Feed is now one of my new favorite books. I don’t care that it is an adolescent novel! I think it speaks volumes about what our future could look like if we that live in the core (not those who live in the periphery) continue to live as we do now. In America at least, our consumerism and greed has overtaken our endeavors in life and our measurement of success. The capitalist economy has created an apathetic attitude towards anything lying outside of individual self benefit. I could go on and on but I loved this book because of the ideas expressed in it, and I always am a sucker for a love story. I also like sci-fi thrillers if they’re not too weird. It’s funny because I always try to make predictions for what the future will be like and what technology will bring us – one of the ideas I had before this book was that instead of iPods, we will have a chip in our head that whenever we think it will just play a song. And Feed definitely took that to a whole other level! I picked the Group 3 dystopia theme because I love books like this. I could definitely see myself teaching this in my classroom.
Webb’s chapter about Huck Finn definitely challenges any plans I had to teach that novel. It is one of my favorites and I would love to teach it, but I feel like I would be throwing myself into the middle of a hot debate by doing so. However, it presented a solid argument for why Huck Finn is racially inappropriate, and it made me see a side of it I’d never seen before. However, I still don’t see the novel as negative because while it is showing a depiction of Jim as a uneducated black man who is surrounded by the white people who betray him, I still look at the book in its historical context and I think that it is not condemning black people to this image but I think rather “exposes injustice” about attitudes toward the African population during the time period. I also wish to point out that throughout all this the book is about more than race: it is a coming of age story which shows what Southern culture was like in the early twentieth century.
The NCTE article, however, made a very good argument as well and took the other side. It makes bold statements like the one saying that teachers who only use bland, “safe” pieces of literature are “lying to their students about the nature and condition of mankind.” Besides showing how censorship has had harmful repercussions throughout history, it mentioned a lot of things I found generally interesting as a teacher. One instance is when the article mentions how John Knowles’ A Separate Peace is a good choice to teach because the book has received wide critical recognition, partly “because it is relatively short and will keep the attention of many slow readers, and partly because it has proved popular with many students of widely differing abilities.”
When I read about Carole Marlowe being fired for using a certain text even though it was approved for the classroom, I instantly thought of a documentary I watched where college professors were fired for including any suggestions of intelligent design in their lessons, theses, etc. Noll writes on the practice of experienced teachers guiding novice ones on what literature to use, “They have become keenly aware of their own precarious positions in the school and recognize that fighting for the right to teach certain literature could cost them their jobs” (60). I think it shows that we as teachers are only valued so far as we teach to the school and state standards, to what is PC; it is amazing that a teacher would be fired due to an ignorant comment made by an unnamed parent who had never even read the disputed book. I think there is a difference between when students oppose a book being taught and when parents step in whose views are threatened. The NCTE statement says that protests also derive from outside groups as well as instructors themselves. The point is that students need exposure to conflicting viewpoints and debatable topics in order to form their own opinions about the way they see the world. Keeping uncomfortable topics away from children only hinder them from realizing the truths about history, culture, society and so much more.
I'm glad you enjoyed Feed! I was impressed with your immediate connections to our consumer-driven and technological society today. I hope you can talk more about this in class!
ReplyDeleteI also thoroughly enjoyed the novel Feed. At first I was confused as to what exactly it was getting at, but as I read further I could not put the book down. It really interested me! I don’t know if I would be as daring however to incorporate this novel into my classroom. I think that I would be hesitant to use it because of the concepts and language used, however after reading the articles this week; I know I need to change this fear I have and step out of the boundaries. I think that many students would enjoy this novel and that you could create a lot of fun activities to go along with it, so I would love to one day step out of my shell and include novels like this in my classroom.
ReplyDeleteI also was intrigued by the Huck Finn article because I did not realize a lot of the controversy that was seen throughout the novel. In regards to the NCTE article, I really liked the quote you included about how teachers who use “safe” literature in their classroom are lying to their students about mankind. I don’t think I would go to this extreme of describing those teachers, but I definitely think that teachers need to expose their students to other types of literature that are not commonly used in the classroom. Students will be facing issues that are discussed about in these novels that are often banned from the classroom in the real world, so why not expose them to it and teach about it so that they are getting helpful and useful information, instead of learning bits and pieces about these tough issues on their own in society?
I completely agree with your statement as well about the teacher being fired because of a parent’s comment. I was so shocked to hear about that. When reading about issues like this, it makes me, and I’m sure others, become even more hesitant to incorporating different types of controversial literature in the classroom. Some conflicting topics need to be incorporated into the classroom to help students fully develop their own voices and thoughts about who they are.
Hi Becky. I agree with you that Feed is a really good book. I liked it for a different reason--that it is something I wouldn't ordinarily pick. You are right on in your comments how it portrayed people becoming apathetic unless something benefited them. I think that was my problem with Titus at the end. I didn't like him when he simply shut Violet out. But, I also think that helped make the statement about apathy that much more powerful.
