Everyone in my class hated Anne Frank:(

[Allyce]

You are obviously a bright and mature young person. Remember that most people your age think it's cool to dislike everything and use the word boring constantly. This will change as you get older. The best thing you can do is stay true to your own self and remember that life is precious, so enjoy every minute! You also might use my favorite phrase, "Only boring people get bored."

[Kristen]

What grade is this?
It's sad that kids can be so callous and immature about a book on this subject.
The entire point is that a young, innocent girl was a victim of one of the biggest tragedies in history. All the talking she does to her diary shows her innocence and loneliness during a really awful, not to mention extremely scary time.

And honestly, it doesn't say much for their intelligence if they can't get past a few older words like alas. Heaven help them if they ever have to read Shakespeare!

[Dee]

this is part of what concerns me about reading certain books in school - if you have kids that don't have the maturity to read and are forced to them they likely end up not appreciating and hating the book - and possibly reading in the future

[Casey]

Oh my, the exact same thing happened to me last year. In eight grade english class, we had to read the play (I had already read the actual book and loved it to death) and everyone was like "ew, what is this? this is stupid." while I was like "...don't die, don't die, don't die, i love all of these people, they can't die." It was really depressing. Anyway, the point is, not everyone understands amazing books and that really angers me.

[[deleted user]]

There is something to be said about honest reactions to books. Diary of Anne Frank is not the world's most riveting read, to be perfectly honest. Her prose isn't the greatest (how could it be? She was 15 or whatever) and the story isn't really shaped into a neat narrative. It's simply a list of things happening.

For sure, everybody will gang up on me for saying this, but I don't think Anne Frank should be mandatory in school. We confer a lot of respect and admiration on the book because it's an authentic document from the Holocaust. But just because something is well-respected doesn't mean it's perfect.

That being said, I think there's 60 years of literature related to the Holocaust that we can choose from that might better capture the interest of the young people.

One reason why Anne Frank is continued to be taught to young people is because she's a young person. Her relationship to the world is considered to be relatable to the modern teenager. But we all know this is no longer true. 60 years separates us from Anne's experience as a) a teenager and b) a victim of the Holocaust.

As time marches on, this experience of Anne Frank's will increase in alienness until it is practically unintelligible. Look at the modern teenager's relationship with Catcher in the Rye. It's no longer a universal portrayal of the modern youth, but merely one experience in a plenitude of complexity.

Personally, I sympathize with both Feven's reaction and with the reaction of her classmates. It is hard to conceive of Anne's experience without the strong guiding hand of a teacher to help navigate. Perhaps instead of chastising the students for their totally understandable reaction, we should be looking to how Anne Frank's diary is being taught.

That's a much bigger question. Is it a historical document or is it a literary text? Is it a story or a recording of events?

We should always have honest conversations about things that appear to be "given". To me, if something seems totally obvious, I want to know why it's considered obvious.

[Izzy]

Feven wrote: "I personally, I loved this book, I think everyone should read it and I am thankful our English teacher made this required reading. But it seemed that every other student really hated the book becau..."

I've just done a search and realised that 7th grade is 12-13 years of age. Their reaction is shocking but I would have said that this book would've been more appropriate to read at high school level -- 13-16/17 years olds.

Are they aware of the context of the diary? Have they seen films, accounts or something that brings it back home that during the Holocaust, people were fearing for their life? Do they even know what happened to Anne Frank and her family after they were captured?
I suppose very few of your classmates would admit to having a diary but if they did, it's probably filled with monologues about how so-and-so dumped them or how someone was being a bitch. I bet they wouldn't like it people started making jokes about their dead relatives.

If it's relevant, I suggest that you include this in your assignment. Despite our generation being very privileged, there are people who laugh at those who fought and died during this time in history. Six million Jews were murdered and those students are treating it like it's a joke. They should be ashamed of themselves.

[Kristen]

Why do people comment and then run away? That's annoying...
Anyway, I do somewhat agree with post #7, it's not the most riveting read on earth, but it's not meant to be. It's meant to show a personal story of the horrors that existed at the time. And I agree, there are other options, but I'm not sure many would offer this type of perspective - factual viewpoint of a totally innocent kid that kids today can relate to.

