As we continue our discussion on education and whether or not schools kill creativity or suffocate your ability to learn/desire to learn, I want you to think about the books and the short stories we have read in class and are currently reading (A View from the Bridge, The Crucible, "The Minister's Black Veil," The Scarlet Letter "Harrison Bergeron" and Slaughterhouse Five). Are you a better student, thinker and human being for reading these literary works that are considered classics and a part of the literary canon? Take a moment what it means to be a student, thinker and human being (in the sense of how you contribute to society) and then post a response. In other words, do you think these books have appropriately educated you? Length does not matter but I recommend you devote about 5 minutes of writing/typing.
Responses are due before 7:30 AM on February 14th, 2011.
I do think that they have helped in making a better person out of students, but not in the way stated. These stories have showed differnt areas of originiality.In reading thes stories i am not bettered because they are literary classics but because of the common themes of originality. It has helped because in reading these classic works of literature they have opened my eyes to be creative and be original. For example, the most recent short story "Harrison Bergeron" people were jsutjust dealing with the unoriginal "equality" they were given and did not try to change it in any way. Harrison was well aware of his potential and the abilities that he had and he stood up for what he thought was right, which was every one living up to there potential, he made the musicians play better, dancers dance better a npd had eople take innociative in the talents. The other works of literature read in our class were also proof of creativity. For example theminister wearig the balck veil no matter what others thought and a view from the bridge, the fact that rudolpho didnt do what most men did which was hard labor. These are all great examples of originality and creativity.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the books by we have read in class have better oven us an understanding of how we can proceed with our life. Take for example, Harrison Bergeron, Harrison was trying to do the best that he could do wh his life depending on what restraints that the government placed on him. Even though they did put him on restraints he managed to find a way around it to continue doing what he wanted. I think that is what the school system is trying to do. By givinbus limitations thy are trying to see of we can find a way around those limitations so that we can continue doing what we should do.
ReplyDeleteI look at every piece of literature as one big puzzle, the author has an underlying idea and you must put the pieces together in order to see the real picture. Any form of literature can be used to enhance creativity because it allows a student to expand their thinking beyond just the words, but how and why they are said. Pushing us to think about the meaning within text definitely increases our general intelligence and does educate us on how to see beyond the cover of things. These books show us students how to become real thinkers, people that will go beyond what is put in front of us and allow us to see from a new perspective. A thinker can truly survive in this world because a thinker doesn't only listen and serve, he looks for his own pathway based on what he hears.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion i believe that these literary works have educated me. These books have actually taught me many things. First of all these books have taught me not only to read carefully and get details but to take a passage and dig deep into it and find the information that was not stated. Apart from reading these books have also taught me life lessons to. One lesson i learned was confession is the only way to get the weight from your lie off your chest. I do believe also after reading these literary works that I do in fact play a role in society. My role in society as I see it is to stand up for this generation and to not let anyone bring us down for example from Harrison Bergeron when Harrison stood up for what he believed in and he never backed down. - Juan Jesus Delgado
ReplyDeleteYes books i have read have appropitaly educate me because in stories like the scarlet letter you have to dig deeper and find the true meaning. Like in the minsiters black veil he showed us that everybody has a sin and nobody can hide it. In books we read between the lines and find out the authors true purpose. A book has to be interesting for us to be creative. With an intersting book we always uncover new facts and sometimes we can realate to the real world. For example Harrison Bergeron showed us that nobody can be equal and everybody will be either in a higher or lower place then us. Books helps us dig deeper and approitaly educate us.
ReplyDeleteThe books "The Ministers Black Veil" and "The Scarlet Letter" all share one common issue which is sin. The moral of the story is that if you do something wrong your not supposed to punish your self. Just like how Mr. Hooper used his black veil as a sign of self-punishment and Reverand Dimmesdale beating himself and starving himself as also a form of self punishment. Your supposed to take the blame and confess so that the guilt is "lifted off your shoulders". This is what these books has taught me. If you done wrong the best thing is to confess. My role in society as a student just like what Juan said above is to not let anyone bring us down. Stand up for what we believe in, because our idea is our form of originality and Creativity.
