I will be teaching a Brit. Lit. class next year to Seniors...Text suggestions?

Question

I am looking for some more recent texts. We already have Beowolf, Chaucer, Shakespeare, etc.

Answer 1

I hope I get seniors next year.

I second Conrad. I'd definitely teach Paradise Lost and touch on Donne's holy sonnets. Frankenstein was a good read in high school. Gulliver's Travels made for some interesting discussion on society, and while we're on Swift, "A Modest Proposal" could be a lot of fun. Especially if you don't mention to the kids that it's social satire before you read it. Because, really, who wouldn't pass up the opportunity to have a little innocent fun messing with the kids from time to time?

As far as recent work (or at least more recent than the aforementioned work), I'm a big fan of "The Picture of Dorian Grey" and would teach that if possible.

Try not to let your personal preferences dictate too much of the reading. Offer a good cross section that gives a full representation of Britain's literary history.

Whatever you decide, I'd stick with classic literature and stay away from the temptation to be that edgy, progressive teacher who tackles obscure, contemporary material that your edgy, progressive professor challenged you with in college. And stay away from the recreational reading lists that include works like Tolkien, Rowling, et cetera. Kids can read that on their own time. There's little real literary merit in those novels, at least from an academic standpoint. There's nothing wrong with the classics, and robbing students of that experience is doing them a disservice. But I'll get off my soapbox now.

Answer 2

You could make them read Harry Potter. ;-) .
The only ones I really know are science fiction writers. So, Tolkien, Douglas Adams, George Orwell(he's british, right?)

Ooh. and you might think that high school seniors are old enough and mature enough to read through shakespeare and understand it, but mostly they're not. If at all possible, try to choose a play that a nearby theatre is showing or that has a good movie counterpart that you can suggest. This was pretty much the only way me and my friends could understand King Lear at all. In my opinion, Shakespeare was never meant to be read and it's a travesty that people are made to do it.

Notes: I routinely get science fiction and fantasy mixed up. I had to read King Lear in my senior year for my Brit Lit class. If you wondered, my friends and I watched through a video of the play. The one with James Earl Jones. Do George Orwell's novels count as science fiction?

I tried to read through A midsummer night's dream, as well. So, not just an "I have to read it for school" slump, because I understood this one much better after seeing a production of it, also.

Answer 3

I guess it depends on how recent you want to go. I really enjoy Kazuo Ishiguro (born in Japan, Raised in England), who wrote Remains of the Day, Never Let Me Go, etc. These novels deal with relevant social issues while still retaining a high level of entertainment and readability. High school seniors would also likely enjoy Kingsley Amis' novel Lucky Jim, which is an extremely hilarious read. Or if you go a little further back you have Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility), Charlotte Bronte (Jane Eyre), or Emily Bronte (Wuthering Heights). I would also strongly agree with the previous poster on Frankenstein and 1984, as those are two of my all time favorite novels!

Answer 4

French V Hnrs. English V, Math Sciences 536, present day international V, Chemistry 534, Physics 536, Ethics and non secular lifestyle, stepped ahead Dance, built-in mission and actual coaching.

Answer 5

How about the writings of C S Lewis? or Lewis Caroll, even though we think of him as a children's literature author. there is a lot of good symbolism for study.

Or W H Auden - wasn't he a Brit?

Browning. Tom Stoppard is a play author. Alan Aykbourne too.

Answer 6

Martin Amis 'Money'
Poetry by Douglas Dunn
Poetry by Ted Hughes (if you can get audio version, he has a fabulous voice)

Answer 7

Any play would work because I know that they are into there play's

Answer 8

CONRAD- HEART OF DARKNESS
SHELLEY- FRANKENSTEIN
1984
ARE SOME REALLY GOOD ONES!