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Do you have literature suggestions or do we just have them read literature from the same time period that we are studying?   Lo

4/2/2013

2 Comments

 
Thank you, Lo, for your wonderful question.  At present, the Classical Historian does not offer a recommended list of literature to read along with our history courses, and we are reluctant to do so. 

There are some misconceptions regarding trying to combine a history program with literature.  First, the study of history is analyzing historical evidence in order to understand the past and its meaning, and to impart on students analytical tools.  Historians use primary and secondary resources and analytical tools to make sense of the past. Primary sources are those that are created by eyewitnesses of the event. The criteria the historian places on finding and reporting the truth are extremely high, or they should be!  The historian's goal is to report what actually happened, and then to convey to the reader the meaning of these events using reasonable judgement.

The writer of literature, however, is not a historian, and his writings are not primary or even secondary sources. In fact, a literary work is not really a view into the actual setting of the story, but it is more a view into the life and time of the author.  A good friend of mine explained to me that in literature, there is setting and context.  The setting is when and where the story takes place. The context, however, is the time period of the writer and the writer's own personal history and perspective.  For example, Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is more about the writings of a gentleman (Twain) who reminisces about his ideal version of a lost America instead of a historical reporting of events in the United States before the Civil War.

The writer is not held to the same accountability as the historian.  A writer's job is to convey theme through his craft, and to be interesting to enough people so that he sells books and makes a living. Theme is the message, or meaning of the story. Theme can involve a message of historical importance, but in the end, it is one person's view, that is not even expected to be historically accurate.  Another way to look at it, is to recall movies that are based on historical figures, but they are not historically accurate.  Movie directors attempt to convey an interesting story, in order to make the most money and to make a point, but, they do not need to be historically accurate.   

To teach history from literature alone is a serious error, because we are giving to writers too much credit.  Asking children to create a picture of the past based mainly on the context of the writer is full of dangers and open to manipulation. However, we understand it is pleasant to read historical fiction - we love to! :)


For those of you looking for a top literature program, we strongly recommend Center for Lit., Adam and Missy Andrew's company.  
2 Comments
Allison Willis
4/11/2013 10:52:02 pm

When we first started to explore the idea of homeschooling our children, we heard a presentation by one of the popular homeschool advocates of the time (this is going back several years). When he discussed teaching history, I remember him clearly saying that one of the advantages of homeschooling was that you had the freedom to get out of the textbook . . . for example . . . go back to the source documents. When my oldest hit middle school and we started "serious studies" we chose a curriculum that was heavily literature based . . . after two years and stacks (literally stacks) of books read, I wasn't satisfied. We'd gotten away from the textbook . . . but were not looking at any sources of history and in my mind . . . that is what homeschoolers did. I started to think that maybe textbooks weren't so bad after all - as a "spine" for a history "curriculum" - if they were supplemented with source documents. For the past four years, we've used a basic text for each time period we've studied, but supplemented with source after source after source. This has been time consuming, especially for me the teacher (I teach a weekly co-op for around twenty students in addition to my own children) . . . finding the sources is easier now that so much is available on the internet . . . but often translations use so much archaic language that I either have to read sources with students (and "translate" into modern vocabulary as we go along) or I have to produce a "pre-translated" modification for them to read. I sometimes wonder if the time and effort are worth it. I decided that I was on the right track after a college visit with my daughter. She's thinking of majoring in history . . . while visiting one of the professors, we discussed their history program. He explained that they don't focus as much on dates as they do on trends, themes, what led up to events, etc., AND source documents (which he condescendingly surmised she'd not had much exposure to depending upon her high school's curriculum . . . we graciously let that comment slide by).

So . . . to the point. While attending a homeschool conference and looking for a U.S. Government curriculum, I was checking out high school history curriculum, too. I was troubled when looking through the list of "ancient literature" students were supposed to read along with one particular company's course. Historical fiction. I mentioned to my daughter how disappointing the list was. Another family was standing nearby, and I was apparently overheard. The mother, very kindly, told me that she'd read a certain book mentioned on the list, and that it was actually very good. I agreed with her, I'd read the particular book too, and it was a good book . . . but I didn't think it counted as Egyptian literature since it was written in the early 1900's. She believed the historical fiction had value because it made a time period come to life for students. I agreed, but still felt it was inappropriate on a list that was supposedly literature from the time period. I left wondering to myself if I've become a "source documents" snob! I don't want to be that. Nevertheless, I was troubled by that ancient literature list.

Today I read your article about why you hesitate to recommend a reading list. You were able to articulate what I was "feeling" - historical fiction can bring an era to life - but it is still fiction that is subject to the interpretation of the author. Thanks for helping me clarify that in my mind.

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HQ Backlink link
2/24/2023 08:22:15 am

I got what you mean , thanks for posting .Woh I am happy to find this website through google.

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  • Home
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    • What is the Classical Historian?
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