I know. I was an English teacher for a while (Brit Lit and modern lit for kids at the honors level...) and don't think I would have said Dickens and Joyce "suck." Plus, he's trying to discuss literature with me and uses the word "suck"? Please.
I'm glad your mom's school (and your school, too) taught a wide variety of lit from a wide variety of sources. Sure, I also taught about a bunch of dead white writers (because they were amazing writers... and the curriculum told me so, haha...), but I also talked about women writers, writers of color, and so forth. We even read speeches from Nelson Mandela and such. I felt it important in that regard to avoid some curriculum and add in the influential writings and teachings of other, talented people - no matter their race, sex, or ethnicity.
Disabled writers seem "harder to come by." If I ever publish my book, you'll know one ;) Then again, if you can call Stephen Hawking a writer (and I would, consider the amount of work he has put out into the world - not a "classic" writer, sure, but an amazing scientist whose work should be shared), then that would fit the bill...
It's just sad an English teacher would say to me that Joyce "sucks" and the best writers are white men. Ugh.
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Date: 2010-07-16 03:34 am (UTC)I'm glad your mom's school (and your school, too) taught a wide variety of lit from a wide variety of sources. Sure, I also taught about a bunch of dead white writers (because they were amazing writers... and the curriculum told me so, haha...), but I also talked about women writers, writers of color, and so forth. We even read speeches from Nelson Mandela and such. I felt it important in that regard to avoid some curriculum and add in the influential writings and teachings of other, talented people - no matter their race, sex, or ethnicity.
Disabled writers seem "harder to come by." If I ever publish my book, you'll know one ;) Then again, if you can call Stephen Hawking a writer (and I would, consider the amount of work he has put out into the world - not a "classic" writer, sure, but an amazing scientist whose work should be shared), then that would fit the bill...
It's just sad an English teacher would say to me that Joyce "sucks" and the best writers are white men. Ugh.