Wednesday, Later

My College Comp class read "Young Goodman Brown" last night. The responses were mixed. I billed it as the greatest American short story ever written (which I firmly believe it is). But only a few agreed that it was great. Several hated it. I suspect their loathing was due more to the difficult language.

What I'm finding the longer I teach is that many kids are losing their grips not only on language but also on the ability to analyze and interpret. I mean about half the class looked completely befuddled as I asked them who the devil resembled? Even when I first read it years ago, I caught that right away.

I had one student ask, "So did Hawthorne mean something more by naming her Faith?"

I just about fell over. I pointed to the heading on the page: Symbolism and Allegory. "Do those things ring a bell?" I asked.

Part of me wants to blame our society: too few staff to fully teach, too few courses at college that really teach soon to be teachers how to teach reading and analysis, too few parents at home encouraging their kids; too few kids reading anymore; too many video games, TV shows, ipods, cell phones, text messages, Facebook time, and so on.

And I'm sure that plays a role. But I also think another issue is at work here: laziness.

I was amazed as we began discussing the piece how few opened their tablets and took notes. I was amazed at how many failed to mark up their copies of "Young Goodman Brown." I even had one student come in late from a prayer service. He snuck in and quietly sat at his desk. I kept the class moving along, but then I noted that he didn't take out his tablet or copy of the story. "

Sam, do you need a copy of the story?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah," he said and reached for an extra copy on the desk next to him. What the hell?

In this class I have five students who got into it. They shared their ideas and answered my questions. But as for really discussing anything? Forget about it. They are too lazy. And they know me too well. I'll let the dead air hang only so long. I'll only ask so many questions prodding them to answer before I cave in and give them what they want: my interpretation. And that sucks.

Actually the best discussions came after class.

As I dismissed them early for second lunch, I heard one student ask another about losing his money yet again at the local casino. I freaked out. "You lost money last night at the casino, and when I asked the class, 'Have any of you ever had your faith tested?' you just stared blankly at the board," I said, pointing at the white board which once had the comment "Young Goodman Brown: Metaphor - sooner or later we all venture into the 'woods' to meet the 'devil.' When has this happened to you?"

"Uh. Oh yeah," the student said and then pulled out a slip of paper some friends had him sign promising that he'd stay out of the casino for the rest of the month.

"Are you kidding me?" I said. "Why didn't you speak up in class? You're a modern day Brown yourself. First you start out at the slot machines spending a few dollars and after a year your losing your pay check to the black jack dealer and in another 45 you'll be back at the nickel machines pulling your social security check away," I joked. "You're just like Brown - getting led deeper and deeper into the forest. Tonight when you're out there about about to place a bet, look up at the ceiling and cry My Faith! My Faith!"

He laughed and headed out for the rest of the day.

And a potentially great teaching moment went down the drain.

Laziness. Or apathy. They want the answers without thinking. How can I combat this? I know damn well he wasn't embarrassed to share his experiences at the casino because he brags about them often.

There was, however, a redeeming moment just as he left the room. Bethany stayed behind to finish a make up quiz from the day before on Cheever's "The Swimmer."

She had a few questions about the story. Soon we were engaged in a discussion of the story that we could never have had in class.

She wanted to know why Neddy seemed to age so quickly in the story. I told her it was part of the imagery reinforcing the theme of the life cycle in the story. Neddy is initially described as being heroic and adventurous only to end the story (and his day) as a confused, old man.

Then we talked about how old age is like a second childhood.

That reminded her of a book she had read, "Turnabout," in which people live their ages in reverse. The two girls who are the main characters start out at 95. Then the next chapter focuses on them in their 60s. It ends with them as teenagers trying to find parents who will care for them as they begin to become senile and require constant supervision.

What a great connection. But, of course, she missed yesterday when we discussed "The Swimmer" and couldn't contribute anything.

I asked Bethany for the author's name since it sounded like something Koko might be interested in. She agreed that it was in the 7th grade range. Then she said, "Oh if you like that one, my personal favorite by Margaret Peterson Haddix (she even spelled the name out so I could get it right on the Post-It Note) is 'Running Out of Time.'" And she launched into a summary of the story in which people live in museums and in their 'displays' they strive for total authenticity. So if you are in a scene from the 1850s, and you develop a modern illness, you can't treat it because they didn't have modern technology back then.

I said it reminded me of a horror story I once read called "The Evening Prim Rose." Then I summarized it for her. Bethany said the story sounded like one scene from her book and launched into an analysis.

Her passion for the author and her love for reading blew me away. I thought, "Now this is how kids should feel about reading."

Then she finished her quiz and I was off to lunch.