As an English major, I am able to recognize and appreciate what classic literature holds for today. From the love and romance found in Pride and Prejudice and the danger and adventure seen within the pages of Moby Dick, many classic literary novels and novellas are able to shape our thinking and open our eyes to new perspectives! But why do we stop there?
Within a school and academic setting, students are required to read only the classic forms of literature as part of the curriculum. Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, and Emma are all great novels that deserve to be read and studied, but often that is where most schools end when teaching literature. If a student wants to have the opportunity to read more and different novels, then most students would need to take an elective at the high school or college level. And that’s only if such institutions offer such an opportunity.
In any other academic class, students are encouraged to go beyond the past to explore and research the future of the subject. Such classes as biology, chemistry, history, and physics focus on moving forward, so new technology and discoveries can be made to advance our current society. Instead of constantly teaching about the past, such subjects allow students to have the foreground knowledge that then equips them with enough understanding to move forward in their studies. So why does literature not do the same?
I believe that we need to move past the classics. While there is great value in studying the classic forms of literature, focusing solely on such forms does little to provide students with new and different perspectives.
