Force Feed the Good Read

Pierce Benefield

Ashlock

Honors Literature

Force Feed the Good Read

Mandatory reading: these two words are like a synonym to "school". Throughout any one person's education, be it private school or public, some reading has been strictly enforced. Many have questioned and dreaded this mandated study, asking things such as "why do we have to read this crap?" or "what's the point of reading a book that I don't want to read?". The answer is simple: much like regular academic studies, mandatory reading is enforced because the school, state, etc. deems it a vital necessity of one's learning. Forgetting about all the hype that teacher's give to the books that half the world cannot even pronounce, I believe one book that should be mandatory for one's learning purposes is Schooled by Gordon Korman.

A beautifully written, short, simple and yet filling masterpiece, Korman's Schooled is a terrific book to start any secondary student's repertoire. With the skeleton of the story (if you will) accurately presenting the perspective of high school loner, this book is sure to prepare anyone and every one of the woes and 'wins' of high school. Unlike many outdated novels - still of which are great - the author and his brand new student, Capricon (he's a hippie; give him a break), experience and provide real life problems and solutions that is suitable and applicable to the awkward tween and the know-it-all teenager.

With all due respect to the groundbreaking and profound minds of legends such as Shakespeare and Homer, this generation has no need of equipping themselves with "hath"'s and "shalt"'s, nor violent, risqué, mythology. The generation of today is at an overall level of ignorant, and frankly in need of simple life lessons. There is a sufficiently greater need of studying pages filled with regret, and the struggle to overcome those mistakes, than there is the need to read on the incredulous journey of an old Odysseus who could not keep his pants on, and his sword shielded (oops, no pun intended). Rather than learning to remain faithful to the spouses students have yet to meet, they should be learning the value of remaining faithful to their studies and the importance of focusing on retaining friendships that last forever; these are the blocks in life that can strongly influence how well of a spouse someone becomes, etc.

There is not a thing wrong with reading or appreciating old literature; without these works, no such form of writing that is out today would be in existence. Nevertheless, I highly disagree with making the majority of the mandatory books mandatory, based on how outdated and unperceptive this generation would see it. Pick