ReplyDelete-Kevin A . =D
I believe that these books have allowed us to broaden our knowledge of society and the english language. The way that these books were written allows us to analytically think in a metacognitive way. If we are able to analyze literary works and draw insightful inferences based on a collection of specific random data, then it is only logical to assume that we have acquired the skill to look at something in an abstract manner. Since we gained this new understanding of how to look at something beyond a normal perspective, we have thus been efficiently educated by understanding the purpose and meaning of Hawthornes' and Millers' stories. Therefore, we will be better prepared as we carry our lives through college because we experienced what it meant to think beyond our subconscious. -Kevin C. Veerasammy
ReplyDeleteThe books and short stories we've read in class hasn't really educated me appropriately. I can't relate to it, so it didn't really educate me. Also, i think the times have a huge impact on things. The books were written a long time ago. A time where Adultery was the biggest sin you could commit. Society has grown from that time. Today, adultery is still wrong but you wont get shunned or hated on by the town for it. Its more of a personal issue between you and your spouse. A view from the bridge confirmed my thoughts about jealousy being an ugly and waste of emotion, due to Eddies actions. The short story Harrison Bergeron supported the theme of equality not existing. This story made me think differently because it proved that even equality isn't equal. Adultery is wrong, and its somewhat common sense. The books we read made me look at people that committed adultery differently. The Scarlet Letter revealed a lot of behind the scene details.
ReplyDeleteWhat it means to be a student, thinker and human being is that you are able to understand whats going on around you and how the actions you take leads to the events that takes place.I believe that the book we have read sends a message of whats going on in society and how to apply these message to our life. These books do educate us because we are able to think and reflect upon the situation the character are in and how the action they take affect society. These books educate us because we can stop and think why this author, for example, Hawthorne, used diction and any other literary devices in his works of literature. By reading these books, we can understand how the author use ethos, pathos and logos and like what Kevin C. said to think metacognative upon their response. By this I am a better student because I can think beyond what message is given off in a book and apply it to our life.
ReplyDeleteI think that some of the books that we have read helped me to become a better student because I was able to understand the book more clearly for my benifit. I can only understand books that I can relate to and like such as A View from the Bridge. Other books like the Scarlet Letter was not that interesting to me. I felt like that book wasnt important and had no moral point relating to me or my thinking of school or learning in class. But when I learned about logos, ethos and pathos and being metcognative, helped me with my learning. This will help me in school and in college because I'll know what to do and what to write ahead of time. - ATIF BACCHUS the hustler
ReplyDeleteI believe that reading the books and stories we read in class did educate me somewhat depending in the situations that each character was in. In the book A View from the Bridge I became a better thinker. Eddie Carbone made the wrong actions which led him to death in the end. Eddie was so angry at the fact that he couldn’t get what he wanted which was to have Catherine under his rules. Eddie basically wanted Catherine for him self, since he couldn’t get what he wanted he started to get angry and that led to him self destructing. This changed me as a thinker because if I am mad about something I will think first then act. When Eddie was having the argument with Marco he pulled out the knife, instead as a thinker, I would think first and I would go one level down and try to make things work out. Eddie’s anger elevated and elevated until he died and this shows that in life you need to think because if not it can lead to bad situations. In “The Ministers Black Veil” and The Crucible this made me become a better human being. Both made me realize that if I do something bad I shouldn’t hide it because it would make matters worse. If you think about it, if John Procter would have lived saying he was associated with witchcraft he would be an outcast in the Puritan society he lived in. If the Minister said what sin he committed than as well him being a minister makes matters worse because he is closer to god than all society so they would defiantly torment him.(in that time period) Both John Proctor and the Minister went to their graves with their sin instead of living their life a whole lie. This made me become a better human being because if I ever do anything bad I rather be honest and say the whole truth instead of living my life a lie because that would make matters worst and while life progresses it would make me feel like I’m living a lie. I wouldn’t feel comfortable without the truth. Either way if I told a lie now or then, there will always be consequences if I live a lie. I can go on and on…but I need to straighten my hair.(bye bye_ -- Christine Espinal
ReplyDeleteI believe that these classical works of literature have not educated us in terms of society because society has changed. Adultery no longer cause an uproar in society and people cheating on their wives or husbands is a common thing today. These books have not prepared us for the world today. Yes these books have thought us to think deeper into the meaning of each sentence but the application of this in our future career aren't big. The education we received from these classical works would only be applied well if everyone was going to become an English scholar.
