"Why do we have to read this book anyway?"

How many times have we heard this in our high school careers as students?  And how many times did the teacher respond “Because it is a classic”? Well, for most students that response is not a good enough reason for them to want to read the book.  Some students go through school without actually reading a single book and many read the books, but do not feel any great connection with it.  It is a sad thought; however, it is a reality we face as future teachers.

            In a grade 10 ELA class I am observing, the students are at times disgusted by the characterization Of Mice and Men and the reactions to the ending of the novel were “why did we read this?” and “This is a terrible book; it is just depressing!” “How could anyone kill their best friend?”  Students need to fully understand WHY they are reading the novel beforehand and it must be reinforced throughout the novel so reactions like this will not happen.  Students need to be taught to analyze the techniques, purpose, and craft of each author in order to really be able to appreciate the work.  After the students have learned the skills needed to pick apart a text, they will become better writers themselves because they have learned different techniques and styles of writing.   Once students have gained a personal connection to the novel, they can then start having deeper reflections that connect to bigger pictures such as the country, humankind, community, peers, etc.  I really liked Gallagher’s example of having the students cast movie stars into the roles of the characters in the novel as if it was to be made into a movie.  This is one tool that can be used to help ensure that our students become comprehensive readers that can analyze text and appreciate ‘the classics.’