Annotated Table of Contents: Why Study Literature?

Teaching English, How To..... by Raymond Stopper

Part Five: Literature

Chapter 22. Reading, Teaching and Studying Literature. What is the purpose of reading literature in school?

The scene was a meeting of parent representatives from each school in the district. The purpose was to review a new part of the language arts curriculum. Before the meeting began, one of the parents asked me a question that I had never had to deal with: "Why is the literature we read in the schools so depressing?"

Lamely, I tried to explain that even when the literature involves tragedy, it affirms life and is not pessimistic. Other parents around the table looked at me as if I were speaking Greek, and the chairperson of the group made it clear that she wanted to begin the evening's main business

I knew I hadn't answered the woman's question satisfactorily, and I was troubled. I would like to answer that question now. However, the question, "Why is the literature we read in the schools so depressing?" becomes, "Why read literature?"