What book should I read?

Question

For an assignment coming up in a class in which I am currently enrolled, I must write a paper comparing a modern piece of literature to one of the stories we are reading in class.

The readings for my class include:
* Amy Tan, "Two Kinds"
* Edgar Allan Poe, "Cask of Amontillado"
* Kate Chopin "Story of an Hour"
* William Faulkner, "A Rose for Emily"
* Shirley Jackson, "The Lottery"
* Flannery O'Connor, "A Good Man is Hard to Find"
* John Donne, "The Flea"
* Andrew Marvel, "To His Coy Mistress"
* Emily Dickinson, "Because I Could Not Stop for Death"
* Seamus Heaney, "Mid-term Break"

I have to select any one (1) of these to compare with a modern (1950ish-present) piece of literature, however I don't really read modern stuff that often. I read a lot of "classics" and Hindu literature. If at all possible, I'd like to avoid the comparisons the professor suggested (like Stephen King compared to Poe) and go for something slightly off the beaten path.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

((That was EXACTLY 1000 characters. I'm so proud.))

I read really slowly, also, so I want to get started on this as soon as possible. This week coming up is my Spring Break and I plan to use it to read as much of those required readings as possible.

I have to read all of the ones I listed no matter what. I just have to pick one of them for the assignment and pick another work from 1950 or later and compare & contrast the two. I'm asking for suggestions for the modern piece of literature.

I've read everything Edgar Allen Poe has written and I'd really prefer not to use his story as one of the two to compare because it does feel almost like cheating to me. I'm extremely familiar with Poe's themes...

To clarify AGAIN... I have to read all of those stories regardless of what else I choose.

*** I am asking for a suggestion for a modern piece of literature NOT on that list which I must then compare to something on that list. ***

I'm a junior at my university... this is a freshman level course, though. General education requirements and all that.

Answer 1

That is a very interesting assignment.

The two that jumped out at me immediately were "Two Kinds" and "The Lottery".

I have never read "Two Kinds" but the Amy Tan works I have read deal with Asian women coming to terms with their own identity, integrating their American and Asian cultures. You could explore other novels of women (or men) experiencing a merging of two cultures. Maya Angelou's All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes tells her story of an American black woman in Africa. That might fit. I read that book long ago, and actually did a similar comparison paper on it (that and Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club, or possibly The Kitchen God's Wife).

"The Lottery" is really good, one of my favorite short stories. Maybe you could compare it to a novel involving another closed society, with it's own unique/strange traditions. Donna Tartt's The Secret History would probably make a really great comparison, and it is an AWESOME book. Everyone should read it if they can. Maybe also The Basic Eight by Daniel Handler. I can't picture the finished comparison as well as with The Secret History, but depending on what grade you are in, it might be a more age-appropriate read.

Answer 2

a number of those are from lady perspectives, some may well be a splash "girly lady" on your liking yet others could be ok. i've got left the two type on and you will come to a determination. Meryll of the Stone (Brian Caswell) Picnic at putting Rock (Joan Lindsay) Stranger with my face (Lois Duncan) taking part in Beattie Bow (Ruth Parks) My Sister Sif (Ruth Parks) Hitch hikers instruction manual to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams) Holes (Louis Sachar) Lord of the rings / The Hobbit Eragorn trilogy Narnia The Golden Compass Interview with a Vampire (Anne Rice) Requiem for a Princess (Ruth M Arthur) finding for Alibrandi (Melina Marchetta) Angels Gate (Gary team) Sisterhood of the traveling Pants Pelican's Creek (Maureen Pople) The Diary of Anne Frank To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee) The Shiralee (Dárcy Niland) Into the Wild (John Krakauer) Chocolat (Joanne Harris) Harp interior the South; undesirable guy's Orange; Missus (Trilogy by skill of Ruth Parks) the place the heart is (Billie Letts) My place (Sally Morgan) Little women (Louisa could Alcott) Rebecca (Daphne De Maurier) the three Muskateers (Alexandre Dumas) something by skill of the Bronte sisters or Jane Austen despite you do don’t run The December Boys (Robert Noonan)

Answer 3

"Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe is actually very good. However, you need to understand that the narrator is a bit crazy. He wants to kill someone for verbally insulting him. In a way it has a lot of symbolize so it's a good story for your opinion. It's not that long, should be no more than 10 pages depending on the size of paper.

you should read it at least twice to understand the full story.

Answer 4

The Emily Dickinson one, it was ok I had to read it for school. the others don't sound as interesting!

Answer 5

anything by jodi picoult if you are planning to compare family-like issues
or john marsden if you want to talk about war

ps. i havent read any of the above books [ as in your choices]

hope this helps

f xxx

Answer 6

the book i think for you is the emily dickinson one because it's a good book.