Why YA Literature? classification isn't the classics, but does that matter?

​Two weeks ago, I began a discussion of some of the reasons a few educators are reluctant to use YA literature in the classroom. I discussed the first reason, YA literature is quality literature, in a blog post on Oct. 21, 2020. I, of course, believe that a great deal of YA literature is of high quality and deserves  to be included in a variety of ways in our classroom. Today, I take on the second objection --The YA classification isn't the classics and don't students need to know them and have a flow of literary history? Well, this has several parts that I will address below.

The YA classification isn't the classics and don't students need to know them and have a flow of literary history?

I want to look at that objection in several ways. The first is use the term "YA classification" versus YA literature. The second part is that it isn't the classics. The large assumption here is that even if YA selection is of high quality, it still isn't the classic. Finally, the last part of the discussion for this week-- Don't students need to know the flow of literary history. Let's take a look.

Why use "YA classification" vs YA literature?

I find that my students often think about YA literature as a genre. As a group of books that can be easily encapsulated and put to the side. I use the term classification because it gives my students pause. They often wonder what I am talking about. Then I get to explain. YA is Literature written with a big L that is part of all Literature. Just as every other text in the larger world of Literature, texts within the YA classification can easily be assigned into a genre--poetry, drama, science fiction, fantasy, etc. The classification of YA has more to do with the audience the work is written for and/or marketed towards. It has very little to do with it's quality and genre.

I believe my preservice teachers and others who are just beginning to explore YA have a limited view of how vast the offerings can be. I find that I am reading more and more nonfiction , but I still am not reading as much fantasy, science fiction, poetry, drama, and romance fiction. I still find my interest locked on to older realistic fiction.  

YA might be high quality, but it still isn't a classic text.

First, define a classic. In many cases it still means dead white male writers from Britain or New England in the USA.  Oh, in some periods people include a few female writers as a way of "expanding" the canon, Jane Austin, Edith Warton, Mary Ann Evans, Kate Chopin, Virginia Wolff, Flannery O'Connor, etc. Creating lists like these tend to demonstrate how white, elite, and colonial they really are. Even if we stay in this tradition, how old is a book before it is a classic? Are we ready to include Toni Morrison or Alice Walker? Do we want to include Walter Mosely? I do, but he is still alive and writing. And, granted, perhaps his best work is in the detective genre and does that really count. After all we have neglected, Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and Ross MacDonald. 

Clearly, defining the classics gets messy and complicated. Even establishing who gets to argue which books are/or might be included is political and complicated. The degree to which diverse authors are included is quite complicated. For example, teacher might include Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, (a wonderful book, but the way) and claim or feel they have represented "African" literature. While, Achebe is a member of Igbo people within the borders of present-day Nigeria, it would be a huge overstatement to say the selection represents all African literature, a continent with 54 countries. It would be similar to suggestion that a work by William Faulkner would be a representation of all work from the Americas.

Having students read a single work or five to ten "classic" works in any given course it would still make it difficult to say that we have taught or introduced them to the classics. Any attempt is limiting and bound to marginalize many groups--especially those that are members of some diverse group.

At the same time, one might argue that the YA classification has its own "classics." In many ways that list would also be quite white, yet it would include an equal number of women-- S. E. Hinton, Judy Blume, Lois Lowery, Cynthia Voight, etc. The list of males might include Paul Zindel, Robert Cormier, Jerry Spinelli, Mel Glenn, etc. In addition, there are at least four Black American Authors that should be included--Walter Dean Myers, Julius Lester, Virginia Hamilton, and Mildred Taylor. 

If the term classics suggest a text of high quality, critical reputation, and longevity then It is past time to recognize that the YA classification has its share of classic texts. Then after that, the debate about the nature can rage on.

Don't students need to know the flow of literary history.

Do students need to know the flow of literary history? Do they need to know major dates--1066, 1660, or1832? Do they need to know about the great vowel shift? Do they need to know how deeply the metaphysical poets influenced T. S. Eliot and through Eliot most of modern poetry for at least a decade? Do they need to know how Cleanth Brooks, R. W. B. Lewis, and Robert Penn Warren developed and preached New Criticism in a way that dominated literary theory, Literary textbooks, and literature courses for at least a couple of generation and is still a powerful influce today? Who doesn't respond to the demands of paradox, tension, and irony when reading and analyzing a text?

Well, if all of our middle and high school students were planning on being English majors, that might be a fine plan. New flash, they aren't.

Okay, then. let's assume that for some reason Literary History is essential knoweldge. 

It isn't that hard to teach. It is a couple of power point lectures with a couple of quizzes. It isn't any more difficult to teach than the times table in Math, the period table of elements in Chemistry, or the process of photosynthesis in Biology. All of these can be reduced to the presentation of facts that can be repeated until mastery. Does the accumulation of this information develop a love of learning or a love of reading? Does it promote joy and quest for the next book? 

I doubt it. So, go ahead take a day or two and lecture on literary history. Give a test. Most of your students will do just fine, but they won't run out and read Milton or Gerard Manly Hopkins. More likely, your students will read what you encourage them to read, they will read what you are excited about. They will read what their peers are reading. 

Remember the Harry Potter phenomenon? Many pundits passed on the book. It was felt to be too long, a long with a number of other objections. Yet, once it got in the hands of readers it spread by work of mouth and became part of a reading revolution.

In summary for this week, the YA classification is large and full of representative works from every genre. It has been developing its identity since at least 1967. It is logically to assume that their is a growing body of classic text. And, if you think your students know about literary history, then go ahead and give them a lesson or two. At the same time, decide on your goals. If they include developing fluency, comprehension, and a love a reading then a healthy supply of YA texts in your classroom might be a great solution.

​Until next week.