At 02:43 AM 4/24/97 -0400, you wrote:
Hi Everyone,
I joined the list about 2 weeks ago, and had an interesting time
reading the posts re: "What do students read?" mainly because I'm a
university student. It was refreshing to hear all of your opinions on this
issues.
I'm finishing up a course called "Science Fiction, Fantasy &
Romance". The reading list consisted of Mary Shelley, _Terminal Experiment_
(author's name escapes me), Lem's _Solaris_, Zamyatin's _We_, Frank Hebert
(2 books from _Dune_), _Grendel_, _The Lord of the Rings_ (all of it!), _A
Canticle for Leibowitz_, Dick's _Do Android's Dream of Electric Sheep_,
Orwell's _1984_, Piercy's _He, She & It_ (my favourite!), Le Guin's _The
Left Hand of Darkness_, and many short stories from an anthology that Le
Guin and a man (?) edited and published by Norton. I haven't decided what
exactly to make of the course. I spent most of my time reading Dale
Spender, and contemplating cyborgs and humans. Speaking of which, can
anyone recommend any well-written novels dealing with this subject?
Before this course, I had read very little sci fi/fantasy (a few W.
Gibson novels and _Waking the Moon_). With the urgence of my partner, who
reads *only* science fiction, I took the course. I'm a Women's Studies
student and would read the texts with that slant. The prof was concerned
with the way "other" (ie. aliens, robots) is constructed -- something I
found very interesting. It turned out to be my second fave class, though
unfortunately because of the size of the reading list I had to go to classes
with the books either half completed or barely touched. Now I'm catching up
on the reading, and am planning on reading more sci-fi during the summer. I
don't think I'd be considered "fully-converted" <grin> though.
So as a young person (relatively -- I'm 20), I'll answer some of
Lissa's questions as well.
> about those works? AND why do you think you and your friends don't read sf?
I think I read very little sci-fi before the course began because
there are so many other books! :-) What I did while I was in high school
was read classics. For my grade nine book report I wanted to do G.
Flaubert's _Madame Bovary_ (the book wasn't approved <sigh>). Around that
time I was convinced that the best way to get a handle of what was written
was to read in chronological order. Though I spent a lot of time in 18th -
early 20th century. I was incredibly bored during high school, and would
read any time I got. English class, the time I thought would be the most
fun, was the dreariest. The mandatory books were too easy, and I was never
able to compromise with the teachers -- though in grade ten my teacher let
me read _Don Quixote_ (made for an interesting in-class oral book report). :-)
Now that I'm university I've read *most* of what makes it on a
reading list, so I spend my time reading current/modern books. Being in
Canada where education cuts are a daily affair, course offerings are must
more conservative and careful than most US colleges (I have looked at a few
syllabi and nearly died of excitement -- the range of topic being explored
is AMAZING!). Most of the titles I read come from those syllabis. Thank
God some of you post them on the Net! :-)
> or at all? do you feel that the females read more or less -- and why? and
I went to a French Catholic high school in Northern Ontario (read:
stereotypes are alive and well). Girls naturally fell into taking
art/humanity classes, while boys took math/science courses. At school there
were more girls openly reading, I knew some male "closet" readers. They
never read at school, and in English class when there was designated reading
time, they would stare at the page. When I was a senior (18-19 years old)
my English class was dominated by girls. They were the ones who spoke out
and participated in discussions. The boys who were present goofed off,
while secretly discussing the book/play with me in the halls -- in whispered
voices, of course.
Though I have noticed the reading material was very different. Most
girls chose romance novels, while boys read horror and science fiction.
Again, my novel (_Monk_) was rejected for my book report. <sigh>
> one last question: what is going on in the high schools and around younger
> people today that makes them think that feminism is so terrible? i'd love
> to get your perspective.
I think Laura got it right when she wrote:
>About Feminism I've never really thought about it, I've rarely even heard the
>word used at school, but thinking about it, when it is used there does seem
>to be sort of a stigmitism around it. I think feminists are usually looked
>at as either a bunch of woman who hate men or a bunch of lesbians. If people
>think that by definition they have to hate men, they're going to run away
>from the term. It's perception, but a lot about high school is perception,
>everyone tries to be what they think everybody else will think is "cool" and
>it ends up being quite amusing if you just remove yourself from the situation
>and watch the madness of people trying to fit in 100% which is impossible.
When I was in high school I was very vocal. I would shout in
debates to be heard -- teachers let the boys dominate the conversations even
though they never raised their hands (I only remember one teacher who
wouldn't let the above happen *all* of the time). Me and three of my
closest friends were the only ones who had the guts to call someone's
comment sexist, racist, or homophobic. And because of our courage we were
called lesbians, man haters, accused of not wearing a bra, never shaving
our legs, far too opiniated to ever get a guy, and would die alone with
hundreds of cats. (!) There was one guy (in my senior history class) who
was too ashamed to even say the word "homosexual". I'll never forget it, he
just waived his hand and said "you know who I mean," calling them a
deragatory word (in french) instead. <sigh> It was horrible, and very
typical of most of the students responses. I'm sure that there were kids
who didn't agree with that guy, but they never spoke up.
Interestingly though, now when I see the people who used to call us
lesbians (in a derogatory way) behind our backs (and later to our faces)
they have the nerve to stop me in the street and chit chat like we were the
best of friends. <sigh>
University is no different, I'm afraid to say. In my Women's
Studies courses most of the girls don't use the word "feminist" to describe
themselves though they adher to most of the principles. They argue with me
that they have never faced discrimination. Only when you start presenting
them with scenarios do they start to understand/see. Even then, when they
agree with you that it is unfair, they refuse to call themselves feminists.
I'm working on a personal essay on this topic right now --
collecting any book/article that I can find on the subject. Email me
privately if you want the list of titles that I have found so far.
>really randomn but I noticed some strange, kind of abstract similarities
>between it and Jewel's music (though not nearly as many as between Tracy
>Chapman and _1984_). I just finished Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead and
How interesting Laura... Could you please elaborate? (I ask as I
listen to Tracy Chapman) Is it the freedom that she describes?
well... take care and happy reading,
Mellissa
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