History

For today's class, I would like to discuss O'Connor's essay, "Fiction is a Subject with a History--It Should be Taught That Way." I found this essay very interesting.

I was initially drawn in thinking that it would be about censorship and banned books, but was intrigued by O'Connor's thoughts on the "taste" of young students. As she concludes: "His taste should not be consulted; it is being formed."

She brings up a great point by comparing English to other courses, like Algebra and French. But even she admits that studying fiction is different from these, depending on "their teacher's knowledge, ability and taste."

I think most people would agree that it is worthwhile to study literature from the past--even if sometimes it feels like pulling teeth. For example, reading O'Connor's stories and essays has been fascinating to me in terms of the America she was writing about then and its evolution into the America we know now. (I'm reminded of reading Camus' "The Rebel," in which he is describing the growing tension between Arab culture and Western culture some fifty years or so ago.)

Ultimately, my preference is for modern fiction, but I can't disagree with O'Connor's about the importance of "preparing foundations" and learning from the past to understand the present.

One thought, though. I wonder if the evolution of fiction is more cyclical than linear. She seems to suggest it is a linear progression. I'm not so sure of that.