I didn't have much to do over spring break this year other than work and read and write papers for TE 348. That's fine. I'm a post-bacc student and my undergrad was in English so I spent many a break doing much of the same. However, I can't remember a break where the reading material was quite so depressing. A 550 pg. book about the Holocaust and then a 374 pg. book in which kids are put in a game to murder each other isn't really exactly my idea of a fun time. I realize that these books have been written for children or young adults but I'm not sure, why out of the plethora of young adult novels that are available to be read, exactly these two specific books were chosen. While I'm only 130 pages into "The Hunger Games" so far, I honestly feel a sense of doom every time I pick up the book to read; a feeling of "Please, don't let me have to finish this!" I'm not sure about other people but I never read stuff like this when I was this book's target age audience. I didn't grow up in a world in which we turn a blind eye to every possible thing and live in ignorant bliss but I also didn't grow up in a world in which, for your leisure time, children picked up a book about kids killing kids in a winner-takes-all murder spree. The fact that the book was a NYT Best Seller is great and I'm sure that speaks, to some degree, about how out of touch I am with today's youth culture, but I'm not sure, for the purposes of the class, why these two books, out of thousands, if not millions of young adult novels, were chosen. As I go for my elementary education certification my desire is to teach lower elementary ed. I understand that the certification comes K-8. If, for some reason, I end up teaching an upper elementary ed. English class I would never either assign these two books for reading or allow them to be read in my classroom. With school shootings and other forms of out-of-nowhere violence percolating the news I'd rather do what I can to not contribute to the cause. And while you might argue that these books (especially "Hunger Games") are a product of such media-saturated violence, I couldn't, in good conscience allow my students to read them one day and then wash my hands of any responsibility the other day if something were to happen.
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I would have to agree that it is odd that out of the six books to choose for discussion two encompass the main idea of death. Although, I have to disagree with your opinion of The Book Thief. The novel does discuss death quite a bit and it is narrated by the grim reaper, but it also helps students better understand the holocaust. The past is horrifying, but students do need to learn about World War II and the holocaust. I think that the Book Thief does a good job of addressing this. It looks at death from a different perspective and also teaches students what it was like to be a german citizen during World War II. I do agree that the subject is morbid but i think that the subject is needed to be taught to young students.
As for the Hunger Games, I have yet to read it and from what you described it does not sound like a novel fit for young children to be reading. But, with everything, every person differs and some student may be mature enough to handle the subject matter. I have heard differing reviews about the novel though. I am excited to start reading it and get a solid opinion about it.
I have to disagree...I think the point of reading books like these is not to depress the reader, but to help her/him to identify with events (either historical or possible future events) that have a very strong message. We have to continue to relive the Holocaust and think about things that could possibly happen in the future in order to prevent them from happening again, or ever. Both of these books have very important lessons to teach. They are an ode to the power of individual voice, even when the majority voice, or both general citizens and the government, is overwhelming. It reminds both kids and adults that we all have the power to stand up for what we believe...and we should! Even if the consequences are dire. I personally think that this is an important message that many people don't ever fully understand or carry out. Why else would thousands of people go along with Hitler? It's important for kids to hear both of these stories. They aren't pleasant, but you can't ignore reality. If you do, things like the events in these books will only continue to happen.
I think I'm going to have to disagree with you. The depressive nature of The Book Thief goes hand in hand with the depressing nature surrounding the time period and place in which the book is set. Children do learn about the Holocaust, but many a time it is shrugged off, in heroic titles of Jewish survivors, and not very often are children exposed to the real horrors of the Holocaust experience. I believe that a book like this is totally appropriate for a child to read in school, I do. I think the book teaches a good moral, Hans taking in Max in such a crazy time to do such a thing, and it illustrates the Holocaust fairly. It doesn't sugar-coat it too much. I think sugar-coating things is something big in our society which should be turned around. Why tidy up things for children when they will eventually have to experience it in real life. It's like we're pushing all the bad aside, and trying to laquer it up with smiles and blue skies.
Anyway.
The Hunger Games, I think may get better for you as you continue to read. I would be interested if you change your opinion on that book by the end or not. At first I thought, what the hell, how is this at all appropriate? I did. But after reading it, I loved it and wanted to read the second book. I think the main focus of the book is on Katniss, an extremely strong female character, full of respect and dignity. She's put into a world that is simply unfair, but he experience through it builds her character and models good qualities that I would want my students to learn. The Hunger Games keeps you in suspense. At least it did for me. Once I got into the Games, I didn't want to put it down.
I understand where you are coming from. The books don’t seem very uplifting. However, they have changed my views on reading. Before this class, I was never a reader! In fact, it was something I absolutely dreaded! But after reading both The Book Thief and The Hunger Games, I am starting to develop my love of reading again.
Yes, The Book Thief is about the Holocaust, but this is a historical topic that needs to be discussed. The way you present the book to students will alter how they will feel towards the book. Similarly, The Hunger Games is essentially about killing one another. However, once you reach the end of the book I think your views on the book may change, but I don’t want to give anything away! All I can say is that these two books have changed my views on reading, and I CANNOT wait to start reading the second part of The Hunger Games, Catching Fire!
