When you walk into an English class, you expect to learn about literature. You may even read some! When we think about “literature,” we have some preconceived notions, even prejudices, about what it entails. Ask any teacher or university professor, and they could probably recite a list of names they know to be part of the literary canon, which is the general groups of books, poems, stories, and other texts that are considered important and of value by a majority of academics. Ask a high school or college freshman, however, and you get a whole different range of answers. We usually don’t get too much exposure to the concept of “literature” before high school, but as far as it is imparted at all, it’s impartedas an idea of what “good literature” is, without too many specific examples.
Most of us can remember reading To Kill a Mockingbird, and perhaps a few Shakespeare plays, but we also read a lot of extracanonical books in middle school, where there is no clear delineation imposed by most teachers. That tends to change in high school, with 9th grade English classes often serving as more formal introductions to the literary canon. In 9th grade English Humanities, students are introduced to a diverse literary milieu, mostly drawn from the basic works of world literature, but not limited by any distinction other than reading level. Beyond that, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade English courses are laser-focused on the western canon, from The Great Gatsby to Frankenstein to, yes, more Shakespeare. If you are not in 9th grade Humanities, then you could miss out, you could easily miss out on reading a single book in high school written by someone from a country other than the US or Britain. To provide a more complete education to its students, IHS should require at least one work of world literature not written by US or British authors be taught in each English class that includes a reading portion. The upsides of increased world literature are multiple: students will gain a better understanding of cultures other than our own, will be able to read texts that they may find more fun and more relevant, and this change may reduce some of the negative effects of tracking on English classes.
Literature is valuable in that it helps students develop a well-rounded perspective when thinking about the world in the past and the present. When students have the chance to read about and relate to texts from different time periods and cultures, they gain empathy and have the chance to learn about themselves and their position in society. This can lead to tangible results when readers see the same flaws and struggles that appear in works of literature, and strive to change their communities for the better. The lack of diversity in the current English curriculum is effectively an erasure of the experiences of the vast majority of the world’s population. By only exposing students mostly to texts from Britain and the US, the current English curriculum restricts the aspects of history and the present that students can relate to, limiting the value that students gain from these classes.
Because of the narrow definition of the literary canon, many students also miss out on the opportunity to appreciate language and reading. Struggles with archaic language and unrelatable or uninteresting themes characterize the high school English experience for many, a problem that can be attributed in most cases to the lack of variety in style and message in works taught in classes. Within the vast genre of world literature, particularly from the modern and contemporary ages, students are bound to find works they find exciting and relatable, and which teachers can deem as having literary merit. Through a more diverse English curriculum, students would have the chance to redefine their relationship with literature, and to see the world differently as a result.
World literature’s benefits go beyond appreciation—IHS’s social studies curriculum includes two full years of world history, and having an English curriculum during this time with selections of world literature would enhance this education. Latin American, African, and Asian selections are notably lacking in both 9th and 10th grade despite featuring very prominently in history courses in both years. Discussions on important and relevant topics in social studies classes, like postcolonialism, would be enhanced if texts of world literature were read concurrently in English classes.
Increasing the amount of world literature in English classes could also lessen the effects of tracking in early-high school English classes. If all 9th grade English classes were to include the same world literature texts, the discussion, critical thinking, and engagement with these works of literature in these classes would be similar in all levels. Standardization could make higher-level offerings more accessible and attractive to students who don’t start off on the Humanities track, and who may not feel as prepared for or excited about English due to the current breakdown of reading materials.
In a district and school community where progress and social justice are at the forefront, the lack of variety in English texts is out of place. World literature not only gives readers a broadened perspective on their place in the world, but also affords them the opportunity to find new and enjoyable literary experiences. To reap these benefits, world literature must become a key component of English curricula at all levels.