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When high school students ask, "How will I use English Literature when I grow up? How will The Scarlet Letter or The Crucible help me in life?" What do you say?
They'll be able to answer Jeopardy questions LOL. Actually I wondered the same thing when I was in HS. Thing is just having read them expands your mind, and makes you a better more rounded person. I know that's hard to explaine to HS kids, but really I'm glad I read them. I'm even glad I read Hamlet!!
For some kids reading literature is like eating vegetables...you just have to do it. For others, they find they like it...at least somewhat. Others will even come to love it. And, just like vegetables, you don't know until you try.
If that doesn't work here's another:
Completing tasks to the best of your ability whether you like them or not, whether they will be directly useful or not....will help you in many areas of life. Do you want to graduate with decent grades? Do you want to succeed at college? Do you want to keep a job? Do you want to have a happy marriage? Then just get used to doing things even when you don't know or understand the purpose.
Tell them that having knowledge of our literature, culture, and history, is what separates the grown ups from the children.
I like your response but I would say that it separates the educated from the uneducated (I'm not saying smart vs the dumb).
As for my own response, I wasn't much of a reader. I haven't read either book and thus, can't provide the most accurate response... however, I'll give it a shot. It's literature, which means there's a story. Even if the story takes place in a different time or a different culture, the fact is there's a story. There are two things you can gain from any literature.
One is it expands their views on life. If the book was written way back when and nothing's relevant, it sheds light on what life was like back then. If it's fiction, it provides some insight on what life could be like. In essence, it helps them think outside the box.
The second is they can learn something from it. Vicarious learning is highly under-utilized. Now, the story of Romeo and Juliet (I'm sure everyone's familiar with the plot) has very little relevance to my life. I've never dated a girl that different from me (financially or in any other sense). However, I learned that dating someone that's totally out of your class will get you (and your loved one) killed (ha ha). But... you see my point, no?
Now, if someone asked me why they have to learn calculus, I'd shrug my shoulders and say, "Because Sir Isaac Newton's thought it was only fair for everyone to suffer at his own brilliance, even centuries after his death."
I believe it is a valuable thing to offer, and a good thing to learn, but "use?" Pretty much not.
Common cultural currency is a good thing. Sometimes literary references come up in other situations or make for killer lines with people one is seeking to impress (for romantic or other reasons).
Reading different types of literature is one of the best ways to expand your vocabulary and enrich your speech.
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