Paper #3 (Final): Read a Book, Save the World

Intro to Lit Study/Teaching Lit in Secondary School

Paper #3 (Final): Read a Book, Save the World

In Chapter 46 of Station Eleven, Jeevan, his wife, Daria, and their friend, Michael, are arguing about the purpose of a post-apocalypse education. As Michael argues, “Does it still make sense to teach kids about the way things were?...It’s like science fiction to them, isn’t it? And if it only upsets them…” to which Daria responds, “I suppose the question is, does knowing these things make them more or less happy?” (270).

Though we’ve never endured a civilization-ending apocalypse, we live in a world that is constantly changing and threatened by disaster in terms of disease, technology, and climate change. In light of these factors, many would argue that our curriculum based on the past—especially great or influential books, is no longer relevant. Book bans are rampant throughout the country, with classics such as Catcher in the Rye, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and 1984 being taken out of libraries and school districts because they are “upsetting,” “racist,” or “outdated.” More than ever, English teachers find themselves on the front lines of the cultural war, having to defend a curriculum that can actually save us from ourselves—if we take the time to read it and listen.  

For this paper, I want you to discuss ONE specific book (whether or not it’s been challenged yet) that you feel an essential part of anyone’s education. This should be something that as a teacher, you would make it your mission to teach, promote, and keep alive through reading and discussion. As you develop this conversation, consider some or all of the following:

• Why might this book be controversial today? Who would oppose it? Deny its importance or relevance?
• Why do you feel reading this book is crucial for a 21^st century education? What keeps it relevant despite its subject matter, genre, or age?
• How did you first discover this book? How was it important in forming your own educational or cultural identity?
• Would Culler agree with you? Why or why not? (find a passage…)
• How can you relate some aspect of Station Eleven to this discussion to give us fresh insight? (quote a passage…)
• And responding to Daria’s quote above, how can knowing about this book make students happier and more useful to society? In other words, why can this topic actually, in a small way, save the world?

REQUIREMENTS: At least 3-4 pages double spaced (minimum), using both Culler and Station Eleven in a significant way to support or expand your conversation. Be sure to introduce quotations and cite them by page number, and include a Works Cited page. Due no later than Thursday, December 7^th by 5pm.