By R. S. Hill
As a high school English teacher in Tucson, Arizona, I work at one of the most diverse schools in the state. Most days, I stand before an apathetic, though inquisitive, audience and try to convince—no, sell—15 to 18-year-olds on the radical idea that reading old texts like the Iliad, Beowulf, and Frankenstein are still valid and valuable reading experiences regardless of their age, race, cultural background, or how “old and them dusty” books are.
And while there are plenty of contemporary works students should read because they are equally valid and valuable in varying ways, they should also read “classic literature.” One of the reasons my awkward sales pitch has become easier is the incorporation of popular blockbuster films that build on themes and concepts often derived from these timeless works. And while the money these films generate is significant, and some inadvertently or intentionally promote violent, sexist, racist, homophobic, and xenophobic tropes, the potential increase in reader engagement when popular films are strategically paired with classic literature has been promising.
This flash-bang, high-tech, and dreary, old-school “thee” and “thou” soup can be a tasty prelude to sustained reading and a higher depth of knowledge. It combines the best of both worlds and offers an attractive alternative to kids being systemically conditioned by social technology not to read closely or long enough to fully comprehend and appreciate what they read.
“Hypertexts are the death of an author-driven line of reasoning. They take you all over, from place to place, author to author, subject to subject—and rarely return you to your jumping-off point of that well-thought-out, comprehensive text that you started with. Instead, the viewer finds himself skimming sites (i.e., shallow reading) as he jumps around looking for the next quick rewarding tidbit. Indeed, the average web page holds the reader for 18 seconds” (Kutscher).
By drawing clear lines between characters like Beowulf, Achilles, Victor Frankenstein and the heroes, villains, and anti-heroes featured in popular films about Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, Wonder Woman, and the myriads of Batman movies, average public-school teenagers, neither advanced placement nor college-bound, become more invested and encouraged to read and understand a complicated epic poem like the Iliad. They can get hooked when they discover how similar Achilles is to John Wick, Beowulf to Superman, that Wonder Woman is a Greek mythology creation, or how Victor Frankenstein’s motivations and intellect are akin to Tony Stark’s.
Getting hooked is important because not only do these complicated texts challenge and expand student perceptions of language, history, and culture, but they also help young brains carve white matter tracks or fiber pathways that connect different components of the neural system. In 2012, Stanford University found that reading ability in young children is related to the growth of the brain’s white matter tracts (Edwards). Nadine Gaab, former associate professor of the pediatrics research unit in the Laboratories for Cognitive Neuroscience at Boston Children’s Hospital, “likens these tracts to a highway system that connects the back of the brain’s reading network to the front. To read and comprehend, this highway system must be wide enough for multiple pieces of information to travel simultaneously … You don’t want the information to stop.” (qtd. in Edwards).
These texts, coupled with digestible films most students have seen, can also create common ground upon which students with diverse backgrounds can stand together and with the great heroes, villains, and anti-heroes of the past and present.
“Films are usually seen as a media that attracts students’ attention, and present language in a more natural (interactive) way than found in course books … films offer visual context aids which help students understand and improve their reading skills” (Xhemaili).
Once these connections are made, their attitudes change from reluctant and often indignant to curious and amicable. At this point, students can begin to focus on the essential similarities and differences between the ancient and modern worlds, which can be an educational moment that reaches across demographic barriers.
Most students in my classes had no idea how similar the Romans’ attempted conquest and occupation of the Britons—a historical topic relevant to Beowulf—and the assimilating sword of Christianity was to the westward expansion of the American colonies. The parallels between how the Picts were treated by the Romans and Native American tribes by the US Government was an “aha moment” as most of my students viewed colonial oppression as a singularly American “thing” directed at minorities.
Fortunately for teachers, there are films like Beowulf and Grendel or Centurion that dramatize these events graphically and with enough accuracy to make valuable connections to classic texts. Suddenly, in my student’s eyes, the world became just a little bit smaller. The people across the sea and the ones seated next to them don’t seem as different. The best part is when they smile, look you in the eyes, and say, “I kinda like this book, Mister.”
So, the next time you yawn and complain about another comic book hero franchise film, remember that one person’s kryptonite just might be some teacher’s magic lasso.
The need to write about my experiences in the classroom and the world of education to which I have been dedicated to for over seventeen years has become irresistible. I believe all students regardless of origin or orientation can read and write at a high level provided they have the three Ds (Discipline, Dedication, and Dreams) and a teacher or two that care. I want to write about that.
And while earning a MA in English Literature from Xavier University and BA in journalism from Ohio Wesleyan has provided me with a solid educational foundation, building upon that foundation with writing and teaching has given me a broad perspective, an appreciation for diversity, sincere patience, and empathy. I want to continue to build upon that.
Currently, I teach college level composition classes and English literature to 11th and 12th graders at a large magnet school in Tucson, Arizona. I live with my lovely wife, two awesome college and grad school kids, three cats (Mr. Claws, Artemis and Fenrir), and a dog named Thunder.
Reach out. I love to talk education and writing.
Edwards, Scott. (2016). “On the Brain Lecture,” Harvard Medical School. The President and Fellows of Harvard College https://hms.harvard.edu/news-events/publications-archive/brain/reading-brain
Kutscher M.D., Martin L. “The Effects of Digital Technology on Reading,” Psychology Today. Sussex Publishers. (January 2016). https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/martin-l-kutscher-md
Xhemaili, Mirvan. “The Advantages of Using Films to Enhance Student’s Reading Skills in the EFL Classroom” Journal of Education and Practice, Vol. 4, No.13, 2013