ReplyDeleteOn Huck Finn, I agree with your fears of getting into a hot debate about it, but think the value of it outweights the negative attention it always receives. Since class, I've been thinking that I need to be less fearful of what others say and that as long as I can back up what I'm teaching and demonstrate good reasoning for it--that will be the best defense against anyone who would want to complain.
I really enjoyed reading Feed also. I was not sure what to expect when I started it because I usually do not read futuristic types of novels. I was pleasantly surprised!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the chapter on teaching Huck Finn. It has really challenged my thinking. I do not think I would teach it in the middle school because the students might not be mature enough to handle the controversy. It definitely has historical context though and should not be taken out of the schools because some people get upset. I understand why African Americans can be uncomfortable about it. There could be the censored version for students who want it, but I do not think that should be encouraged or the only option.
Becky: Do you wish you had the Feed? I do! I keep thinking about how much time I could save if all my "computing" could be done internally based on my thoughts rather than externally on a computer based on what I type or click on. I would also love to have music of my choice streaming directly to me at all hours of the day. I would, however, need to use an off switch sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI never realized that censorship was so important to parents and the school administration. Why is it even on television we are now able to hear swear words that were censored before?
ReplyDeleteIt makes my really question society. I believe that the newer generations of parents do not care as much about censorship. I am not saying they do not censor their children, but I am saying that if their children see or hear something on tv is it almost viewed as the norm, which may make it acceptable. Is this a good thing? Words are only given meaning by the society that creates them. Does this mean someday there will no longer be racial slurs? I'd hope so.
I strongly believe by the time our generation is in their 60s and 70s there will be almost no censorship left on tv. If this is true then why does it seem schools are so strict when choosing books to teach to their schools? Aren't we trying to break these boundaries?
One of the things that frustrates me about the excessive censorship that we are reading about is that it does seem like "teachers are only valued so far as we teach to the school and state standards." When you really start to think about it, it's actually really scary.
ReplyDeleteI think back to the Constitution... American thrives on freedom. Our leaders are supposed to foster a nation where we are free to read, to write, to think. However, censorship cuts that out and only allows us to read, write and think what the authorities want us to read, write, and think. And that makes teachers simply puppets for the government (or school district).
Now, I don't think it is that extreme. Not yet, anyway. But it is something interesting to think about. Mind control, brainwashing, etc. Those are not usually things that I feel threatened by. But, should we start to keep a sharper eye out for that, particularly as we begin to teach and are faced with censorship?
Sorry this post is all over the place. I really loved reading your blog this week! Put some new questions and thoughts in my head.
I also really enjoyed the novel "Feed." I was confused at first what the book was about and then I got everything and was really interested in the book. I can't believe all the important things that can be discussed from that book and it is not that long. There are so many issues that should be discussed with students because we are definitely dealing with an age that is more technologically advanced than we were at their age.
ReplyDeleteI think this book would be a lot of fun to work with in a middle school classroom. I would love to incorporate it. I hope that I will remember to introduce the book in a way that I can make sure the students are okay with the issues that come up and possibly the parents. Although "Feed" does have some inappropriate language, it is not as bad as some books I read in middle school.
If a parent would want this book banned, I honestly think I would fight it. I might take out the curse words because they can be inappropriate but the rest is very important to teach the kids. I think the parent would agree that kids and becoming more and more reliant on technology now more than ever and this book makes you think about how much you can be controlled by it. I think I would win the fight too with all the other issues this books brings up.
I really like all of your different ideas guys! Even if some of them conflict. For instance, one of you said you would teach this in middle school, but another wouldn't because of the language. Heather, I really liked your comments about censorship. It reminds me of a part in the book when Smell Factor is watching his favorite show on the Feed, singing "Intercural or oral - ain't a question of moral!" (I had to look up intercural, which means between the thighs!!). Rumors go around that there are already inappropriate references in kids' shows like Spongebob, but nothing so blatant as that!
ReplyDeleteI also like how Arlen and Nicole talked about losing a fear of teaching what they love... I think it will be really difficult to stand up for these texts that speak so powerfully on taboo subjects, especially after Nicole's activity on Wed. But it shows how we shouldn't be afraid, and as professionals we need to demonstrate our knowledge and opinions on this matter because it should be our call.
And Sarah, I'm glad you were able to make so many connections to our present society, too. People go around in this country trying to take away our freedom to do and say what we want because they get offended, even past what books we can teach. You were even bold enough to mention brainwashing but that is exactly what the media does by making you follow what is new and cool, even though you think you have free will. Mind control is more effective than physical restrictions because you think you're in control. It really makes you think about where we are at as a nation.
I really liked how you all talked about something different, too. Thanks for your contributions!