But I do think there's alot to be said about the way a book like this is presented.
Izzy, I disagree that it's more appropriate for an older group. I read it in 6th grade, I think, and I did not have that immature reaction. Nor did any of my classmates. However, we'd already been taught about the holocaust and had good teaching on this book as well.
Which is probably the biggest reason for the way the book is received. You can't expect kids who don't have any clue of what it meant to be Jewish in Europe at this time to truly appreciate a book like this.
Most American kids rarely know true hardship and know virtually nothing about senseless genocide just because you have the 'wrong' last name or 'wrong' look. You can't expect them to automatically sympathize. Especially not given that those kids have already been pretty desensitized to some pretty intense scenes in movies. You learn to dissociate yourself from alot of things in action movies that if you stop and thought about it, are pretty horrific.

[Jey]

See, the most important thing is: if you don't know the effect that the Holocaust had on the rest of the world, you're not likely to sympathise with a 15 year old girl's slightly bland writing.

It depends on how you read the book. I've generally found compulsory reads pretty chaffing, and I am a voracious reader. I think it has something to do with being forced to read the book. :P

And yes, the writing's not great. I have often skimmed through paragraphs where Anne goes on and on about her relationship and feelings for Peter. But there's an inherent spirit in the book that makes you read it.

Also, I would like to disagree with post #7. Yes, the Holocaust was a long time ago, but does it make the fact any less horrific? I'm sure that even now if you visit the Auschwitz concentration camps, they're left undisturbed, to remind humanity of what happened and WHY it shouldn't happen again. It's history. Granted, it was some time ago, but it's something that will never be forgotten anytime soon, if at all.

Granted, you might not be able to relate with the fact that Anne stayed hidden in a cramped attic for years together with other people, but her memoirs will always be read and re-read because of the thread of hope running through it. You can FEEL the bewilderment of the teenage girl whose world is suddenly turned upside down, her continued optimism, honesty as she evaluates people for what they are rather than who they are (understanding her sister and mother, for eg.). This reflects insight and mental maturity that is not commonly seen in a teenager, showing us that the war made her grow up sooner.
But all said and done, maybe not all kids can understand the gravity of the situations that Anne faced.

[Sivert]

It is a little bit of a folly to say the writing is not great. It is fantastic. No author could ever dream of capturing the authenticity of Anne Franks' feelings and experiences. This book is able to teach people about the feelings that a young girl can experience under troubling conditions, because Frank is so open in her descriptions of them, and no doubt that she was gifted and intelligent as well. To understand that, one must be a grown-up. There is no way for young people, brainwashed by Disney Channel, commercials, generic crime-series, reality-TV and Hollywood, to understand that.

[Kamalika]

i loved this book when i read it and so did some of my friends..but i really hate it when somebody makes fun of her.and her prose makes me relate to her because teenagers like us too,make mistakes and write imperfect prose stories like she did..and she was 15 only.imagine how it must feel to be Anne,a victim of holocaust,an abrupt ending to what should have been a happy life.i respect her because she had the courage to raise her voice,when thousands were silenced.and that is the reason why the world remembers Anne frank.

[Jey]

By saying the writing's not great, I meant that it was written in a completely personal style, not meant to attract appreciation from others. I'm an avid journaler myself, so I know how personal her style is. I meant that I can get why people who can't relate to her cannot read the book.
That said and done, this is undoubtedly one of the most poignant, and memorable books I have ever read.

[Eric]

What everybody is saying here makes sense - the problem comes down to the maturity of the readers and how they react to the book amongst their peers. Most kids will find it easier to mock what they don't understand or what seems different - Anne's dated prose style, and I do agree that it's not the most riveting read for a younger audience who may not have grasped the enormity of the tragedy that would befall Anne and the millions of other victims.
Probably most of Feven's classmates either don't get why they should read this book, or are just being ordinary kids and bleating along with their fellow peers, it's easier to knock something than understand it and at that age (no offense to this age group, if you're already on here, you're way ahead of your peers), if it's required reading at school, it may not be popular to even try to like it. I know when I was that age, I didn't truly understand the holocaust or how it could relate to me, for that matter everything pre-90s was subject to ridicule. Give them time - many still probably won't like it, but Anne's story will undoubtedly touch a few and will continue to touch millions for generations to come

[Moonlight]

I read this book when I was 12 or 13 years old. I wouldn't call Diary of a Young Girl to be great literature. It is important in that it documents the experiences of Jewish teenage girl in hiding during the Nazi occupation.

It would probably be more valuable if it were taught along with a history unit on WWII. Talk to the teacher who assigned the book. Tell her the reaction of your classmates. She may have ideas about helping them to understand this book.

