Monday, March 28, 2011

Week 10-1 Nonfiction, the Neglected Stepchild

"Our essential questions are: 1. Why does Aronson refer to nonfiction as a "neglected stepchild" and is this an accurate description? 2. What's the connection between boys and nonfiction? 3. Why should we and how can we include more nonfiction reading in our middle and high school curricula? Readings are all from our textbook include: -- "The Pursuit of Happiness: Does American History Matter?" Aronson, Section 4, Chapter 10 -- "Woke Up, Got Out of Bed, Dragged a Comb Across My Head: Is the Past Knowable?" Aronson, Secion 4: Chapter 14 -- "Why Adults Can't Read Boy Readers?" -- Aronson, Secion 5: Chapter 13 -- "Biography and Its Perils" -- Aronson, Section 3: Chapter 9" I really enjoyed reading "Girl Interrupted". It had a very unique voice until the narrator decided that she was "cured" and the voice went flat. But that is an illustration of the writer's experience and is important for us the reader to experience as well. Non-fiction books and especially biographies play an important role in the modern information society. They give us a category that says here is how someone experienced and interpreted this event. It gives us a change to have a new perspective or explore a completely unknown but relevant experience. It is not just something made up that touches on the human experience in general, but something based on reality. (Note the popularity of "reality shows" on TV. If only non-fiction books were as well received.)

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