<p>What exactly is the purpose of English Class, not to say we shouldn't learn the language and how to write, but do you realize how much time we spends analyzing fake people who do fake things. Not that I don't like reading and don't enjoy english class, but I am legitimately wondering as to what the purpose is. I guess if you put it in the context of anlyzing chracters and how it applies to history and real life but at least in my English class these connections aren't made. Also if you say the purpose is to learn the english writing and apply it then why study fiction, why not nonfiction. SO I REALLY AM WONDERING WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF ENGLISH CLASS.
p.s. - in reference to the common high school english class
pps- this is a legitimate question I have</p>
<p>I’ve wondered about this too. What exactly is the point of literary analysis? Much of the time, the author didn’t even mean to include all the symbolism and the other “deeper meaning” stuff that we find. </p>
<p>Maybe the point is to learn to read deeper into all writing? To learn to over-analyze everything?</p>
<p>I have to agree.
After English II, you stop learning what is come to define as “English”. Right now I in English III, I hate it mostly because almost everything we read is related to god.</p>
<p>to prep you for college. When your in a college course mostly liberal arts your have to over analyze readings and get a grasp of what the author wants. That’s like asking why do we need calculus in school.</p>
<p>^Nah, it’s not solely prep for college. I mean, that’s part of it, but not all.</p>
<p>wikipedia deconstruction. That’s why english sucks</p>
<p>I think the point is to generally help with critical thinking and looking beneath what’s directly told you in all situations, not just in literature.</p>
<p>Reading has personalities, so I assume English helps you interpret people and personalities in life, as well as analyzing literary texts.</p>
<p>“The man who doesn’t read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.” —Mark Twain</p>
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<p>Yeah, I definitely agree. Although analyzing literature incessantly can be in a pain in the ass sometimes, it’s helped me to become a critical thinker overall. I also subconsciously analyze any book I read for pleasure now for deeper/more symbolic meaning as well… not sure whether that’s a good or bad thing.</p>
<p>^ Exactly. It kind of takes the fun out of reading sometimes though…</p>
<p>It feels that the further I get in high school, the less important english class is. We learned terms that aren’t even words in my english class this year. “Begging the Question” “Card Stacking” “Straw Man” “Slippery Slope” I think these are all fallacies or something but what is the importance of this?</p>
<p>well calculus is real and these books are fictional. do u get what im saying</p>
<p>I looove my English III class. I love writing analytical essays, and AP practice English exams are fun!</p>
<p>and no, I’m not being totally sarcastic, because when your school is dominated by your competitive Asian peers who rule in Calculus/Chemistry/Biology/Physics, being relatively good in writing essays makes you feel better. :)</p>
<p>^^ Being good at math gives you clarity of thought and helps you work through problems logically. Kind of. Being good at analyzing works of literature gives you equally useful skills, whether they’re the same or not. The study of literature isn’t the study of the fictional story, it’s the study of what happened behind that. Yes, reading the book for its content is a big part of it (and the most enjoyable, in my opinion), but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other aspects to reading them. Within all fiction is an element of truth, because books are written by human beings who have had some of the same experiences as you, human beings who have lived. You can’t create “fictional” art without using life to do so.</p>
<p>tl;dr version: You’re wrong.</p>
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<p>Probably they did… or at least sub-consiously. I know I try to incorporate some symbolism and allusions in my writings.</p>
<p>^^ I /kinda/ second that!!! I don’t like my English I class that much… but I would if more English inclined people came, and kicked those who weren’t interested out! I do like writing papers, analyzing characters, and such.</p>
<p>^I actually think authors do a lot more than people may think.</p>
<p>Also, to me, even if it’s not conscious, like you said, it can still be analyzed! In fact, sometimes the more subconscious factors are the most interesting. Obviously, some of writing is more natural than THIS WILL BE A SYMBOL.</p>
<p>In George Orwell’s 1984, it says “The best books are those that tell you what you know already.” </p>
<p>He is saying here that even fictional books speak the truth. The good books speak truth about human nature and the way the world goes. </p>
<p>Think about how quickly the commoners turned on Brutus after Mark Antony’s funeral speak. Are people fickle? Do we change our opinions like that sometimes? Yes.</p>
<p>Think about how the animals in Animal Farm believed Squealer’s propaganda. Do we as humans fall for propaganda? You better believe it. Look at almost war poster.</p>
<p>Think about the hardships that George and Lennie had as migrant workers during the Depression. Was that true for the Depression? Yes.</p>
<p>Think about how Romeo’s horomones got the better of him. Do you not see that everyday in the hallway at school? </p>
<p>Think about how the boys in Lord of Flies are so mean to each other. Is cruelty not a human trait? Do you see bullying and con artists?</p>
<p>Seriously, the list goes on and on. Good books teach us things in addition to being entertaining. If we are open-minded enough to listen, then maybe we can take away something important from every piece of literature.</p>
<p>…but couldn’t we also get the same benefits by actually going out and interacting with people instead of analyzing literature?</p>
<p>I think that there are some things that literature can teach that “life lessons” cannot, especially if you are looking at things in an historical context. Outside of interviewing people who lived through a time period, it is hard to get an understanding about what real life was like in that time period. </p>
<p>I hate to rely simply on quotes, but this quote from Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 demonstrates the point:</p>
<p>“Books were only one type or receptacle where we stored a lot of things we were afraid we might forget. There is nothing magical in them at all. The magic is only in what books say, how they stitched the patches of the universe together into one garment for us.”</p>
<p>See, books themselves are not truly amazing by themselves-it is the stuff that they contain. Those books for your English classes really do contain some amazing things if you are willing to see that.</p>