From: Violet Harris <vjharris>
Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 17:19:03 -0500 (CDT)

Here is a short comment on Ginny's comment: Many of the books you listed are classsics. Students miss some essential discussions about what it means to be a human being when books of this type are dismissed or marginalized as only "relevant" to the group portrayed. Further, they miss some magical, creative, and fresh ways of telling a story. What we need to discuss is an underlying belief system that allows teachers, librarians, and others to assume (here I hate to inject this because I know that I will risk being labeled "politically correct" ugh) that only some literature, especially that written by Europeans and European Americans is worthy of the label "classic," or consideration as "universal." There has to be a deliberate challenge to the view that only "canonical" literature meets the standards for "classics." Remember, many of the books written by
"Americans" were dismissed as lacking in literary quality in the 19th and early 20th century by Europeans. Now, they are canonized. Certainly we can become a bit more "Catholic" and less parochial in our sharing of literature. AND, many of the books meet or surpass standards for literary excellence. I listed some of my classics; I did not provide the criteria for selection. However, the books represented a range of genre, time periods, and groups.

I would write more but I have to prepare for a trip to Oregon where some of these issues will be discussed.
Received on Fri 25 Jul 1997 05:19:03 PM CDT