ReplyDeleteThe books that we have read and our reading appropriately educated us only to enhance our vocabulary, reading, and writing skills. The books dont teach us about the real word. The one thing we can learn is how to think about a stituation and compare it to others. As a student the books are good to read for basic english, to learn the understanding and point of view. As a thinker this books can be useful beacuse you are able to get creavite about your predictions. From certain details in a book you can have two people read the same literature and have two totaly different outcomes of thoughts. In society these books are only good to sound educated with other people and reading. In the books society has changed completely. From reading The Crucible, "The Minister's Black Veil," and The Scarlet Letter," I would think that technology doesnt exsit. That these time periods are so far apart in time that my great grandmas great grandma wasnt even close to being alive yet. Thats why the only educational need from english is to become a succesful major in an english department.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up and going to school everyday, we continue to learn what creativity is and what it takes to be original in our writing. Of course I think it is ironic how we use literary works that belong to another writer’s creative imagination in our daily learning curriculum. In a way this helps us to see our tastes of genre and how we portray literature in our own writing. Not everyone will enjoy the famous classics or even the books we read in class like, A View from the Bridge, The Scarlet Letter or The Crucible. In all there was a purpose for reading these books and it is up to readers and writers such as ourselves to figure out that reason, purpose and meaning. It is a good thing to learn something new everyday; but we should not compare the things we learn in school to the things we contribute to society in the future. High school and college only comes once in a lifetime, it would be wise if we make the best of it. We don’t necessarily become better students, thinkers or human beings when we read these books, but isn’t reading better than not reading anything at all. Unfortunately, the generations to come are straying more and more away from independent reading for pleasure. If it weren’t for guided reading mandatory reading in schools some students would not have bothered to even pick up a short story. From the books I have read and gained from in school, I come to the conclusion that these books have appropriately educated me.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, having read the books we were given during class have made us all better students. Well, at least in my case. For example, books like A View From a Bridge and The Scarlet Letter are very complex literary works. This helps us a lot because it allows us to expand our thinking and go beyond what is obvious and explore a more deeper meaning to the work. These books also help us, not only think, but view certain aspects in different perspectives. Another reason why I believe these books have educated us correctly is that it also allows us to make connections with the characters in the stories or even with situations going on in the outside world. Going back to the "Schools Kill Creativity" discussion, I feel as though with these books education actually enhances our creativity. They way the authors write their words and their use of literary elements, it drags us into the story and lets our imagination run wild. Without even noticing it, we ask ourselves why did he do this, or what if this happened. In doing this we are developing more skills as a student and preparing ourselves. So as i stated before, I strongly believe reading all these books have educated us properly and effectively in order to make us become a better student.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading these books and short stories, the only way I have improved is that I have become a somewhat better thinker in terms of logic reasoning. I have not yet become a better student, for I have only become a better thinker, and I have yet to apply it to English class to bring my grades up; and also, since I do not apply this to any of my other classes, I have not experienced change in terms of how good a student I am. However, I have learned a few things; above all, I have learned what the feeling of internal guilt and shame really does to a human being... Also, with the help of class discussions and the review of literary works during Regents tutoring, I have learned to better analyze literary works as required by the curriculum. In the end, with what I want to do in the future, and given society today versus the society illustrated in the time periods within the literary works, this will matter to me quite little. With this said, these books have educated me only a little about life in general... but have helped me become a better thinker, which may help me with MY life.
