Tolkien in school?

[Bill Ferny]

“Being forced to read a book…” I have permanent knots on my forehead from this common complaint. You will thank your teachers for forcing you to read those books once you hit your sophomore year of college. Of course, there are those who never accept being challenged as their cup of tea. More is the pity.

In generall I don´t like it when we are reading a book in class and have to answer many questions of our teacher that only lead us to his opinions about the issues in the book. I often tend to think, when we talk about a book in class that we haven´t read completly, that it will be less fun reading the book after our teacher talked about it with us.

Maybe what your teacher is fishing for is some informed opinions from his class. There were days when I would have danced a jig if just one of my students would have stood up and called me an idiot and then explained why I was an idiot.

Elanor brings up two important points to keep in mind.

First, length does play an important role in placing a work of literature on a required reading list, especially at HS level. Poetry and short stories are the fodder of HS literature classes for exactly this reason. As far as assigning a novel (and I would only assign one novel per HS literature class), I would be more inclined toward Bram Stoker’s Dracula, or something similar, rather than LotR, mainly because the length allows for more detailed in class criticism of the work. I would be hesitant about assigning The Hobbit in opposition to other novels that more clearly portray English culture (such as Jane Austin or Charles Dickens); the study of literature isn’t just about the English language, but is also a study in culture, both by place and time. Below the surface of Tolkien’s imaginary world there is much about English culture, but just the thought of digging that out from under the surface in a HS literature class gives me a headache.

Second, administrative approval is every teacher’s ball and chain. Most of the time for good, and some of the time for bad, the school administration approves each teacher’s syllabus. I find it hard to believe that any HS administrator would approve a class singularly devoted to Tolkien or Middle Earth, and for good reason. Like it or not HS is still intended for learning basic academic skills. On the college or graduate level, however, such a class or seminar course may prove fruitful, and such a thing is not unheard of. Introducing the elven languages in a HS language class would likewise be impossible. My students had a hard enough time learning Latin. I can imagine the increase of woe if I had introduced a completely different language into the mix. Origin of languages or etymology courses are best left at the college and graduate level, anyway (unless you are an exceptional linguist, in which case you have my jealous admiration). It’s best to learn your primary and secondary grammar thoroughly at the HS level.

HS curriculums are already lacking in what I would consider essentials, such as emphasis on secondary language skills (a problem rampant in US schools), an introduction to philosophy, trig and calculus, and cultural anthropology. The introduction of Tolkien to the curriculum would fall way down on my list of priorities.

[Lindril Arvilya]

Apparently, however, when you get to the university level, you can dedicate quite a lot of time to Middle-Earth. A friend of a friend of mine, let's call him "Mike", is at university, and he's currently taking a Tolkien course. One of his major projects he's done was to chart the journeys of the Elves back and forth.

[Lathriel]

That sounds like a cool course. I would like to do that if it was available at a university. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

[InklingElf]

Bummer. I wish I [will] have that course when I get into a University... And that's in how many years [counts off her fingers...]

[Lucinda]

Well, at any rate, LotR has got to be better than Shakespeare- I mean come on! They think 14 and 15 year olds are going to fing Twelfth night interesting! I personally couldent
care less whether Orsino discovers Cesario is actually Viola, fires her, and she curls up in corner and dies.
We ought to read one of the books- that wouldnt be too long for most people.

[ April 15, 2003: Message edited by: Lucinda ]

[ April 15, 2003: Message edited by: Lucinda ]

[Novlamothien]

I was introduced to LOTR by my teacher last year. We studied the trilogy in school that year- for six months!! I, of course, went out and bought and read the last two books after I finished FOTR (Twice) about six weeks ahead of everyone. I do think it would be too long to study in a large school, but it was a tiny private school so we had time. It really was nice, my teacher was able to call to my attention to various words and passages and make us think ( and talk) about things I normaly wouldn't do. I now know way too much about LOTR.

Namarie

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

*grins* I have very revolutionary ideas about education... Learned absolutely nothing of value in high school, though elementary school was quite good.

But even looking from the traditional viewpoint I have to say, I agree with the group saying that LoTR in high schools (or colleges for that matter) would turn more people off than teach them appreciation for Tolkien (which is in fact, my biggest gripe with education as it currently functions, more people are turned off to learning than are effectively taught). Those who are "destined" to become Tolkien fans will find him on their own, especially with the movies out there advertising. Those who aren't yet Tolkien fans won't become them by having his work stuffed down their throats.

Sophia- who's feeling a bit feisty

[Tinuviel Took]

I am homeschooled so I guess you can say I was taught Tolkien in school as my parents read the LOTR to me. However this reminded me of my friend Irene. She taught 7th and 8th graders, and to get the boys (Why only guys are supposed to like fanticy and Sci-fi is beyond me. I also like Star Trek and Star Wars) interested in reading something she'd read the hobbit in class. Often they would go on to read the LOTR trillogy.

[Annalaliath]

at the highschool i went to we had the hobbit and i was aloud to read the FOTR in my Sinor English classs, of courds i was the only one. yes there is Tolkien in schools. In the Librarie we had lots of tolkien books and many of them got lost. Now here at this University we have many tolkien books and i have many of them checked out.

[kittiewhirl1677]

Tinuviel Took-
I agree, why is it mostly only boys who like sci-fi and fic? I like star trek and star wars too!

But back on topic:
Yes, I agree with a previous group of people saying that forcing Tolkien in school would be like making you like something, forcing you to take on a style of writing and fiction that you just don't like. That makes people turn away from it quicker than if they take their own time to read it.

We just recently read the book, 'Bone from a Dry Sea' in school, and it was a very good book. I only thought it was good because I swallowed it all up, ignoring the 'deep thinking' our teacher made us do. It takes a while for people to really force me into something so much that I start hating it. Other people who had to read it too, though, hated it because for them, just the idea of limited freedom in what you read is terrifying.

[ April 17, 2003: Message edited by: kittiewhirl1677 ]

[Rindoien, elf of Lothlorien]

Quizzes on that would be brilliant [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] I agree with some of the other people, it might put people off Tolkien for life if they were forced to read it. However, we have to read books that never 'made it' in the literary world. That really p***** me off (apologies about the language). Please, corriculum (is that spelled right?) send us some Tolkien!