Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge
Today's challenge is books we read in school that we didn't like.
Having taught English the number one reason students don't like a book is that they have to read it.
1. The Biological Basis for Human Freedom by Theodosius Dobzhenski -- My sophomore English teacher made us read this to blend with our biology class. I re-read it after graduating college. It was way too difficult at that age.
2. Don Quixote by Cervantes -- Had to translate it in Spanish class and then read it for World Literature. Bombed both tests and it kept me from getting an A in WL. Grrr.
3. A Separate Peace by John Knowles -- I could suffer no more than ten pages.
4. Silas Marner by George Elliot -- I read after college and grew to like it.
5. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens -- I was in 9th grade and was out with strep throat when the teacher showed the movie. When I got back I had to read it and take a different test. That would ruin any book.
6. Pilgrims Progress by Paul Bunyan -- My mother made me read it as punishment when I was suspended from school (8th grade) my one and only time.
8 comments:
I wasn't a big fan of A Separate Peace either. And Pilgrims Progress made me too sad to finish reading it. I no longer remember why, though. :)
My post.
Don Quixote and A Separate Peace are the only two of these that I've read. I actually enjoyed Don Quixote, but like so many of these I think it's because I had my expectations properly set before I started reading.
A Separate Peace, on the other hand, is one of those books that seemed designed less to interest young readers, and more to traumatize them.
I thought I'd read A Separate Peace, but I'm confusing it with Across Five Aprils (Thinking I read them during the same year). I liked AFA, but not ASP. Good post.
I don't think I've ever found someone who liked ASP, Lydia. I understand Bunyan better now, an allegory was a little beyond me back then.
Michael, The only way I can take Don Quixote is the musical Man of La Mancha.
Thanks for your post Wendy and Megan
I liked Great Expectations, but I didn't have to study it, which probably helped.
So true, Tanith.
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