Comments on: The best storytellers always seem to exaggerate. http://feuerdorn88.wordpress.com/2007/04/17/the-best-storytellers-always-seem-to-exaggerate/ My thoughts, and a place to discuss them. Thu, 19 Apr 2007 03:44:07 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: COMMENTS! « A Finely Crafted Run-on Sentence http://feuerdorn88.wordpress.com/2007/04/17/the-best-storytellers-always-seem-to-exaggerate/#comment-28 COMMENTS! « A Finely Crafted Run-on Sentence Wed, 18 Apr 2007 06:09:51 +0000 http://feuerdorn88.wordpress.com/2007/04/17/the-best-storytellers-always-seem-to-exaggerate/#comment-28 [...] SEVEN [...] [...] SEVEN [...]

]]> By: Jenny http://feuerdorn88.wordpress.com/2007/04/17/the-best-storytellers-always-seem-to-exaggerate/#comment-25 Jenny Wed, 18 Apr 2007 05:29:04 +0000 http://feuerdorn88.wordpress.com/2007/04/17/the-best-storytellers-always-seem-to-exaggerate/#comment-25 The entire point of literature is that it is hypothetical, so I do agree that characters needn't be "realistic" all the time; real people are boring! I like books that have those kinds of larger than life people and places. All the time I hear people saying that characters need to be real for students to relate to them, but I guess that's never been important to me. When characters are real and do silly things and make mistakes, I mentally wince when I'm reading the book. However, back to the topic: I liked "To Kill A Mockingbird." I think it does have a place in the literary canon. But that might not stop it from being an "adult" book. I know quite a few high school students who did not particularly appreciate it. I do not think this is because the students do not find the characters "real" enough, I think it is because the story is not compelling for the average 15 year old, and English teachers insist on being too Englishy about it. The entire point of literature is that it is hypothetical, so I do agree that characters needn’t be “realistic” all the time; real people are boring! I like books that have those kinds of larger than life people and places.
All the time I hear people saying that characters need to be real for students to relate to them, but I guess that’s never been important to me. When characters are real and do silly things and make mistakes, I mentally wince when I’m reading the book.

However, back to the topic: I liked “To Kill A Mockingbird.” I think it does have a place in the literary canon. But that might not stop it from being an “adult” book. I know quite a few high school students who did not particularly appreciate it. I do not think this is because the students do not find the characters “real” enough, I think it is because the story is not compelling for the average 15 year old, and English teachers insist on being too Englishy about it.

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