Is there a place for Twilight in the classroom?

Yes, I'm one of those giddy and annoying fans of the Twilight series. I used to be ashamed that I liked the book so much; it was full of teenager lovers declaring sappy affections for one another. BLAGH! But it was so addicting! I read the entire series during my week long vacation to the Outer Banks this summer, and if you've read the novels, you know that Twilight is the shortest of the series. It wasn't until the release of the first movie that I came out of the closet and declared my love for this modern day Romeo and Juliet tale of forbidden love.

Even after I came out, I couldn't put my finger on what it was about the novels that I liked so much. They weren't written exceptionally well, the plot was far from original, why the heck did I like these things so much? It wasn't until I began observing the Team Edward/Team Jacob rivalry amongst the GROWN ADULTS in my life (okay maybe I'm one of them, don't judge) that I realized why I like the novels so much- I was, and still am, invested in the characters in the novel. I feel bad for Edward, and SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

in the next few novels, I am sympathtic to Rosalie's situation. I worry that Bella is going to get into some kind of trouble, I worry that her and Edward will split up, I kind of wish that she and Jacob would become closer. I worry about the characters in these novels the way my grandmother worries about the characters in her "stories" (soap operas). I discuss the plot line and the characters actions with my sister, and I find that everyone who has read and enjoyed the novel is more than happy to discuss the characters as if they were real people.

Kelly Bull's article "Analyzing Style and Intertextuality in Twilight" articulated all of the things that I liked about Twilight, but was never able to put into words. Stephenie Meyer does a fabulous job of characterization, and her style of showing rather than telling paints an almost tangible picture of the novel.

As much as I love the novel and see value in it, I'm not sure if there is enough "meat and potatoes" to teach it in the classroom. I have alot of issues with the portrayal of gender roles in Twilight. Bella is a fragile female who needs the protection of a strong and capable male. She does all the grocery shopping and cooking for her dad, who is so stereotypically reserved, with his hobbies including drinking beer, watching the game, and fishing. Bella's mother is even less capable of self-preservation than Bella, needing Bella or her new husband to keep her afloat. I really don't like the neat boxes labeled "male" and "female" that most of Meyer's characters fit into.

Overall, while I do enjoy the novel and think that students can learn from Meyers simple yet effective style, I don't think this novel is one that I would use in the classroom. Anyone want to convince me otherwise?

Harry Potter

When I began reading Perr Glanzer's article "In Defense of Harry . . . But Not His Defenders: Beyond Censorship to Justice Author(s)", I found myself immediately agitated. I didn't really have a good reason; I love the Harry Potter series and was thrilled that a scholar was writing an essay defending the right of students to read the novels. Instead, Glanzer put me on the defense when he wrote "Sadly, though, I find most defenses of reading the Potter series in public schools deeply flawed".

What what what?!? My thoughts raced and my heart pumped; surely I was not going to have to hear a bunch of right wing conservative attacks on my beloved Harry AGAIN! As I continuted reading, Glanzer's purpose became obvious. He was writing not only to defend Harry Potter, but also to observe that most of the arguments in favor of the novel are self-serving and flawed.

My reaction to one sentence of Glanzer's article is indicative of a much larger problem; I would argue that it parallels the same flawed rationalization that gives supporters of Harry Potter fuel for their fire. I like Harry Potter and see value in the story; because I like the work, I find every excuse I can to talk to other people about the novel, convincing the "non-believers" that it has merit, and I would venture to say that if possible I would find a place for Harry in my own classroom.

But my motives are selfish and biased. Glanzer is spot-on when he says that Harry Potter does not attack one specific worldview, nor does it promote a specific worldview. While it may seem to someone like me that Harry Potter is a neutral novel, it is perfectly reasonable for a parent to be concerned about the worldview that, while not promoted, is portrayed as an exciting place. I myself like the worldview(s) presented in Harry Potter. I see the value in challenging authority, choosing friends for their inner qualities and not their social status, following the path to self-discovery/identity no matter where it takes you, and finding value in the marginalized realms of society. However, not everyone agrees with my values, and not everyone wants to raise their children the way that I do.

While I think Harry Potter is a valuable novel that inspires kids to pick up a book, I will think twice next time before blindly insisting on the quality of my favorite novels. Glanzer got me to re-think my argument for Harry, and I think he did a great job defending him. Maybe one day Glanzer can argue Harry's case for the school board in my district....

Before the Book Thief

I still have about 50 pages left in The Book Thief, so I'll post later tonight or early tomorrow morning. What I can say about it so far is this:

I really like the book's perspective on discrimination. When reading, it's always easy to empathize with the victim, but since the book is about a German girl who is not Jewish, I found myself asking other questions. What would I do if I was in the Hubermann's shoes? How much power did the German people have to fight the Nazi's? Who much power did they have to save the Jewish people?

My favorite part (so far!) is when Liesel and Rudy throw the breadcrumbs into the street for the Jews to find. What a creative, heroic, yet even childish thing to do!

I do think that the book is a bit lengthy- it's been difficult for me to find time to finish it, so I think that it would be hard for adolescents to find time to finish it. If I did teach it I would pair it with a non-fiction piece or maybe even a documentary so that the lesson about discrimination is more concrete.

On another note, I have been thinking about how this would work as a film, and I think that Alan Rickman (it may be spelled wrong, but think Severus Snape from Harry Potter), would be perfect to play Death! Any thoughts?

American Born Chinese/ Constructing a Teaching Life

I loved this book! I liked the format; the storyline and images were tastefully and artfully done, although I personally could've done without the picture of the spear through Wong Lai-Tsao. This is an approachable text that I would love to use in my classroom.