It is also possible that they haven't read enough yet. They may not understand that the Franks went into hiding when they did because the Nazi's targeted Anne's older teenage sister for deportation. They may not yet understand that Anne and her sister were exterminated at Bergen-Belsen two months before the end of the War or that of all the people hiding in that attic, only her father survived.

I once read a book for class that all my classmates hated. The day we began discussions on the book, I disagreed and was able to tell them why I thought the book was valuable. What followed was a wonderful discussion that even the professor thought was helpful. This is what real learning is all about.

[Jeni]

I completely agree with Moonlight's thoughts.

I was born 23 years after the end of WWII when the Vietnam War was hitting its stride. We cannot truly understand the horrors that took place in Europe to the Jews unless we survived the camps.

It wasn't just a German thing, either. In this country, Japanese-Americans were rounded up and held in containment camps after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. (George Takei, Lt. Sulu from the original Star Trek, was a child in one of these containment camps.)

What you are finding as you read, is sympathy and empathy for a situation you would find horrific, and you can easily place yourself in the same situation. Not everyone has that ability, sadly.

This book has always been very important to me. It shows a normal girl during a difficult time. She had the same dreams and hopes we all do. She wanted to be a writer, an actress, a grown-up. She wanted a boyfriend and friends to play with. She fought with her mother and tried to be a good kid. She missed her home and her stuff and fresh air and school.

Most of us, though, will never understand the fear of being captured, herded into train cars, and gassed with our families because of our heritage.

So keep reading, keep enjoying, and remember what Moonlight said about providing good reasons why you connected with this book. You may open a few people's eyes!

[Cynthia]

I also read this book around 7th or 8th grade. I agree with everyone saying they are probably too young to understand/appreciate it. When I first read this book, I didn't like the book. As a matter of fact, I didn't like ANY books I was forced to read in school. The kids in your school are probably not mature enough to read the book but it's also hard to like a book you are forced to read.

[Ulziijargal]

first i read this it was little bit confused because it is just talking about her style and things happen in that time.Then i read again i understand how to live even it is hard for her every time get angry... Now i understand and i am so happy too and i like this book too
One thing is everybody read this book it is really nice

[Karen]

Dee wrote: "this is part of what concerns me about reading certain books in school - if you have kids that don't have the maturity to read and are forced to them they likely end up not appreciating and hating ..."

So true.

[Sbob4ever]

i loved the book so much..
it indeed is worth the praise. and the shallow minds who are not able to appreciate the book, have no right to criticise the book or the writer..

[Esmeralda]

I think I was ten or eleven when I read this book. I don't remember whether it was required for school or not. Of course I could relate to this situation since I had a schoolmate whose parents still had numbers tattooed on their arms.

I am reminded of a movie that I recently saw starring Kirsten Dunst. I don't remember the name of it. In it she was a typical California teenager who only thought about hanging out at the mall with her friend. After a meal at her aunt's house she falls asleep and dreams that she is one of her ancestors who was in a concentration camp and died to protect the aunt, who was her cousin.

Probably today's teenagers could relate to a film like that more than they could relate to a book.

It's sad that this is happening to students in 2012.

[Annemarie]

Feven wrote: "I personally, I loved this book, I think everyone should read it and I am thankful our English teacher made this required reading. But it seemed that every other student really hated the book becau..."

How did your teacher handle this? I teach high school and if my freshmen pulled this it would be a pretty stern talkin'-to. Fortunately they actually get this book, and understand this girl's situation.
I'm sorry this happened in your class and am more sorry the teacher didn't stop this disrespectful conversation.

[Dee]

Esmeralda wrote: "I think I was ten or eleven when I read this book. I don't remember whether it was required for school or not. Of course I could relate to this situation since I had a schoolmate whose parents stil..."

the movie is called The Devil's Arithmetic

[Ancestral]

I have to say I read the older edition of this book in the 70s (11 or 12) and it affected me profoundly. I've read, and re-read it many times over. It is a personal diary, so not a normal novel, but I understood that. As I met others who read it, I noticed the girls were more affected by it than the boys.

Years later, when I visited the actual hiding house, I took the opportunity to purchase the edition released after the death of her father, and a biography relating Anne's experiences, and those of her family after discovery. The new edition of the diary included more of Anne's experiences of puberty. Reading these two updated books, I realised I might not have processed this additional information when I first read the book.

