One of the things that always bothered me growing up and going to school were English classes. Not so much the classes themselves, but the fact that teachers all seemed to be of the mindset that analyzing a book to death was the best way to inspire kids to read more, or appreciate the literary works they were forcing us to read.
Myself, I am an avid reader. I love reading more than most other things in life. Most would argue my literary tastes are nothing spectacular, or they are uncultured and juvenile. I don't particularly care. If I want to read Harry Potter or Stephen King instead of Nietzsche or Dickens, so be it. It isn't that I don't have an appreciation for the classics, I absolutely do, I also happen to think a lot of them are overrated, long-winded snotty drivel.
I also loathe Shakespeare. Loathe.
There is a reason I have dislike for so many "great works". It goes back to my school days full of over analyzing the hell out of every book we were told to read. Is it a requirement when getting your degree to become an English teacher that you must create lesson plans where you force the students to read too heavily into every little word? Is that some sort of unwritten code I am not aware of? Or is it as simple as the fact that trying to create discussion without analyzing what the author was "thinking" would be far too difficult?
I cannot fathom how teaching us what the authors were "thinking" when they wrote their novella is even taken seriously. How the hell do you know what they were thinking? How do you know they intended all this insanely deep analytical meaning behind their words? How do you know they're not just telling a story? Were you there? Did you or do you know the authors? Did the authors create student education guides to go along with their works? What is the point of hanging onto every word like it's a lifeline? What is the point of finding out the hidden meaning behind Piggy's glasses in Lord of the Flies? Your opinion on the theme behind the book is not fact. Issuing poor grades to those who dare challenge you is ridiculous.
When did basing an entire lesson plan on opinion become actual education. I am all for debate around books. I actually encourage it. Debate how the book made you feel. How the books made you think. But don't tell me how the books are supposed to affect me. If you tell me how to read the book to see things a certain way, I am inevitably going to dislike said book. It will leave a bad taste in my mouth, and that saddens me. I don't enjoy disliking some of the supposed greatest works of literature. But they were shoved down my throat and I was told over and over how to feel and how to absorb them. I was told how I was supposed to enjoy certain passages and how I was supposed to think less of others. If I disagreed I was told I was wrong.
I am not wrong. No one is wrong. People interpret things differently. People attach themselves to literary works differently. Who the hell are you English teachers of America to tell me otherwise? Who the hell told you your word was infallible? You're out of your fucking gourds if you think your opinion matters above anyone else and you should be ashamed of yourselves.
