As we all know, it can at times be difficult to get teenagers excited about classic literature, with kneejerk reactions equating the books to school assignments and misconceptions including "hard," "boring," or, worse yet, "old." I often find that it helps to jazz up literature for reluctant individuals. The following are just a few quick sells for breathing life into timeless fiction for skeptical teens. I also recommend the book Classic Connections: Turning Teens on to Great Literature by Holly Koelling. Change a classic from something a teen has to read into something they want to read!
Hamlet - Of all the writing in the English canon, Shakespeare can be the toughest to get teens into. Difficult language and allusions geared to audiences at the time can cause the rich plots and universal themes to sail over the heads of modern readers. Hamlet is an easy sell - he's a virtual template for brooding, angsty teen characters! You can have a field day psychoanalyzing and identifying Hamlet's issues, complete with a psyche diagram.
Invisible Man - Alienation. Frustration. The epic search for identity and knowledge. Ellison's themes strike a universal chord for teens, regardless of race.
The Martian Chronicles - Although older science fiction my be unhip until the latest movie version arrives, much of it is an easy sell if you pick out the craziest plot elements and describe them. An Earth ravaged by nuclear war, hot dog stands on Mars, robotic families, insanity and rockets are all good starting points.
Of Mice and Men - As long as deep friendships, fierce loyalty and big dreams help to define the younger years, Steinbeck's short and brilliant classic will remain relevant to teens, especially those who enjoy a good tearjerker!
The Picture of Dorian Gray - All discussions of dandies and anachronistic British aristocracy aside, Oscar Wilde serves up a combination romance and gothic horror novel that has appeal power across genders. In the age of Myspace, Facebook and digital camera self-portraits, the warnings against narcissism and desire for instant gratification can also hit home.
Wuthering Heights - On the surface, it's a 19th-century romance with dated dialog and settings. Sell it as a gothic love story featuring ghosts, insanity, betrayal, heaps of teen-friendly melodrama and a dark stranger at the heart of it all. This should be considered a must read for fans of the bestselling Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, as Edward and Bella would probably not exist without the influence of the Bronte sisters!
Hamlet - Of all the writing in the English canon, Shakespeare can be the toughest to get teens into. Difficult language and allusions geared to audiences at the time can cause the rich plots and universal themes to sail over the heads of modern readers. Hamlet is an easy sell - he's a virtual template for brooding, angsty teen characters! You can have a field day psychoanalyzing and identifying Hamlet's issues, complete with a psyche diagram.
Invisible Man - Alienation. Frustration. The epic search for identity and knowledge. Ellison's themes strike a universal chord for teens, regardless of race.
The Martian Chronicles - Although older science fiction my be unhip until the latest movie version arrives, much of it is an easy sell if you pick out the craziest plot elements and describe them. An Earth ravaged by nuclear war, hot dog stands on Mars, robotic families, insanity and rockets are all good starting points.
Of Mice and Men - As long as deep friendships, fierce loyalty and big dreams help to define the younger years, Steinbeck's short and brilliant classic will remain relevant to teens, especially those who enjoy a good tearjerker!
The Picture of Dorian Gray - All discussions of dandies and anachronistic British aristocracy aside, Oscar Wilde serves up a combination romance and gothic horror novel that has appeal power across genders. In the age of Myspace, Facebook and digital camera self-portraits, the warnings against narcissism and desire for instant gratification can also hit home.
Wuthering Heights - On the surface, it's a 19th-century romance with dated dialog and settings. Sell it as a gothic love story featuring ghosts, insanity, betrayal, heaps of teen-friendly melodrama and a dark stranger at the heart of it all. This should be considered a must read for fans of the bestselling Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, as Edward and Bella would probably not exist without the influence of the Bronte sisters!