I was able to grasp the significance of the book when I was younger, but it was emotional; the horror sunk in much later. It was compulsory reading in my last year of primary, and, at the time, I felt it was appropriate for our age group. Many of us had grandparents who were affected, or served in WWII, and we knew their stories; some of us had parents who served, or were still serving, and we had an inkling about the nature of conflict and the worst of humankind.

Yes, there were some who dismissed the book as the classmates of the OP have, and I wonder if they are just blocking it out, or hiding from their own emotions, because it's not fashionable to be interested in such issues. I wonder if their blogs (no-one writes diaries any more do they?) would be an interesting read to (pre-)teens of the future? Would they reflect the affects of persecution on whole sectors of society? Probably not. Does it matter? Probably not.

What matters is how the book affects us personally, if at all. I know Anne gave me my first lesson in the tolerance of my fellow man, and creatures. What matters (to me) is that this book had an affect on one tweenage girl; let alone the millions of others to which Anne has reached out to from beyond the grave.

Feven: Anne Frank's diary has made it's mark on you. Know that books can have that affect, whether or not they are well-written. Get used to the fact that others may not be affected by the same things you are. Try not to judge them for their opinions, as Anne, and her family, were judged for her/their religion/cultural upbringing. If the book is discussed in class, take moonlight's advice and provide your reasons as to why you think it is a reat read.

[Robyn]

Hi Feven: I didn't read everyone's responses here...

BUT I do want to say this:

This book had a huge impact on my life when I read it in middle school. It was then that I realized how fortunate I was... I had a home, a family, lots of food, friends... my government wasn't trying to murder me. I also related greatly to Anne's relationship with her parents and with her friends... I have read the book several times since and have to say: It is incredible.

It is sad to me that (perhaps?) your teacher did not present the reading in a way that was relatable to all students, or maybe that some of the students come from families who can not relate to so many terrible things....

It makes me so happy that it means something to YOU and that you care enough to speak up and say "Wait a minute! This is important!"... Definitely continue to do so as you get older... We need more people like you who recognize the important "little things" in life.

[Ajita]

We have a lesson from it in Grade 10 in India and being a teacher I do understand that its necessary to build a suitable backdrop because they would not relate it. I need atleast 1 hr prior to beginning this lesson to sensitize them to holocaust and related things and only then can I begin! So, great responsibility on teachers to inculcate sensitivity. Thanks for both views.

[Moonlight]

A few things about this book that your classmates might not be aware:

Anne Frank was 13 years old when she began keeping and then organizing her journal for publication. She did this because she heard a broadcast from a representative from the Dutch government in exile requesting journals, letters and other accounts be kept of the Nazi occupation.

As a 13 year old, she had many of the same problems any girl her age had, like fights with her mother and having a crush on a boy. In addition to all that, politics in the country of her birth (Germany) and international events overtook her life.

She died shortly before her 16th birthday believing no one in her family remained alive.

Many people mention her story as having a profound affect on their life. Nelson Mandela read it while in prison and Hillary Clinton cited the book in her acceptance speech for the Elie Wiesel Humanitarian Award.

Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl has been challenged repeatedly by holocaust deniers who assert that not only is the book a fabrication but that she never existed. The diary and Anne's very existance has been successfully defended in court each time.

[[deleted user]]

I read the book when I was much older. It is a shame that school reading spoils many marvelous books for a lot of people. Anne Franck's account is so wonderfully ordinary in the face of occurances that are absolutely not ordinary. I went to visit the house in Amsterdam, and found the experience very moving. Thank goodness that her memory lives on.

[Dave]

Danilo wrote: "Feven wrote: "I personally, I loved this book, I think everyone should read it and I am thankful our English teacher made this required reading. But it seemed that every other student really hated ..."

Those people are such mean people!

Probably not mean, but insecure. Tweens have a hard time expressing themselves, so emotions and expressing them, are embarrassing. That is probably why they make fun of Anne, not because they are mean spirited. Most people make mistakes of this kind somewhere along the way, but it is quite easy to make them when you are young.

[Danielle]

"For sure, everybody will gang up on me for saying this, but I don't think Anne Frank should be mandatory in school. We confer a lot of respect and admiration on the book because it's an authentic document from the Holocaust. But just because something is well-respected doesn't mean it's perfect." from a deleted reader.

I agree!! The first time I ever read this book was when I was in 8th grade and it was a mandatory read for an English class. I hated the book because it was just a diary to me. My reading level was extremely high for an 8th grader and I felt that it wasn't worth reading. The writing was poor and I could not connect with this girl at all. At the time, the book did not make any sense to me and there was nothing correlating it with what we were learning. I wasn't interested in WWII at that point in my life, so I couldn't connect it with anything I really knew about.

