Contemporary Implications in World Literature

Scroll over to the sidebar and check out the new link posted ‘Next on the Syllabus: Harry Potter…?’ It is a really interesting article written by high school students in the mid-west. They feel that although the classical works of Shakespeare and his peers have stood the test of time, perhaps contemporary authors of modern day society deserve a chance to be taught in English classes across the U.S. Although I think it’s a stretch to say that Twilight and Harry Potter should make it onto a course syllabus, I think these students raise some interesting points. Maybe there is something worth studying in more contemporary works of literature. Undoubtedly the works of authors like Shakespeare, Bronte, Hawthorne etc challenge young adults to analyze literature and themes in ways that forces them to dig deeper. But perhaps adding contemporary novels to coursework would add a diversity to classes that would keep students engaged and eager to learn. Perhaps contemporary works can fill the gaps missing in so many high school and higher education English classes today!