The Classics and another Ah Ha moment

When I was in junior high, my mom used to extol the virtues of reading the classics. She was quite critical of the literature we were reading in school, saying that "when I was young, we had to read much more difficult literature." So, I decided to embark upon a quest to read the books that I was missing in school.

The first one I remember reading was Wuthering Heights. I was in eighth grade, and I don't remember much about the book except the descriptions of the moors and that the characters seemed to be so unhappy. Romance? I didn't see it. Storyline? I have no idea. Then, through several more years I read Ivanhoe, Far From the Madding Crowd, Emma . . . and some others. But I couldn't tell you anything about them.

Fast forward to now. One of our bookstores (I will be writing about Independent booksellers in a later blog) is holding a summer reading series on the Bronte sisters. Kathy Dunlavy and I decided to try it. The first book we were to read was Jane Eyre. I cringed. That was one of the books I tried to read back when I was younger. All I remember is a ghost scene and mean people - and I didn't read any more, never to be picked up again until this summer. I wasn't very excited about trying the selection but decided to go ahead. Imagine my surprise when I found I not only enjoyed reading it, I was enthralled by it. What a great book!!! (More about it later, too.) This morning then, I began Wuthering Heights. I have a sneaking suspicion I am not going to like it as much, but I do know that at least I will understand it.

Thus, the "ah ha" moment. As an educator, I have long held that a child's development influences what and how they learn. Expose a student too early to Algebra and they will be frustrated . . . catch them at the right developmental moment, and it is a breeze! So too with reading and most everything else. I have asked myself numerous times if, had I read these books at a later time in my development, would I have enjoyed them? I do believe I would have. As it is, I waited many years too long to read Jane Eyre.

Today I was at the bookstore and mentioned to the leader of the group how much I was enjoying the challenge. Sue Najim was there and we began to discuss whether we force young people to read some books that are beyond their levels. Unquestionably we do. So what is the right answer? I do believe that it is the teacher that can many times make up for the developmental lag and make even difficult literature exciting. I watched my two children read very difficult books - and enjoy them - because they had superb teaching!

So the answer is a complex one, but this experience has reinforced once more the concept of developmental learning. When children are ready to learn, they will. One can't force a flower to bloom, just as one can't force a person to understand what they are reading. Should young people read the classics? Absolutely! They just need to have support to get them through the hard parts - just as they do every other part of their life!!!