The book also contains alot of positive messages as well as food for thought. The struggle and rewards that come when you construct your own identity, dealing with prejudice, and how to recognize some of our own stereotypes are a few of the lessons that can be learned from reading this novel.

To continue on the topic of identity construction, I gained perspective from Gaughan's first chapter in his book Cultural Reflections. The three examples of teaching styles that he gave were helpful because I have had teachers who fit every category, and then some in between. It was easy to remember what was effective for me as a student, and the more traditional approach executed by Mrs. Keller was NOT it!

Gaughn writes on page 8 that "students won't explore their place in and influence on society if they aren't confident writers in the first place". This is such a relevant quote for me because my goal as a teacher is to help students think critically and write effectively so that they can be active and informed participants in our society. Isn't that what education is meant to do? To prepare students to function within our society? And I couldn't agree more- when students, heck, when people in general, are confident with their skill level they are more likely to participate in society and in their own lives. I like the style of teaching where students are writing something everyday.

As always, there is lots to think about and discuss with this article and with the text!

Monster and Teaching Multiculturalism

What to say about Monster? Some things I liked: it was a quick read, it was suspenseful, its theme of racial inequality was obvious. I wasn't necessarily a big fan of the script format, however, I would teach this book- but why?

The book's main character, Steve Harmon, is a sixteen-year-old high school student with a love for film, who may or may not have been involved in a crime. Steve is on trial for felony murder charges associated with this crime, and is facing 25 years to life in prison. I think it would be easy for students to put themselves in Steve's shoes and relate to his experience, thus making the book worth teaching because I think students would have alot to say about it.

Would Steve's life have been different if he had been white? Would he even be on trial? Did he get a fair trial because he was black? Was his lawyer prejudiced against him? Was the jury? What does it mean to be black and caught in the judicial system in America? These are all great questions that could be discussed. However, what I don't like is that at one point in the book the author mentions that Steve went into the store to get some mints; in the trial Steve denies ever being in the store. This raised some questions in my mind about what message the author was sending about race and adolescence. When should people be responsible for their actions? When are they old enough to serve a lifetime in jail for a mistake?

I really liked Hades' article and his ideas about semiotic reading. Students do interpret literature, movies, and music through a lense that is shaped by our culture. We shouldn't impose our own ideas, but we should ask them questions that force them to reevaluate their own beliefs about race, gender, and class. I loved the part where Hade says that his eldest daughter said that he was ruining the pleasure of the lion king for her, because it points to a bigger issue- should children's literature be nothing more than entertainment, or is it meant to teach our students how to critically think about issues dealing with culture, etc.? I think we'll have alot to talk about in class, can't wait!

Melinda's Closet: Queer Struggle?

I think that David Latham makes an important parallel when he asserts that Melinda's the struggles that Melinda goes through in the novel Speak are similar to those of the gay community.

Melinda has a secret (her rape) that she is afraid to tell anyone. Her fears are not completely unfounded; she is afraid of the reaction that may confront her if she tells anyone. Rape is a subject that still carries a level of taboo in our society, and rape victims often face alot of controversy when they do "out" their secret because most times the truth is impossible to prove for certain. In Melinda's case, no one saw the rape happen, it's just her word against her rapist's, Andy Evans, and it's understandable that she feels people may not believe her or may have mixed feelings about this. She instead retreats to her closet because it provides her with a level of security.

I'm not gay, so I can't say for certain, but I think that homosexuals face the same sort of struggles. Latham mentions that the metaphor of the "closeted homosexual" closely mirrors the struggles of Melinda. They, too, have a secret that is surrounded by a certain amount of controversy, and I'm sure they worry about the reaction they may get when they are "outed". Latham's point is that both Melinda and homosexuals are find different ways of fitting into society's gender roles, thus making them both queer struggles or sexualities. From my interpretation of Latham's article, I think he raises a good point.

Boy Meets Boy: Is the Utopian setting appropriate?

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan stimulates alot of interesting discussion about the role of the novel in homosexual culture. The book takes place in utopian town, where people of all sexual fantasies are embraced and celebrated. The main character, Paul, is caught in a stereotypical YA romance novel situation as he finds caught between the affections of two boys, Kyle and Noah. In the end of the novel, Paul ends up with Noah, and the reader is given the same satisfactory feeling that most YA romance novels give as they neatly tie up all of the loose endings into a big happy bow.

The novel is relevant because it serves as a template for new homosexual or bisexual fantasy YA novels. Until recently, anyone with a sexuality other than "hetero" didn't have very many examples for what a relationship could be. Levithan's novel tells readers that gay relationships do not have to be taboo, secretive, shallow; they can be romantic, fulfilling, and/or passionate just like any other relationship. I think this sends an encouraging message to young people of marginalized sexualities.

There are some things that raised questions in my mind thought. Was it necessary for the novel to be set in a utopian setting? Does that subliminally tell readers that non-hetero romantic relationships are only possible in an idealized world, and not in the real world? Could the novel have been set in a non-utopian setting and achieved the same goals?

Also, Tony comes out to his parents in a non-utopian town nearby, but his journey is much more difficult than Paul's because his parents are religious zealots and do not respect his right to choose his own sexuality. Tony's location outside of a utopian town suggests that his situation is closer to reality than Paul's, who has loving and accepting parents. I think Levithan made the right choice with Tony's location; his situation suggests to the reader that his circumstance may closer echo real life, and although he has difficulties, he overcomes them (though not quite entirely) by the end of the novel.

All in all, I liked the book and think it would stimulate good discussion in a classroom.