ReplyDeleteThe books that we have read in class has helped us with our reading skills and vocabulary. They would be more help full if we were living in the time that novel was set in. If we were to read a book that was a classic just like "The Crucible" or "The Scarlet Letter" but had a modern setting it would help us, the students with the modern world. We would learn about what is happening now not what has happened in the past. Now concerning the "School Kills creativity" topic, I do not agree with that statement. Students go to school so they can have the opportunity to build on that creativity they have. The books that we have read in class show that there is no limit to what you can write about. They show that we have the same potential as the author did when he/she wrote the book. So school does not really kill creativity.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion the books that we have read in class help us to a certain extent. Most of the literary works that we have gone over in class are from diffrent times and this dosnt really help us. It helps us strengthen our vocabulary but it dosnt really relate to us. Gong back to the speech, i do agree that schools kill creativity and like i mentioned in class, parents have something to do with this as well.
ReplyDeleteI believe that though we have learned many things while reading and discussing certain works of literature, it hasn't made me a better thinker, writer, etc. I render this belief true because based on the short lecture given by Ken, which we viewed in class on Friday, this form of discussing, and writing, and reading about certain works of literature is very demeaning to certain people's character. What if for example, Atif is better at non-fiction stories, while George masters poetry. These two different styles of writing are their unique skill, and to subject a class of 30+ kids to read a certain book, is the metaphorical murder of our creativity. I applaud the system for trying to accommodate the masses, but it's time to focus on the individuality of the student, and maybe many of the problems we face today in society, both on the urban and global scale, may be solved.
ReplyDeleteThe books we read in class didnt really help to educate me , it just helped my vocabulary. I dont think a book that I didnt pick could really teach me cause I wouldnt really want to read it. They were good books that were interesting but didnt really teach me anything . In my opinion a reading book cannot teach someone but give them morals to life not really and education. A teacher as you , can give a appropriate education . The books we read such as The Scarlet Letter gave us a clue of how society was during the time period . Also other lessons such as the ethos, pathos, and logos educated me but on the other hand the books did not .- Matt G.
ReplyDeleteEducation is a very wide topic to be discussed. I feel that there is no right or wrong way to be educated. Pieces of literature such as The Crucible, A View from the Bridge, etc, are needed in order to complete the curriculum and because they are associated as classics, people such as teachers and the board of education feels that in affects us as a student. I feel that moment we learn different key concepts from each story, which makes us better writers, interpreters, and common sense thinkers. By reading classics or non classics you do become a better thinker and student because of what that book holds within. Meaning, the skills that particular author uses to make a point or capture the readers/audience’s attention. Reading is one of the key to education, the key to life. Without reading anything, you are missing skills that are needed in our everyday lives. However, looking beyond that class, I feel it does help some of us comparing it to the real world. When we get older, depending on what field we fall into college we still need the skill of language arts. Many people base their education off reading. Without reading in this world, you really cannot do as much as you would hope to. Furthermore, singers, artists, dancers, NEED the skill and essence of reading because like artists, they need the abstract point of view, dancers need the emotions to be expressed thoroughly. Whether or not we may like the topic of classic literature or English on the whole, it is needed for every field that someone works in. In my opinion, and my own experience, I feel that classic literature has become a part of my education. It helps me to develop my vocabulary and writing abilities. By reading classical literature, I am more detailed and reading “in between the lines” has become an easier concept for me. Literature is just one thing that many of us have different opinions on.
