Our students have to read some of the very best works of literature for their English classes. It’s hard not to feel a little jealous. While some students may not quite appreciate the works they are assigned, as teachers, we know one day they’ll understand.
Wait. Were you like them? Did you fully appreciate and experience what those books had to offer when you were in school?
Just in case, we’ve complied a list of five novels we suggest all educators read again as adults. You’ll have a brand new perspective on the themes and characters, and even be able to engage your current students in a literary dialogue.
This novel is a character study of Holden Caulfield, a sixteen year old on the verge of a breakdown. We follow him on his travels from the boarding school he flunked out of to a wandering trip around New York City, filled with his observations and commentary. It’s the kind of story that deserves to be read through the eyes of an adult. As a teenager, you may have had strong feelings for or against Holden, but as an adult, you can really understand the emotional struggle he’s experiencing. The insights you have about Holden now can only help you better understand the kids you teach.
For students, Janie Crawford’s story of her life from teenager to adult is one of the more gripping novels they’ll read. It’s also one of the most important. However, it takes a mature point of view to really see how important this novel was, not just as a post-Harlem Renaissance masterpiece, but true canon 20th Century American – both an African-American and Feminist work of literature.
Students enjoy reading this book because of the bite-size vignettes filled with poetic imagery. As an adult you will be able to marvel how Cisneros paints such vivid emotional experiences with each word. Some of the themes require maturity to fully understand the depth and stakes that Esperanza and the other young people on Mango Street experience. You’ll be satisfied with the beauty, even in the darkness, that you discover when you return to Mango Street.
One of the most taught novels, it’s almost a rite of passage for students to read this in high school. And while the themes of the American Dream, as well as the luster of the roaring 20’s may be enough to engage students, it’s not until you’ve experience a little more life that the novel really begins to speak to you. After all, learning the lessons of unrequited love and overreaching tend to be fully realized after you’ve experienced them yourself.
A favorite amongst students and teachers, Harper Lee’s classic story about a girl growing up in the south under the eye of her lawyer father has childhood adventures as well as racial tensions through an intense court case. There are tough lessons to learn, but the majesty of the writing and characters is only more appreciated as the reader matures. This is one to read again every few years.