There is nothing more exciting than sitting down with a depressing book assigned by your English teacher. Not only do you get to spend hours trying to decipher the old English it is written in, but you also have no clue who is even still alive at this point. For some people, nothing is worse than assigned reading. While for others, assigned reading is an opportunity to read some classic literature.
Many students at Palos Verdes High School are very busy, smart students with plenty of things to worry about in their schedule. Add sports to the mix, and free time flies out of the window. So, unfortunately, reading for pleasure is not always possible. Our wonderful English teachers try to ease the ache in our hearts for some good literature by assigning us books to read, but not everyone agrees with the books chosen.
First up: freshman year. The year to figure out balancing school work, where you want to eat your lunch, which team to try out for, and which bathroom is the least disgusting. But freshmen also contend with Wiesel, Shakespeare, Orwell, Steinbeck, Bradbury, and more. While these authors have written very respectable books, many freshmen have mixed opinions on their mandatory reading. Some found Animal Farm by George Orwell, an interesting read. Michael Belzberg, PVHS freshman, explained that it was his favorite in class book this year, because “it relates to history.” Grace Whitehouse additionally said, “It has a powerful message behind it. It was very interesting, and the symbolism is easy to understand.”
Unfortunately for Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men was not a crowd favorite. Freshman Hannah Rodinella said it was not her favorite read this year because of “how sad it turned out in the end.” Eliza Steere contributed that it was “boring and confusing.” A few found Fahrenheit 451’s dystopian society by Bradbury to be a good book that provided a chilling look at what might happen to society. Wiesel’s autobiography, Night, on the other hand, is not by any means a light or happy book, and it was too much for some. Whitehouse said of Night that “the entire book was just a neverending string of depressing events. I didn’t really enjoy it.”
Sophomore year features some amazing English teachers and some really, really strange books. Two of the weirdest books featured in tenth grade, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and 1984 by George Orwell, did not sit well with some sophomores.
Julianna Bidondo-Yore said, “Frankenstein was my least favorite book of the year because it honestly made me really uncomfortable. Well, the parts I understood did.” Piper Ireland added that Shelley’s novel “used language that was difficult to understand.’’ Bekah Medawar, a book lover, shared that, “1984 is okay in the beginning, but then weird, sexual and painful things start happening. I also really didn’t like the ending. I know Orwell ended it the way he did to make a point, but if a book is going to be that weird, at least give it a good ending.” Bidondo-Yore, however, enjoyed Huxley’s A Brave New World because “it is strange, but really makes you think about our society in a different way.” Both A Brave New World and 1984 are about the possible future of society, but they are two completely different takes on what could happen. I personally thought that this contrast made both books really interesting. However, Ireland and I share the same favorite: Lord of the Flies. Ireland said of the novel that “It was easy to understand and had a very cool plot. “
Even though a teacher may prefer to assign one book over the others, teachers are unable to pick and choose which books they want out of all of the books in the world. From what I gathered, here is a list of board-approved books that English teachers can choose from. The list is constantly changing, because you can add books. However, the books have to approved by the board. For instance, 50 Shades of Grey will probably never make the list. One the most controversial books on the list is Catcher in the Rye due to some vulgar language, and some weird violent undercurrents.
Maybe on your next reading assignment, you could actually try reading the book (Sparknotes will only get you so far in this world). I haven’t read any of the books required for junior and senior year so I don’t really know what to expect from those yet. Whether you end up actually enjoying the book or not, I can guarantee you will be able to take something away from it. The books assigned can offer an interesting point of view on the future or past, or it can show you just how painful reading a Shakespearian Sonnet really is. Either way, it is always a good idea to read what your teachers assign.