Separating Fact From Fiction

Granted, today’s students have many more distractions than their predecessors, but that doesn’t mean they don’t take their literature seriously.

It seems one cannot pick up a newspaper, browse through a national news magazine or turn on the television without hearing how students are slipping and standards are falling. The same phrases, over and over: “In 1957, students were . . .” “Before video games and the Internet . . .” and always “When I was in school . . .”

There can be no question that the environment kids inhabit in 2000 is very different from 1980, let alone 1900. There are many new ways to spend free time and hence more distractions. But as I have pointed out before, the college-bound students of today are every bit as involved and serious as their predecessors. Perhaps nowhere is this more obvious than in the area of reading. Both the Advanced Placement English classes and many at the college-prep level include an impressive selection of fiction in their course outlines. In fact, most schools combine a healthy dose of the classics along with contemporary works of quality. English teachers are always on the lookout for books that will work with their classes. Half the fun of a literature conference is the book ideas we inevitably come home with. We all know a likely candidate when we see one: a book that is very well written, has the potential to engage students and deals with meaningful issues.

Books that fit this description are often those we loved when we were in high school. Looking at all the required books on my own campus, do they still have the lasting impact on my students that they had on me? Sometimes I worry that once the test is taken or the paper is written, students forget the book and simply go on to the next one, dutifully knocking them off one at a time until graduation.

Curious about this, I asked the four senior AP English classes at my school to complete a survey of the top books (not to exceed 12) they had read in high school, either assigned as part of a class or on their own. I asked them not to include any book because they felt they “should,” even if it meant their list might be shorter. To qualify for the list, each choice had to have had a profound effect on them, made them think and expanded their knowledge of what it means to be human. A tall order.

An early indicator that these books had made a dent was the lively discussion that surrounded this activity. Students dipped way into the past: “Don’t forget ‘Beowulf’!” They argued about one another’s choices: “You can’t say Hesse is better than Faulkner.” They expressed frustration at having limits: “If I put ‘Enemy of the People’ on, I’ll have to take another play off.” Finally the papers were collected and the results tallied. The students came up with 178 books. Twelve of these were clearly the top choices. As might be expected, required books garnered the most votes, as these were the ones more students had in common.

Here is the list the students came up with in order of rank.

In first place was Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness,” an extremely challenging novel that probes the effect of imperialism and the nature of evil.

Next came John Steinbeck’s “East of Eden,” which, despite its 800-plus pages, had an amazing impact on many young people.

The No. 3 spot went to Alexander Dumas’ “The Count of Monte Cristo,” another sprawling epic with a ton of characters to keep track of.

Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter” came in at No. 4, perhaps because of its timely story of adultery’s effect on a man’s reputation.

Next came Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman,” whose message may also resonate with the economic pressures facing this group of seniors.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” was No. 6, still beloved some 40 years after its publication. No. 7 was Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” a wonderful tale of an African American woman’s journey of self-discovery.

The eighth spot was held by Anne Tyler’s “Saint Maybe,” making her by far the most current-day author on the list. Miller appears again at No. 9 with “The Crucible,” the haunting play about the Salem witch trials. Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” a timeless tale of ambition and greed, was in 10th place. Eleventh was German writer Herman Hesse’s “Siddhartha.” And last, but far from least, “Hamlet,” although written about 1601, still continues to enthrall students in 2000.

The runners-up were as interesting as these top picks. There was a surprising number of ancient works (“The Iliad,” “Lysistrata” and “Oedipus the King”) as well as works by older authors (Austen, Dickens, Hugo and Hemingway). A wide range of literature that reflected various cultural and ethnic perspectives also filled the lists: “Farewell to Manzanar,” “Black Like Me,” “Zlata’s Diary,” “One Hundred Years of Solitude” and even Maus I and II.

Such current writers as Barbara Kingsolver, Michael Ondaatje and Frank McCourt were well represented. And students are still captivated by the likes of Jack Kerouac, J.D. Salinger and Joseph Heller. I have to admit I was impressed to find that anyone had actually finished “Gravity’s Rainbow,” let alone a high school student.

All in all, the results of this survey make me happy. I could quibble with some of the choices (how could they have ignored “All Quiet on the Western Front”?), but it’s still a wonderful list. Despite the seductions of popular culture, it is clear that countless teachers are continuing to get kids excited and involved in good literature. Movies have not replaced Shakespeare; in fact, they’re cashing in on his talents.

Kids may be crazy over “Dawson’s Creek,” but that does not preclude them loving the literary landscape of the Salinas Valley. And the feel of real paper pages apparently still competes with electronic images on a screen. I remember falling in love with Caleb Trask, the protagonist of “East of Eden,” when I was 16. From the looks of this survey, old Cal is still breaking hearts.

Christine Baron is a high school English teacher in Orange County. You can reach her at educ@latimes.com or (714) 966-4550.