I have to disagree with the generality you made in your first point. You made is sound as if “The Book Thief” was solely about the Holocaust and that “The Hunger Games” was about children murdering other children. I do agree that these are unique and gloomy topics but that is not what either author was trying to focus on. These two books have a whole lot more to do with than just depressing topics. I think these books would add many lessons to my classroom one day. Both books discuss friendship to its greatest extent. Liesel, in “The Book Thief,” and Katniss, in “The Hunger Games,” both make sacrifices for friends in need. Isn’t that what life is all about? Where would you be without your friends? Those that would help you in crisis and be there for you when you really needed it are the ones that you should surround yourself with, along with being there for others. This is the type of lesson that I took from both books along with many other remarkable acts of kindness. I think that this is what we SHOULD be teaching children. Life is what you make it and being kind to others is the foundation of your happiness. “The Book Thief” and “The Hunger Games” both do an extraordinary job of portraying friendship and I enjoyed reading this book. I see no harm in children reading these novels. In fact, I think it could do some real good for everybody.
I agree with you in the sense that The Book Thief and Hunger Games may be inappropriate for very young elementary school students. However, I think that both of these books are a great read for students as they grow older and learn about issues (being happy, sad, violent, exciting, etc.) that occuring in their lives.
The Book Thief did an excellent job teaching readers about the Holocaust and Nazi Germany. Not only did it discuss issues of death and evil behavior, but it also showed the opposing side of the Holocaust... people helping Jews and taking care of people of other races. I did not learn much about the Holocaust as a student and after reading this book, I wish i knew more! The Book Thief is a great way to inform children of various sides of an important historical event, such as the Holocaust.
As bizarre and violent as The Hunger Games is, it also has many great themes and adventures that I believe children could learn a lot from. The main character, Katniss, is a strong female character that you usually don't see in most "stereotypical" books. Katniss disagrees with the Hunger Games (as did I) but sticks up for what she believes in and is a great character to look up to. She also volunteers herself to be a participant of the Hunger Games so her younger sister wouldn't have to. This concept alone teaches students to help and do kind things for other people.
I can see where your coming from, these two books do encompass darker issues. The Holocaust is a serious event and history and don't think there's anyway of making death not be a huge part of it. But I think this is why children should be reading and introduced to them. They are getting to experience a catastrophic event in they eyes of a child around their own age. It makes it easier for them to relate to an event that they weren't even alive for and understand the impacts it had.
As for the Hunger Games yes, the main concept involves killing another human to survive but I think there are themes that trump this throughout the novel at the beginning the main character sacrifices herself for her sister. This is showing the compassionate side of people and think it's something children should read about. As stated in a previous post, I think your opinion may change a little by the end of the book. Showing how a specific central theme prevails against all odds.
Children should be introduced to all kinds of literature and while I agree that I wasn't reading books like these when I was younger, I think it's because it wasn't available to me. While reading both these two books I wished I had had an opportunity to read them earlier and am even debating on reading the sequel to hunger games. So regardless of age I think these two novels are well worth reading.
I really liked The Hunger Games!!! I agree, The Book Thief was really depressing, and honestly I didnt finish reading it because I knew what happened at the end and I didnt want to go into as much detail as I knew the book would. When I picked up Hunger Games I was really nervous, and was even nervous when reading the first chapter. I ended up really liking the book though, and I think its because although there was lots of negitive depressing things in the book, there were also happy things. I felt like in The Book Thief there was absolutely nothing positive in it. I think that I would reccomend The Hunger Games to any high schooler and maybe even some really mature middle schoolers, but I wouldnt reccomend The Book Thief to any one who wasnt a really mature high schooler or adult.
I really do not think that “The Book Thief” and “the Hunger Games” were all that bad. I agree with Lauren the books are not meant to depress you they are meant for entertainment. “The Hunger Games” especially struck me as a book that I viewed more as watching a movie than anything else. There was suspense and danger it kept me interested and entertained throughout. I could not wait to see what happened next in the story. Maybe since it is labeled as a children’s book people find it hard to read or a little graphic. That I understand, but I fell like this book was over analyzed by some people that it was meant to entertain more than show murder and death. Also with regard to “The Book Thief” we cannot hide the fact that death occurred during that time period, why not show it in the story then? We cannot shelter our kids from death, it happens. Youths of today are in fact more mature than they were years ago more has happened in their generation than others, so I feel like we should not be held by the constraints of the past we need to move forward and adapted to the readers of today.
I also find it interesting that so many books that we are required to read throughout or education are so grim and depressing. I have not yet finished The Book Theif, but from what I have read, I feel that the characters are not going anywhere positive. In the seventh grade my teacher assigned us to read The Lord of the Flies. I find that this book is one of the most depressing sad books on how children lose their innocence and love for others. I don't know why anyone would be required to read this because it was dreadfully sad and depressing. Although some have mentioned that children must be exposed to these things to learn from, I disagree. I feel that the more violence they are exposed to, the more they will think it is acceptable. Students feed so much off the media and books they read, so to read storeis like these just fuels their thoughts.
I definitely feel that different books could be given to us to analyze that may have a little more positive outlook. No one wants to dread picking up a book. That is not what reading and learning is about.
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