Throughout high school everyone has to deal with English class at some point. Reading faculty-approved books that have some narrative substance that you need to write a paper about, sometimes in groups. Something that I’ve noticed is that regardless of high school, when you ask someone what they had to read, the same few answers come up. The Great Gatsby, Romeo and Juliet, Fahrenheit 451, Lord of the Flies, and To Kill a Mockingbird, among other selected books.
As to why, there are a few checks books must pass; first, they obviously have to be high school reading level books; otherwise, they might be too easy or difficult for the average high school student. Second, there has to be something to discuss and write a paper about, like the meaning of the story. With The Great Gatsby, it’s how flawed the American dream is. This third check isn’t mandatory, but schools often look for older, trusted literature that many have read in similar situations since reading trusted material poses minimal risk for inappropriate material in a learning environment.
With these trusted books, teachers know how to guide the flow of a conversation surrounding a book, talking about the characters, the meanings behind certain scenes, and various student interpretations of said characters and scenes. With said knowledge, teachers plan their curriculums around how long the book will take to read and what assignments to give surrounding that book.
Outside of educational purposes, Fahrenheit 451 was chosen for its dystopian world and the dangers of losing critical thinking through mass media and censorship. Why burning books and destroying literature are seen as a “threat” and a bad thing. To Kill a Mockingbird, through its story, shows the death of one’s innocence time and time again. All these high school-level books tackle heavy topics without stepping over into inappropriate territories in order to keep students engaged in a level most should be mature enough to handle at a high school age.
