Learn to Love Literature by Janelle

Learn to Love Literature by Janelle - February 2015 Scholarship Essay

Required reading is something all high school students are forced to push through during their high school careers. While some novels have a very significant or important message coming across throughout the text that students may understanding and value, many times required readings do not hold the interest or relate with high school students. A very select few students find literature to be valuable to the extent that they should, few high school students read novels for class that they can find value in because the lesson of the novel is difficult to apply to their individual lives.

During my high school career at the International Academy of Macomb in Clinton Township, MI I was blessed with literature teachers who were focused on selecting literature that not only met the high standards of the International Baccalaureate Programme but also would touch the students in a significant way. My teachers selected books that would cause the students to develop and grow as individuals just from reading a novel. I learned to love reading and value literature once I read the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee in my sophomore year literature class. Not only was this a phenomenal novel to read at a basic level but to analyze and write about my personal interpretations while reading the novel heightened the significance of the novel in my personal life. The lessons gained from this novel have the ability to change an individual’s values, imagine the impact it would have if all high school students were required to read this novel. It has the potential to change a generation to respect all people regardless of differences. Today’s generation more than any other needs to learn to value equality more than almost any other principle and this novel will undoubtedly touch the heart of any high school student who reads and fully understand the concepts communicated in the text.

Literature is so important and high school students are losing the value literature holds. School programs need to reinforce just how valuable and significant one novel can be in students’ lives. Speaking from experience, it is my personal opinion that To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a novel that will cause high school students to fall in love with literature and grow as individuals in today’s society.