In the article “The Dark Night of the Soul,” By Richard E. Miller, I understand what this author is trying to convey about reading and writing in the classroom, however, I am not sure I agree. I believe much of the killings taking place in and out of our schools occur because of something much deeper than reading and writing. Reading and writing are essential and does create deeper reflection about who we are in our society. Yet just like anything presented to us, some will be effect and others will not. There are always going to be people who go through the motion as students, disregarding the lessons being communicated. Then there are others who will genuinely benefit from what is being taught in the classroom. Pat Schroader argues that children isolate themselves from the world and get over-involved in the magic of technology instead of connecting with others in the real world. However, as Miller points out these boys who masterminded the shooting spree at Columbine, were very connected to the world. He states,
Harris and Kldebold, in fact wrote and produced for all different sorts of media, they read a range of material that supported their beliefs, and that taught them how /to put together their incendiary devices; they hung out with like-minded individuals and discussed their ideas. They rely on writing to post their scathing observations about their peers on Harris’s Website; they composed poems in their creative writing class that their teacher described as “dark and sad”; they created a video for a class project in which they acted out their fantasy of moving through the school gunning down their tormentors.” He ends the paragraph with, ‘They read, they wrote, they talked. And in the end of the process, they tried to kill everyone they could.”
These boys were connected to the world, but a world very different from our own. And I think this same statement can be made for many of these young killers in the article. For teachers to now doubt the presents of reading, writing and great literature in the classrooms because they believe it is not making a difference, would be committing the ultimate crime. Unfortunately, the problem with these young killers has nothing to do with reading and writing in the classroom. In my opinion, their problems stem much deeper within them. As discouraging as it must be for teachers to feel their efforts are meaningless, we must continue to expose and motivate students through literature. Just imagine where we would be as a society without the many great readings and writings create in our culture. These readings give us meaning into other societies and help us aspirer to be better people – sadly, there will be some we can never reach.
Lucinda
Actually, Lucinda, Miller and you are making the same point. Your statement–“I believe much of the killings taking place in and out of our schools occur because of something much deeper than reading and writing”–is exactly the point Miller is making. The question is not whether we should stop reading and writing, but what the goal of them are in a world where we are confronted with schoolroom violence and readership is at an all-time low.
I understood his point – I could hear that view when he contradicted the congresswoman. He just confused me at the end of the article doubting his efforts in the classroom teaching reading and writing. He was making a strong case against Pat Schroader and than he seemed to agree with her.