Have you have been required to read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee? What about any Shakespeare play excerpt? In the article, I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read the author Francine Prose discusses the striking similarities in required reading, and challenges the validity of lessons affecting this centuries generations. The literature in our current syllabus should not be completely discredited, but include compositions that relate to societies throughout history.
Prose supports the evaluation of literature from various authors claiming diversity is crucial for students, in truth, this enables them to understand and make connections to the past, present and future generations. Basing the quality and creditably of a novel by the author brings diversity among writing styles and their messages but literature should be read based its ability to connect with society. Prose addresses the startling fact that “the question is no longer what the has written but rather who the …show more content…
States across the nation are affected by the “numbing sameness, unaffected by geography, region, or community size” leading to a change in values in our current and future societies (Prose 91). Reading books that all have a common theme or message manipulates student to ideas which may or may not be applicable. Prose exposes the inability of students to adequately understand and find meaning in literature that they have no individual connections to (prose 93). These students lack their own individual connections to these books which leave students incapable of having unique relationships between their understanding of literature and the value of literature in society. The student's capability to make connections is hindered by the lack of individuality with