Rewriting the canon: what the American classroom should read next

Rewriting the canon: what the American classroom should read next

The literary canon is a hot debate in academia, but the American classroom has its favorites: The “Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton, “1984” by George Orwell, and “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley are just the tip of the iceberg.  While each novel taught in English class has its own characters and plot, there are common themes that expand students’ understanding of humanity and society. American Philosopher Sandra Harding, in her Standpoint Theory, said th…