First off, I disagree completely with the whole genre/worthy technique. I see where it is relevent when discribing the plot but certain genres can be placed mainly based off of opinion; the teacher may think In Cold Blood is an extremely artistic account of the murder of a family where as the student may think it' simply a horrific tale of insanity. While the book may be written in an exquisite manor the lesson may not be as effective if the reader doesn't connect with the book on some level. Where as if you take a 'popular' book that many people actually enjoy reading that uses literary techniques and creates a masterpiece out of simple words. So, no I do not think a genre makes a book 'unworthy' to be used in a school's curriculum.
Popular works I think can accomplish greatness. It will definitely take a delicate touch to achieve this but yes popular can be great and to consider a book less artistic based solely on the audience it reaches is very biased. In some cases this can be true *cough cough Twilight cough cough* but other books that I've read such as Living Dead Girl or Impulse are incredible and definitely could be taught despite their popularity.
Another issue entirely would be who decides a books level of writing. In my opinion people with degrees and who know what they're talking about should decide but I think the public should have some say in it as well. Writing to me is categorized in many different ways and forms and shouldn't have decisions made by a specific minute group, it should be decided by a vast range of people and change as the times change. Writing can always be improved like most things it can never be perfect and if we treat it like it can be we will never allow it to reach its full potential.
I don't really know if you make the reading popular books in school available will make much of a difference when it comes to different interpretations of the book. That, I believe, will always occur. I actually prefer that because I can then see other peoples point of view. I can even share my point of view, even if we disagree.
ReplyDeleteI think Literary fiction and Genre fiction can both be 'great,' but they're both great in their different ways. Literary fiction is 'great' after you read into the tiny little detail-ey metaphor stuff, and genre fictions are typically more of a surface level great, as in how we don't look for the metaphors, or so much of hidden meanings so much as what's clearly there:)
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