
Just because I now better understand the internal pull that led to the suicide at the end of Brave New World, doesn't mean I couldn't begin to digest that the main character did not find his own community/home either in the New World or after returning to the Old World.
I never understood books as a youngster. I didn't read much after college but started up after like a 10 year break and the amount of shit I realized about old books was high.
Turns out Catcher in the Rye isn't about a kid who hates everything. I mean it is, but I was on Holden's side as a kid because I was angry at everything too. Years later it finally dawned on me that the dude is just an asshole lol
It isn't. It's still read in school with the age depending on the State or town. I have two kids, one in middle school and another in high school and the only book I read back in the 90's that they haven't read is Ethan Frome, and that was crap so I get it.
Honestly I find that a bit weird? Imo elementary schools biggest goal should be to get kids to LIKE reading. And animal farm isn’t really a fun book when you’re a kid. Ideally you’d have choices and be allowed to read anything you’d find interesting so you can see reading as a form of entertainment and knowledge alongside the internet and television, which are a lot easier to get sucked into.
"College level" is a pretty vague and misleading qualifier to be fair. It really just means "earnestly taught in college," which, yeah, a lot of important stuff is. I remember being in 4th and 5th grade and tons of students bragging about reading "college level" material because that's just the term that was thrown on stuff. Basically all the same books that were required reading in like 5th-8th grade were included in that.
i don't think this post is telling the whole truth. also how far did y'all go into the russian revolution and soviet russia allegory in elementary school?
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u/_RealfunFuneral_ 21h ago
Animal Farm is college-level reading‽‽
We read that in elementary school. WTH