Then I lived in Europe for three years. I went to the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, and I had been to Buchenwald Concentration Camp before that. Having that context and seeing it with my own eyes stirred my desire to re-read the Diary at the age of 23. What a difference it made! You feel for Anne and you understand better what you are reading. The emotion was raw, and I truly understood her terror of being hear through the walls. If this book is going to be mandatory for school, it should be in an advance history class in high school. And not just in a history class, but used in correlation with teaching about WWII. Having the context and having the age makes all the difference in the world when you read this story. It never made sense to me that this book is read in English when you are in 7th or 8th grade. However, I never made fun of Anne and the horrors that she went through. That part just absolutely baffles me. Yes, my interest wasn't there the first time I read it, but I never tore it apart and made fun of her. I just didn't have the appreciation. Hopefully, maturity will change their minds about the book and they will read it again later in life like I did. I know I'm glad I did.

[Moonlight]

Sounds like a neo-nazi, a holocaust denier and/or a very immature person. Or a troll. Trolls try to start controversies just to see how upset they can make people. Best rule: Do not feed the trolls. No response. It gets them every time.

[Elizabeth]

I am a much older person now than I was when I was first forced to read this at school. I still hate it!

[Caylie]

It's okay to not like the story, I didn't love the idea it was a diary, but as long as you respect what these people had to go through just to live...

[Alana]

Feven, if you want to read something else related to the Holocaust that is not written by a younger writer, you might try (and suggest to your peers), Night by Elie Wiesel. I read that in high school as well and it's very short, but very powerful and has some very strong imagery of the concentration camps and what Anne would have faced after her capture. It's very dark, but in some ways might be more engaging for a younger audience. Might even be something you could do as a comparison for any project you have to do relating to Anne Frank.

[Mandy]

Maybe it's time to update to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas- a more recent book that introduces the atrocities in a more modern telling. Then move to Ann Frank if they choose to continue the subject. I loved the book at a young age- but understand how some of today's teens might feel that the language is old-fashioned...we don't necessarily get the point in our teenage years!

[eilis]

I hate it when that happens! Last year we read Lord of the Flies and all my friends hated it :(

[Caylie]

Did anyone read to Kill a mocking bird?
I loved that book!

[Gabrielle]

Feven wrote: "I personally, I loved this book, I think everyone should read it and I am thankful our English teacher made this required reading. But it seemed that every other student really hated the book becau..."

Feven,
Kids are dumb. It happens. When you go to college, they will all be much less dumb.
Good luck. Seek early or dual enrollment to get out of high school as fast as possible. Or, join the IB program.
-Gabby

[Alana]

I second The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. I haven't read the book, but going by the book is usually better than the movie, and the movie was excellent, the book must be great!

[Kristin]

Feven, I am sorry that happened. As a teacher, I feel there are two problems with the presentation of the book. First, 7th grade seems just a tad young to be introducing this book to you, maturity levels being what they are these days. Secondly, I feel the teacher probably didn't set the stage for you. "DoAF" can be VERY affecting, even to young people if presented in the proper way.

[Meredith]

I think it's the responsibility of the teacher to help kids understand why it's important and how they can relate to it. Sure kids today may not keep a written journal, but they may have a blog or Twitter or Facebook page where they post silly mundane things (trust me, I am connected to my 12 year old cousin on FB). The only difference between Anne's journal and that stuff is the social aspect of friends being able to comment back. The teacher has to get the kids to imagine that they are in hiding for some reason but they still feel the need to document their lives - ala an offline version of FB. I also imagine that kids don't understand the references Anne makes to old movie stars. So the teacher needs to update those references and explain that when she hangs photos on the wall the kids need to think of it as photos of Bieber, One Direction, Beyonce or whoever is hot at the moment. And as much as it pains me to say it, the teacher may need to relate this real life story to Hunger Games just to get the kids thinking. I'm sure all of them are familiar with the context of that story. Here's a girl who didn't even have the chance to fight to save her own life...and it all REALLY happened. I promise you these same kids cried when Rue died in Hunger Games - the teacher can get them to care about Anne Frank.

