Revamping Exeter's English Curriculum
Being the literary buff that I envision myself to be, I am somewhat appalled by the English department’s mundaneness and unoriginality in its choosing of books for students to read. Most of the time, we are given more literary realism-type books, which regard more current political issues or issues stemming from coming-of-age and the awkward teenage years. While I believe that these are necessary to read, and can be enjoyable at times, I would also like to see more diverse books from which to read.
As a prep, I have my immediate future in English planned out for me, which—while it has its upsides—does not allow me much leeway in what I am able to study. This area of contention is definitely not the most important or talked about, and I know that most people don’t really care about it. However, I still believe that since books are the catalyst for free thinking and opinion, we deserve a greater variety of books to increase the amount of opinions that people have.
This is incredibly important, especially in these times where free speech and opinions are under attack. We, the younger generation, need to be able to learn the importance of having our own opinions, being able to form them without exterior pressures, and stick to our opinions without fear of oppression. The ability of a person to maintain their own beliefs in a respectful and responsible way is the cornerstone of a person’s personality.
With that in mind, I would like to explain some of my ideas for broadening the scope of books we read. One of the main genres that I feel does not get enough recognition is experimental literature.
Experimental literature is a form of literature that focuses on the delivery, or rather the medium in which the literature itself is presented.
Some famous examples include the poem “The Grasshopper” by E.E. Cummings, and “Ulysses” by James Joyce.
This genre deserves more recognition because it espouses innovation in technique and in writing, and we are not usually taught how to innovatively express ourselves through stories that are not written in the more mainstream writing style.
Another genre that I feel deserves more acceptance is fantasy. While PEA already has a fantasy literature course, it is only open to seniors. The preps and lowers read books grounded in reality.
Imagination is one of the best ways that we humans can become better than what we already are, for we can think beyond the scope of what is normal and believe in things greater than ourselves. In this way, we can see things from different angles and dream up things we would never have dreamt of before. The fantasy genre, simply by giving us a medium in which anything is possible, allows us to believe that: from there, the possibilities are endless.
The third genre that I believe has been more suppressed is classical. Besides Shakespeare, there really aren’t that many truly classical books that we read. For example, Ovid’s Metamorphoses, which is the foundation of all modern mythology; the plays of Hesiod, which form the basis of the classical comedy and tragedy that we use today; as well as Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, the fathers of all Western literature, are among some of the most important written works of our times.
In order to gain a full and thorough knowledge of literature, writing, and the expression of stories and beliefs, I believe it’s important to delve into the foundations of modern literature, which are found in classical literary pieces.
Ultimately, of the enormous variety that exists in the world today, these are only three genres of literature, and thus not the most accurate representation of the types of literature we need to read.
I think it is important to realize that English class, especially at Exeter, is not just about reading books and talking about them: it’s forming opinions and being able to ensure that your opinion is heard, while also knowing the value of listening.
Stories expand our way of thinking. We read not only for pleasure, but also to grow as human beings. It is because of this that I believe we deserve more diversity in the literature we are assigned as underclassmen. Without a wide array of books, we will never be able to broaden our horizons, and an ignorant state of being—especially now where fake news is commonplace—is undoubtedly dangerous.