Why Do We Only Read Books Written By Dead White Men? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Why Do We Only Read Books Written By Dead White Men?

It's time the curriculum included authors who I can identify with.

94
Why Do We Only Read Books Written By Dead White Men?
Pexels.com

I walked into my American Literature class and sat down. The professor stood in the front of the room and wrote a year on the blackboard.

1492.

This is apparently the beginning of American Literature.

My professor joked about how there were obviously people living in the United Sates before then, but we only had a limited amount of time and needed to cover all the important stuff. That meant we would not be reading anything by Native American or black authors, and only one text would be written by a woman.

Hearing this made me reflect on my entire experience of schooling. Most authors I read were white men, but so many other groups have shared the same space. I have never once read a book, short story or even a journal entry written by a Native American. In my entire time in college, I’ve read one book by a black author, and that was only because I took an LGBT literature course.

With a plethora of minority writers, why are we only reading things written by white men? Because that’s the way it’s always been?

It’s time we break the mold.

Stories like Macbeth can easily be replaced by novels with the same themes. For example, "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe. Both stories follow men who have too much ambition which ultimately leads to their own self-destruction. On the one hand, you have a play written in a language most people can’t understand by someone who, at least in my high school, we were required to read something by every year. On the other hand, you have a novel by a Nigerian author that not only teaches students important lessons but allows them to have insight on life in Nigeria. That’s something no student will learn in any core class. So why are we still reading Shakespeare?

People will tell you that things can’t change because this is the way it’s always been done. But it doesn’t have to be. Women authors, black authors and queer authors exist, we should be taught about them. We can talk to our school boards and write to the heads of the English departments at our universities. We can show others the true injustice that this is and have them rally behind us, behind this idea.

So are you ready to help make a change?

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

194411
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

17392
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

459743
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

27706
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments