This is the required course blog for English 206/CWL 257: Enlightenment Literature and Culture. As explained in the document in the sidebar (which will be handed out in class), participating on this blog is a required part of the course.
Not everyone is familiar with blogging, so this question is simply practice--an opportunity for you to try out the blog and identify any problems you have with it before the semester gets underway. There are no better or worse answers to it--anything you write will earn the maximum three points for a blog post. Just click on the "comments" link at the bottom of the text.
The question:
In 250 years, if universities and literature classes still exist in anything like their current form, students will take gen. ed. courses in which they study the period of time that we are living in now, in 2009. What literature from our time will students read in such classes? Identify one work and briefly explain why you think it will still be of interest in 2259. Feel free to construe the term "literature" as broadly as you think appropriate.
Deadline: Friday (8/28), noon. If you register during the first two weeks of class, please feel free to ask for an extension on this deadline.
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30 comments:
I would think something like "Fast Food Nation" would be read in class because it could show those in 2259 the way food industries got by in that time. Also, it give those who read it a glimpse of American culture.
It's always tough to predict what sort of literature will be canonized as the "movement" of the age and what will simply be called peripheral material. However, I can't help but believe that the post-modern literature movement died with David Foster Wallace, and that a new post-post modern movement is on the move, best exemplified by works like Tao Lin's "Eeeee Eee Eeee". It is written in simple prose, maybe as a reaction to the baroque styling of post-modernism, and touches on many subjects that people of this age can relate to, such as suburban isolation, and the growing role of technology in the world, as seen through two characters Im-ing each other. It also touches on cultural aspects, mentioning indie music, and includes a sense of absurdness that I think is very much a part of my generation. Perhaps I am wrong, and a different style of writing will be canonized as the movement of our age, but in my mind works like "Eeeee Eee Eeee" are the future.
The problem with a question like that is the sheer volume of literature produced by today's culture. While a work like "Beowulf" is studied and used as an example of early English literature, it's important to note it is almost the only surviving text from that era. I feel the current dominant force culturally today, and the one that will be studied in the future, is popular culture, or "pop." (Witness the Michael Jackson hysteria vs. the reaction over David Foster Wallace's death.)It's tempting to suggest the most popular works, such as the Harry Potter series or the works of Stephen King would be on the cirriculum, as seemingly unlikely as that may sound to an English student today. But if I had to store away something to be read 250 years into the future, I might select the works of Chuck Klosterman, who is more a social critic and analysis than creative writer. Specifically "Sex, Drugs, and Coco Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto." This work would provide what would very likely be a very unique perspective on today's popular culture written in a very "Pop Culture" sort of way.
Interesting! I'm struck by the fact that all the responses so far mention books. If Eddie is right, and the "current dominant cultural force...that will be studied in the future" is pop culture, what are the texts that will be studied? Will scholars of the future limit themselves to print in studying literature? What movies, videos, games, youtube clips are most representative of our time?
I believe that scholars will NOT limit themselves to studying literature, because we as a whole are addicted to technology. Many of us sit in front of the computer, video game screen, etc. instead of picking up a book. We write our thoughts, our feelings, our moods, and anything else down on a website, that almost anyone can see. They are published words, some of it is poetic, some of it not so much. But what we write describes who we are, what this time period is like, and what challenges or obstacles we face in becoming who we are meant to be. Therefore, scholars will start to dissect and study the written words online, in places such as twitter, or facebook, or even this blog.
I'm not sure identifying what is publicly popular with what will be studied in the future as representative of that period is necessarily right. Many of the things students of literature read today weren't popular when first published, or they weren't published when they were written, or etc. What is popular is dependent on the prejudices of the public at large, and these prejudices are vastly dissimilar to the prejudices of future generations of academics in charge of canonization and the formation of syllabi. For example, a modern literature course studying American literature of the mid 19th century may include some popular titles, but is unlikely to include the most popular work written by a pro-slavery advocate, and is certainly not going to devote to it the same level of objective inquiry (if such a thing exists) as it would to its anti-slavery counterpart. It is perhaps a bit myopic or shortsighted, then, to anticipate the prejudices of academics in 2259 and assume they will resemble our own. Still, if they do, in at least a very general sense, my recommendation would be J.M. Coetzee's novel “Disgrace”. “Disgrace”, while structured around its historical context of a post-Apartheid South Africa, is not limited by it or exclusively dependent on it, and addresses concerns that (one may think or hope) would transcend temporal settings and endure in future periods and does so in a relevant and interesting manner.
Literature from our time has yet to surpass classic novels such as Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" or Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Grey". However, if there was a class 250 years in the future willing to teach literature from our generation J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" would be a good book to teach. The first Harry Potter book represents Harry as a novice to the magic world who has to decide between fame and ambition or modesty and courage. The author does an amazing job in describing the internal struggle within Harry's mind. Furthermore, Harry Potter's journey to the wizard world seems to be almost like a Travel Narrative because he travels to the magic realm of the world only to come back where he started; his Aunt and Uncle's cupboard. However, the theme of self discovery that is embedded within the novel is a precious and unique characteristic students should obtain.
I would like to argue that the Nicolas Sparks romances might still be circulated in the literary world. They are at the top of the Bestsellers lists right now and are very popular among all age groups. Young adults all the way to the elderly can pick up a copy of a Nicolas Sparks novel and enjoy the timeless themes of romance and everlasting love. I might compare the Nicolas Sparks novels to the Jane Austen romances of old times. Though they might not seem anything special right now, and I'm sure many people would argue with me that they will NOT be well known come 20 years, I still think that the Nicolas Sparks novels contain themes that will always appeal to the feminine audience.
I believe that Comic Books/Graphic Novels in general (because there are so many characters) from our time will be read in future literature classes. Over the past 10 years, comic book movies and associated merchandise have become some of the highest grossing products of our time, ultimately showing their societal value in today's world. Their symbols and movies have taken not only the US but also the world by storm--I'm pretty sure everyone knows who Batman, Spider-Man and Superman are. The other enticing idea about comic book characters and their stories is that they can go on forever, allowing more books and therefore more movies to be produced. I'm pretty sure this "Super-Hero Fever" will be around for a long time because we all dream of having super-powers and it is the comic books that help bring those dreams to life.
Instead of saying that we have yet to produce anything as great as the eras before us, I'm more inclined to think that we most certainly have. In Book Five of Aurora Leigh, EBB says that "every age, through being beheld too close, is ill-discerned by those who have not lived past it." It's only because we are living now that we are failing to see our literature for what it is truly worth.
What would English classes deem worthy enough to study 250 years from now? I think it's impossible for us to say. However, I would hope that at least one literature class would study Jodi Picoult's "My Sister's Keeper." This novel is emotionally charged and is one of the few novels which have successfully made me cry. More importantly, this novel discusses moral issues surrounding scientific advancements of our time. Although it's ficticious, it deals with very real subject matter that deserves to be studied 250 years from now. These debates are a huge part of who we are as a society. Is it alright to genetically engineer a child to be used for spare parts? Are we "playing God"?
I also would hope that a literature class would NOT study YouTube clips or video games. With every book, magazine, newspaper, blog, or social-networking site produced today, I feel that there is an over-abundance of literature from our time period that could be worthy of study. Not to mention I would roll over in my grave if I, for one minute, thought that a literature class was studying Leave Britney Alone or Charlie the Unicorn.
I don't think it would be out of the question to say that literature would easily transcend the medium of books. Ideas and art are communicated through different platforms beyond books. Blog entries, video games, magazines, social networking sites, television, or film all demand a certain amount of literacy.
This past decade has been defined by the internet's impact on the world, and I believe a class examining this period of time would emphasize this point by analyzing and studying its influence and different works done on it or about it. It might not be too outrageous to assume that twitter feeds, facebook posts, blog entries, podcasts, and more would be fare for a 2009 general education class.
Your instructor here (I neglected to mention it above, but I go by "KW" on the blog). Someone who is having trouble with the blog asked me to post the following:
Ultimately, time will prove what remains relevant or influential regarding our time here in 2009; what we deem “kitsch” may one day be considered deep, meaningful, and worth academic pursuit. I agree that works like Harry Potter will be studied, as they have been too large to ignore. However, I do not think that "popular" fiction will be the only discourse studied, at least from an
anthropological perspective. Practices of analyzing texts will have to
adapt to the glut of discourses existent in our present culture-- I can
see the New Historicists becoming ever "new-er" as a result-- as
YouTube videos, tweets, blogs, social networking pages, photosharing
sites, etc. continue to proliferate. In terms of literature (as in
books), I believe that when a student in 2259 opens a Norton or
Longman, they will perhaps find works by authors such as Michael Chabon, Junot Diaz, Cormac McCarthy (though he's been writing
for a while now), Jeffrey Eugenides, and Chuck Palahniuk, among many
other possible candidates for literary canonization-- that is, if
there remains such a thing as "literary canonization" that far in the future...
(cut and pasted from an e-mail message).
If anyone else is having difficulty, please let me know!
I agree that pop culture and other forms of media such as comic books and film will be taught within the classroom, as it effects our classrooms and the way we live today.
But, I hope that they will not solely teach, or even emphasize such writings such as popular magazines or texts from social networks. I believe they should teach literature such as Q & A by Vikas Swarup, or as most poeple know the movie version, Slumdog Millionaire. It is a very insightful book as to the various levels of society today, yet still gives hope to the dream that you can rise from poverty to riches. It should still be a topic of interest to see how much society's views upon those who are impoverished have changed from our time. It is a wonderful story, and shows that despite our advancements, there are still many who live well below the poverty line and search for the everlasting dream of being successful.
If, by some odd chance, 250 years from now there are still literature classes taught in a similar format as today, I believe that many of the books mentioned in the earlier responses, such as the Harry Potter series, will be included in the curriculum. However, I also agree that many of today's social networking and blogging sites will find their way into the class room as well. Sites such as FML and Postsecret chronical contemporary culture in a way never seen before. The forums, which are available globally, tend to convey the similarities between human experiences rather than the differences. I do not mean to imply that the actual text found on any of these sites is especially earth shattering, rather, the impact they have had on the early 21st century culture is much more intriguing.
After reading through all the comments, it certainly seems that most people have mentioned all the points I would like to: that the "literature" of the future will not be literature in the way it is now, but magazine articles, blogs (surprising that only one person has mentioned this so far), twitter accounts, even instant message conversations if they're saved. The popularity of textsfromlastnight.com suggest that the new forms of media transcend and infiltrate each other--remediation at its best.
On the other hand, I absolutely agree that Palahniuk is of important, as well as David Sedaris, authors of books that glimpse into our current culture and comment on it satirically or realistically. It might be argued that we as a current culture cannot produce anything new literature wise (isn't Nicholas Sparks reproducing the idea of romance as it has already been done?), but we could argue the new media that has been brought into it. Instead of content, typography would be discussed more. Instead of grammar, the shortened language of the internet and its evolution would be an interesting class to take.
One could also say we have a new Enlightenment (or that it never ended), and Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris and Carl Sagan have brought astounding scientific discoveries that challenge religion (organized, deist, buddhist, etc.) with the concrete evidence (or lack thereof) that those during the 18th century couldn't produce. In the future, it is possible that the students studying then will continue building on these blocks.
Out of my own pride as being an English major, I would like to hope that future scholars look towards any and every type of literature. Yet I think they also need to somewhat incorporate the demanding "pop" aspect of our culture. I believe that a literary era, if I may, is determined by the surrounding time periods. For instance we are able to somewhat differentiate between the Enlightenment Era and other eras because of the comparison that the previous and proceeding time periods offer. In other words, it will be hard to determine exactly how we will categorize or label our current society until there is any sort of evolution in the society. Future scholars will have to look at not only how our culture came about but how it effected the following cultures, whether that be a continuation of looking at the various realms of the literary world or moving on into the internet, video games, or anything else that arises from the necessity of personal public statements (facebook, twitter, blogs).
With that in mind, it is incredibly hard to pick a literary work that I think students would read in 2259. But a book that would keep the interest would be one by Jonathen Safran Foer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. This book spans over multiple generations of the same family and looks at the devastating effects of life altering happenings. The main story is of a boy who has lost his father in the attack of 9/11, revealing a considerable amount of emotion and inner happenings as well as a historic representation of what has significantly altered our nation. The book is not as deep as the literary geniuses of other time periods, but it provides a sturdy basis because of its reflection on the past in relation to future generations.
It seems to me that journalism - both printed and visual media- would likely be included in the literature of our time, which is to be studied by future students. Whether its an examination of alternative reports on the same issue or an analysis of how the news was conveyed, I think that journalism would be worth studying; considering the impact that it has presently on our collected understanding of events- which has an impact on how we collectively act- or, in the least, that this is the information the "public" at large is feed. Along the same lines, however, I don't think the journalism of our day should be the only literature read by hypothetical future students, or even the primary reading of such students, but rather a supplement to gain further insight into the atmosphere of our current period.
There have been a lot of interesting responses to this question already, and I agree with many that literary studies in the future will most likely incorporate more diverse forms of media such as web pages or internet forums. However, I would like to focus on the more traditional print medium in my response.
I fully agree with Craig that some of the current work that will be studied in the future is exemplified by post-postmodern authors. I have to disagree with Craig, however, that David Foster Wallace is a typical postmodern author. His novel Infinite Jest is instead post-postmodern, and seems the most likely candidate from his collection of works to be canonized; the recent surge of interest in the book, unfortunately somewhat due to his untimely death, is helping to introduce new readers and critics to Wallace as an author.
The influence of postmodern authors such as Pynchon and DeLillo are unmistakable in Wallace's work: one can hardly read Wallace's The Broom of the System without seeing nods and winks to Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49 permeating the book. Wallace's writing abounds with Pynchonesque silly names and mixing of high technology with low humor, as well as commentaries on television and irony that are reminiscent of DeLillo. David Foster Wallace, however, attempted to go beyond the ironic detachment and apathetic world view that tend to taint postmodernist works. His is a literature of caring and empathy, well aware of its postmodern predecessors and unmistakably influenced by them, but striving to move past and make a real emotional connection with the reader. Yes, he uses some standard postmodern devices in the book, but I feel there is a an undercurrent of compassion and sincerity also present that clearly distinguishes the book as post-postmodern. I'll end with a quote from Wallace himself on the Charlie Rose Show:
"And the problem, though, is that a lot of the schticks of post-modernism -- irony, cynicism, irreverence -- are now part of whatever it is that's enervating in the culture itself, right? Burger King now sells hamburgers with "You gotta break the rules," right? So I'm -- I don't really consider myself a post-modernist. I don't consider myself much of anything, but I know that that's the tradition that excited me when I was starting to write."
I agree with everything said by Jill. I believe that books even by Dan Brown, and Harry Potter or Twilight series well still be read in classes. I took a class where we read books like The War of the Worlds and Moby Dick to grasp what the society at the time read for entertainment. The books themselves are very entertaining but also, we read them for discussion on how they were perceived by their original readers.
So although we (as English majors) may believe books like Harry Potter or Twilight lack profound depth, I'm sure they will be read because of how mainstream they are in our current culture.
I definitely believe that electronic "literature" will be studied in the future. As many people have already said, we often read literature today as a culture study and websites, blogs, and even Twitter are a large part of our culture (although some of us still refuse to accept the large impact it is having). In 2259 there will be a class dedicated to the blog genre. Just as we are talking about in this class about the rise of the novel, the rise of the blog will be equally as important to discuss. Its multi-faceted nature will make it a very worth while topic of study. It is being used for individual use, networking, family reasons, in classes (such as this one), and there are even blogs dedicated to fostering creative and collaborative writing. Twitter is a spin of a blog that forces the user to publish short pithy posts of only 140 characters. With how much blogging has grown over the years, I can only imagine that its popularity and abilities will only grow (maybe even exponentially so), which gives reason as to why it would be an important genre to continue studying in the future.
I'm slightly sad to say that I think the Twilight series are going to be part of important literature. Like everyone else seems to be saying, popular culture will greatly shape the literature in the future. The Twilight series is read by almost every teenage girl and its has become a extremely popular series like Harry Potter. The Twilight series will most likely affect the literature in the future because it is so widely read.
I've enjoyed reading all of the posts so far and each one gets me thinking about a possibility for a genre of literature or medium through which classes in 2259 would be taught.
My first instinct upon seeing this question was that the Harry Potter series should be considered. I believe that like we do with texts we read, it could be digested further in the future. Depending on what culture is like 250 years in the future and how we are remembered, the text may be interpreted slightly differently. There is a Christian allegory throughout the novel among symbols and powerful characters. Obviously there is a connection to film through the movies which could bring in another medium to learn.
Lastly, I think some books are studied because of the impact on society and JK Rowling created controversy over magic, teens and if in fact the plot was appropriate for all audiences.
I can't believe that there was so much opposition at one point considering how much popularity JK Rowling and the series received.
I've enjoyed reading all of the posts so far and each one gets me thinking about a possibility for a genre of literature or medium through which classes in 2259 would be taught.
My first instinct upon seeing this question was that the Harry Potter series should be considered. I believe that like we do with texts we read, it could be digested further in the future. Depending on what culture is like 250 years in the future and how we are remembered, the text may be interpreted slightly differently. There is a Christian allegory throughout the novel among symbols and powerful characters. Obviously there is a connection to film through the movies which could bring in another medium to learn.
Lastly, I think some books are studied because of the impact on society and JK Rowling created controversy over magic, teens and if in fact the plot was appropriate for all audiences.
I can't believe that there was so much opposition at one point considering how much popularity JK Rowling and the series received.
I've enjoyed reading all of the posts so far and each one gets me thinking about a possibility for a genre of literature or medium through which classes in 2259 would be taught.
My first instinct upon seeing this question was that the Harry Potter series should be considered. I believe that like we do with texts we read, it could be digested further in the future. Depending on what culture is like 250 years in the future and how we are remembered, the text may be interpreted slightly differently. There is a Christian allegory throughout the novel among symbols and powerful characters. Obviously there is a connection to film through the movies which could bring in another medium to learn.
Lastly, I think some books are studied because of the impact on society and JK Rowling created controversy over magic, teens and if in fact the plot was appropriate for all audiences.
I can't believe that there was so much opposition at one point considering how much popularity JK Rowling and the series received.
I've enjoyed reading all of the posts so far and each one gets me thinking about a possibility for a genre of literature or medium through which classes in 2259 would be taught.
My first instinct upon seeing this question was that the Harry Potter series should be considered. I believe that like we do with texts we read, it could be digested further in the future. Depending on what culture is like 250 years in the future and how we are remembered, the text may be interpreted slightly differently. There is a Christian allegory throughout the novel among symbols and powerful characters. Obviously there is a connection to film through the movies which could bring in another medium to learn.
Lastly, I think some books are studied because of the impact on society and JK Rowling created controversy over magic, teens and if in fact the plot was appropriate for all audiences.
I can't believe that there was so much opposition at one point considering how much popularity JK Rowling and the series received.
Sorry my comment sent multiple times...they are all the same!!
I think that one of my favorite writers, Hunter S. Thompson's works will still be relevant in 250 years. The book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas gives a perspective on the time period a little prior to present day. By no means is this a piece of literature that best represents the time period but it offers an interesting take on a wild time in our country's history.
I think that after reading many of the previous posts on the blog there will be mix of the ideas presented. I believe what one person wrote about how literature of the future will most likely not exist in its present form but in the form of blogs or various magazine articles or little snippets. Thus I believe that many modern works today may be presented in condensed forms as to garner a flavor of what the author had originally intended in future reprints of the material. Quotes and tiny passages will be the mainstay of future written literature.
This being said I believe that the JK Rowling series will still be relevant in the future. When it came out it was very controversial, much like many previous works from times past were, which are still relevant today. A couple examples that I can remember are the works of Ray Bradbury or To Kill a Mockingbird and how they were very controversial in their time and carry a lot of relevance today.
This might be a little out there... But I certainly think that such series as Harry Potter and Twilight will be studied in later gen. ed classes. These books are, simply put, a cultural phenomenon. They have had such a vast impact on our society. Not only have they spawned a growth in teen (and tween) reading. These books have also spawned great controversy in social/religious groups. From this controversy has highlighted and enumerated all the tension of our era. These simple "children's" books have created a great moment in history to study. On top of that, they've created a whole new genre of film, a enormous market for toys, products, etc. These offspring of the books are going to prevalent in our culture and be cause for study in later years.
There have also been scandalous and new works that have been considered for the canon that would never have been previously considered. Such works include A Million Little Pieces and Watchmen. Although A Million Little Pieces was discredited as a autobiographical work, like Macpherson's Ossian, someday this work will come to represent the trends of our period and our time.
All the posts have been great to read but I have to disagree with some. The blogs, twitters, internet news articles of today are abundant. However, so were newspapers, journals, and pamphlets. I believe we will use blogs, tweets, and internet articles similar to that of new periodicals in libraries and as research materials. Graduates and researchers will use those materials to gain insights into our time instead of a canonical literature of our time.
I think that the only direct issue that I have not read on these posts is a major concept in the Future. The audience. The people actually reading these writings through their own looking glass. I think that the exponential growth and diversity of technology will dominate life in 2259. The vast, emptiness or space and the mimicry of artificial intelligence will challenge what it means to be a human sentient being. There will be a greater sense of insecurity in the world because of easy access to an overwhelming amount of information. The acceptance of individuality and the scientific nature bred Enlightenment literature. Further access to information and technology will no doubt do the same.
With computers matching or exceeding human computation, space exploration breeding a sense of infiniteness and even higher risks of war and destruction; the retreat of humankind will be in the abstract and familiar. They will look to our time’s literature because it could be the origination where humans begun to cope with the flow of information, advanced technologies, and instant social interaction worldwide.
The novels that they will see canonized and studied would be works like globalization in The World Is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman, the instance of crisis and momentum in Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point, and his novel about the psychological unconsciousness of Blink. And the absurdity of existence in Milan Kundera’s Immortality.
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