ReplyDeletein terms of being a better student, I would say that these books have approprietely educated me because Ive become a better thinker. I wouldn't say that they've me into a better human being, but the fact that I've learned to expand my thinking beyond my own opinion must count for something. One thing I noticed though is that all these books were quite similar to eachother. What I mean is that they all had a main character that was looked down upon by society, followed by a tragic ending. Perhaps these books serve a much deeper purpose then simply helping us expand our thinking abilities. It's possible that the system (school) wants to teach us life lessons. Perhaps by using examples of "bad" people then maybe we can turn into better people that will become contributing members os society when we grow up. This is just a theory of course, but still it's interesting to think about. Overall, these books have taught me to be a better student as well as a better thinker, and possibly, who knows, we can take what we learn here and apply it to our life later on.
ReplyDelete-Julieta :D
By reading those literary works in class, we became better thinkers. Our analytical skills were put to the test. It was impossible to fully appreciate those works without pushing ourselves to see more than what was in the text. What makes these works classics is that they showcase what all authors should incorporate in their works, mainly the literary elements. Not only that, they also featured themes that are universal and still remain relevant to this day. All up and coming writers should learn something from these works to improve their on their skills. For everyone else, if you can comprehend such in-depth and thought-provoking works of literature, then you have the skills necessary to understand just about anything.
ReplyDeleteThe books have opened my mind and caused me to think beyond my normal level. The books helped me become a better student by bettering my ability to analyze a situation. I became a better reader because the books exposed me to vocabulary I am not familiar with and introduced me to a higher reading level. However i don't believe the books made me a better human. i don't need a big vocabulary to be a better human. I think all we need is simple reading ,writing speaking abilities to be humans
ReplyDeleteSome of the most successful people are not products of the education system. Bill Gates and Mark Zukerberg are two prime examples of people who followed their own path instead of the convential education system. Books we read in class give us a foundation to base our thinking but it should not be the only way to view things. Creativity is often discouraged in schools. It is all about passing the next big regents or final instead of taking time to learn important life skills. The Crucible, A View From the bridge, The Scarlet letter all are great pieces of literature. These books don't really mean anything unless we take away important life skills from them.
ReplyDelete- Nick Theodorou
I believe these literary works make me a not a better student but a better thinker and human being.These novels mad we think a lot about the different points of view found in the books. But when it come to make a better student i dont feel these book do a good job cause they hold no value to me so i dont learn too much education wise but as i human i feel that i learned from these books how to treat a person.
ReplyDeleteI believe that these books we read only helped me in some ways. I dont think I became a better student because I didn't really like any of the books. I couldn't relate to them because it seemed like all of them were about the puritans which is a completely different time period. However it did make me a better thinker because we interpreted beyond the text. This helped me
ReplyDeletebecause it taught me that the words in the book often have a deeper meaning to it. This made me a better thinker but then again this would make me a better student so I dont know. This did not make me a better human being because like I wrote earlier I didn't relate to the litereature. So no i don't think these books appropiately educated me. These books were only part of the curriculum and that it why we read them.
In my opinion, literary works such as the books we have been reading in class does help us be a better thinker. Books help a student read about other information alongside from what they learn in school. Author’s who have written the current books we have read this year taught us that there is fault in what humans do. It is easy enough to say that these books have educated us, yet they do not teach us more than what we learn in school or what we learn from reading other books outside the curriculum.
ReplyDeletei belive we have become more educated in a way that the school system wans us to be because its almost as if its teaching us history because it speaks of purtian soiety and things that happened before or time but other than that we havent changed we may have moved up as student in the department of educations eyes but other than that we havent changed we still have the same mind set as before maybe we have a higher vocabulary but the books barely caught our attention long enough for us to really take in the effects so personally i believe we havent changed
ReplyDeleteSorry I missed the deadline, my internet was down since Friday afternoon and was suppose to be fixed yesterday afternoon. Apparently none showed up and they fixed it now. By reading these literary works in class and at home i personally think that I became a better thinker all around.But when it comes to make a me better student i feel that these books didn't achieve what they were suppose to, because they had no value to me so i don't learn much. One thing these books did help me do was to grow my vocabulary by introducing me to words i never knew. Another place where it helped me in was that it helped me better visualize and organize my essays. i believe that if we didn't read these books it wouldn't drastically change me.
ReplyDelete