[Don]

When kids read this book in the 50's and 60's, they had a much more pessimistic (realistic?) outlook on the world. They were in the midst of the cold war and there were bomb shelters Vietnam and so on. I think it was easier for kids back them to see the severity of Anne Frank's story and reality it to themselves. Now days, it seems like teens have a re-energized sense of invincibility - as compared to earlier generations of teens. They are too far removed from the time when concentration camps were a reality and to geographically and culturally removed from the places where atrocities happen today. They simply don't see the real horror of what Anne Frank was hiding from and what eventually killed her.

[Lily]

Don wrote: "...They are too far removed from the time when concentration camps were a reality and to geographically and culturally removed from the places where atrocities happen today...."

Is that really true? Or only for some kids? After all, with television, Internet, movies, ..... What isolation is the most connected generation in all of time creating for itself?

[Moonlight]

I read the book in the early 1970's when I was 12 or 13 years old. Many of my friends parents were WWII generation. Many of my teachers and administrators were WWII generation. In 4th grade, we were shown in school film made during the liberation of concentration camps. I still remember our teachers explaining that Eisenhower ordered the films made to prevent anyone from ever claiming that it never happened. I remember noting the facial expressions of Eisenhower whenever he appeared in the film. As a child, I noticed he flinched now and again. As an adult, I can appreciated how horrible it must have been to make a battle hardened combat vet of two World Wars cringe.

By the time, I picked up Diary of a Young Girl, I already knew who the Nazis were and what they tried to do.

Children today do not have parents and grandparents who lived through this time and who talk to them about their experiences. That makes it harder to see Anne Frank as a girl their age facing politcal repression, loss of her citizenship, fleeing her country as a refugees, her new country's defeat, and occupation by a government determined to commit genocide. The horror, fear and uncertainty is too remote. Just like scenes of Medievel torture make an amusing afternoon tour at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum instead of the true horror that it was. For most 12-13 year olds, this book will require more background to be appreciated as the eye witness account of a victim of genocide.

[Robert]

deleted user wrote: "As time marches on, this experience of Anne Frank's will increase in alienness until it is practically unintelligible."

It's not meant to be universal. It's an authentic window into history. As time goes by, there are fewer and fewer people left who can tell their own experiences. You'll never get anything more authentic than an account from people who lived through it. It's true, they can't give you the "big picture", but they can tell you what their lives were like. When they are all gone, there we will be left with their accounts, and what others imagine it to be like. Other people's imaginings are a pale substitute.

[Ulziijargal]

can you guys tell me why somebody hated anne frank? actually she is just a girl like us

[HURRAH! Unbalance Bean]

She is a girl like us, but she is incredibly smart careful and awesome pretty ext. she goes on about food because the things she had to eat were gross and what she couldnt eat was edible :p she had to be quiet even though there's a wall because it's her life on the line! If I cussed I would cuss at the DX

[Patti]

Allyce wrote: "You are obviously a bright and mature young person. Remember that most people your age think it's cool to dislike everything and use the word boring constantly. This will change as you get older. T..."

Allyce very well put! :)

[Patti]

Kristin wrote: "Feven, I am sorry that happened. As a teacher, I feel there are two problems with the presentation of the book. First, 7th grade seems just a tad young to be introducing this book to you, maturit..."

Hi Kristin: Well said, my son, who is 19 actually read DOAF in 7th grade. I do believe it does depend on how the teacher sets the stage for such a book as well as the maturity level of the students something the teacher must asses prior to reading the book.

Patti

[Hope]

I have often thought that history and literature classes should be taught together. Not necessarily in terms of the same classroom with the same teacher (this would be great, but I don't think our school systems are there yet), but the time periods being studied should more closely coincide. Knowing what was going on and how people lived when a piece of literature was being written is very important in being able to understand the piece. On the flip side, history can be very dry, boring, and difficult to relate to at times. By reading literature from the period, especially something as personal as a diary, the history comes to life.

That said, even though I have been an avid reader all my life, I hated being forced to read a book. It is just the nature of youth to rebel and try to assert your independence. In this case, by deciding that you hate a book without even trying to give it a chance. Now that I am older, I sometimes reread those books that I once "hated" and have found that I am able to understand them and enjoy them in a way that I never could when I was in school.

[[deleted user]]

Hope wrote: "I have often thought that history and literature classes should be taught together. Not necessarily in terms of the same classroom with the same teacher (this would be great, but I don't think our ..."
This is what they do in some French schools - studying the same book as a certain period, or a certain type of music with the period. I think it is a great idea to put things into context, but it doesn't make our kids any more enthusiastic.

[Alana]

We did that for one year in high school and I really liked it. Linking the literature to the time period really brought both history and literature to life.