For decades, classic literature has been studied and discussed within the walls of high school classrooms. The debate today concerning classic literature pertains to the idea that studying the content of these books will have a negative impact on the future generation of America. Due to the changing of American society and the rest of the world, many see content from certain books as inappropriate to be taught in schools and that younger generations should not even be reminded of the negative aspects of the past.

The study of the words of literary masters like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Harper Lee helps to create positive eruptions in the developing minds of young adults. Having access to classic literally helps creativity flows abundantly among young individuals, empowering them through the development of their voices. The questions is: will banning books with negative content be beneficial to how youth view the past and future, or will it cause an adverse reaction?

This idea of negative influences that are embedded in literatures comes from the storylines of books like To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, which showcase, in this particular example, racism and unsuitable language. This language in the book is now unacceptable in modern society, as the book displays how people of color were treated back then. Several characters in To Kill a Mockingbird were treated with an exceptional amount of racial discrimination, sparking the debate nowadays about the portrayal of that time period. This novel, along with other classics, remind readers about the horrible treatment of people of color and how deeply it affected them.

In my experience, it was a reminder to me of how important it is to be kind to everyone, no matter who they are. Because it serves as such an important reminder, I think it is important for schools to continue teaching the classics. They display realistic experiences and depict situations when all people are not treated with respect, which is true to our history because the past isn’t always clean. In order to change the future, we must be reminded of the past and stay away from the ways that did harm to others.

Another reason for keeping literature in schools is that students gain skills to effectively analyze information from text, specifically text with archaic language. Typically, books that are considered to be classics are rich in symbolism and flowery language, with plenty of hidden meaning. Compared to reading literature like The Great Gatsby, modern literature does not offer near the same amount of intellectual stimuli that one gets while reading a classic. If schools chose to alter the teaching to another method, it would almost certainly take a toll on the minds of students.

One more reason why it is beneficial to continue the teaching of classic literature is the fact that it is helpful in regards to helping the reader become more in touch with their emotions. Classics typically have storylines that teach some sort of lesson and display characters with complex lives and problems. For example, in Of Mice and Men, Lennie and George are two men who go from place to place and do temporary work. George must constantly watch over Lennie because he unknowingly causes trouble. Reading a book that gives the reader an inside look into what characters are constantly going through physically and emotionally can surprisingly make an impact on the audience. Reading can help people understand why they are feeling a certain way and that it is okay to feel emotions. In any context, literature is a powerful tool.

The fact that some high school are even considering banning classic literature is upsetting to me because classic literature is not only useful for academic purposes but also for life purposes. Lessons like history, analyzing skills, and emotional skills can all be learned from reading any number of books that are categorized under classic literature.