Why do teachers let students read novels as their assignment if they will.........?

Question

Did your teacher ever gave you and your class an assignment about reading a novel with more than 100 pages or more?

If so, do you think it's right? I'm asking this because no matter how many novels you read, you cannot record word by word or remember them exactly as they are. (Unless you have that ability) And also, no matter how many novels you read in your life, will you be able to read them when you die?

Will you be able to REMEMBER or RECITE or DECIPHER them word by word and remember the lessons??? Will it matter in the after life?

Shouldn't you be doing something that is important and will last eternally? Because you're only a soul in that body of yours and you will still going to die anyway...

Teachers should TEACH (that's their job right?) kids the most important things and that will help them in their own jobs in their life and afterlife.

Answer 1

School is only meant to help you become a productive citizen, not prepare you for a dubious afterlife. I agree with you that teaching fiction before college is useless. In the grades and in HS reading should serve the rest of the curriculum.

Answer 2

there are lessons to be learned by reading. most of the best books are novels that are Over 100 pages. You can always ask if you can read an Autobiography instead.

maybe your teachers Can assign you other long term projects.. improving habits in eating, excercise, learning a new language, tutoring younger students, working on your family tree, or doing Other projects that may take the place of a month long "read a novel" assignment. Teachers major job is to get their students up to certain standards, that is correct. No ten years later you wont be able to recite the entire book... but I still know several lines from probably 30 different books. When i have to illustrate a point in a discussion- it comes in handy. If everyone in the US was forced to read the same 5-10 books in school...... then that is a startingpoint and common knowledge that helps provide background and context for other discussions. Literature should not feel like an Assignment and maybe your teacher is failing you by not being excited about the current novel... but books provide ideas. Internalizing the ideas, themes, inspiration, and causes engaged by good books is an essential part of an education. I hope you want to continue to read for the next 50 years and learn something new every week.

And what lasts eternally? a sculpture? You can't just wait for the afterlife.

As for their job- No teachers should make you want to learn. They should make you discuss things. Its an inquiry based education. We are not in china where teaching commonly means lecture.

Answer 3

Teachers should definitely teach their students important things, but I think literature/novels are important. You certainly will not remember all the details of every novel you read, but there are important lessons that will stay with you:

-- Reading novels teaches you how to analyze writing. You will learn to "read between the lines". This can be very important later in life if you are reading ad campaigns, emails from supervisors, political propaganda, etc.

-- Reading a variety of novels teaches you to consider things from other people's points of view (and then determine if you agree with them or not).

-- Reading good novels teaches you about human nature and can even teach you about yourself. A good novel has in-depth characters that are often based on the author's experience of real people. Reading is one way to learn about all different kinds of people without ever having to meet them.

-- Reading historical or multicultural novels teaches you about history and the world in a way that you are more likely to remember. If you read a history lesson in a text book, you will most likely not remember it in a month. Novels, however, engage your emotions as well as your mind. If you read a historical novel, you may remember facts from that historical period for years to come.

-- Reading some novels teaches you moral lessons that will last eternally. I'm not sure what religious background you are from, but I am Christian, and I have learned many spiritual lessons from novels (both Christian and secular novels). Even though novels are made up, authors often base them on things that are true or write them to teach moral truths. Just like I explained in the point above, novels are a very effective method of communicating, as they engage your emotions more than a simple textbook would.

From a education and cognitive science standpoint, the brain will retain information that it finds meaningful. Presenting facts, lessons, and philosophies in the form of a good story is one way to make them more meaningful, and thus more easily remembered.

Please keep reading! It's one of the most important things you can do!

Answer 4

All great novels are based on universal truths. Literature enriches the soul. Looking at a novel on various levels deepens an appreciation of the work which will allow the student to enjoy other novels.
If you don't care for novels, that's your choice. Others use their imaginations to enjoy vicariously a world that they may never get to experience.

Answer 5

By your own argument, people of faith should not read the bible. Its over 100 pages.

silly argument - you just don't want to do the work.

Novels and other assigned readings have themes that are eternal. They get you to look at your own life and decisions. If you are seeing literature as a list of things done by the characters you are not approaching it correctly. perhaps it is because you have not read enough.

Answer 6

Many of the most important lessons about life have been written about in great books by terrific authors. Pay attention to what you read. You might discover something about truth and beauty.

Answer 7

Yes, but by reading books while you are alive at least you won't die stupid.