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In your notebook: List 3 movies every American should see, and why.

In your notebook: List 3 movies every American should see, and why. (I’ll be collecting your draft letters, so have those out.). “The Canon”. The word “canon” originally meant the list of saints accepted by the Catholic church.

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In your notebook: List 3 movies every American should see, and why.

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  1. In your notebook: List 3 movies every American should see, and why. (I’ll be collecting your draft letters, so have those out.)

  2. “The Canon” • The word “canon” originally meant the list of saints accepted by the Catholic church. • Now it also means a body of literature that’s considered the “best”—the most important and influential in shaping Western culture. • Typically these are the texts included in high school and college curricula

  3. Traditional Views of the Canon (Why these texts have value and should be taught) • They are the most beautiful texts ever written • They contain universal truths that everyone can relate to • They hold our society together • You need to know them in order to fully understand and participate in our society

  4. Criticisms of the Canon Traditional View Critical View It’s mostly white male Judeo-Christian authors on the list. Do only white men write beautiful literature? Beautiful by what standards? Are you overlooking other kinds of beauty? • These texts are the most beautiful ever written

  5. Criticisms of the Canon Traditional View Critical View You’re saying “universal,” but really the people that relate are going to be people of the dominant culture (white, well-off) People of non-dominant culture either have to change to fit in, or be written off as “uneducated” or “not getting it” This is just a way of keeping an unfair power structure in place. • They contain universal truths that everyone can relate to

  6. Criticisms of the Canon Traditional View Critical View They may hold part of this society together (by reinforcing shared values, etc.)—but they also EXCLUDE the part of our society that doesn’t identify with them Our society is diverse and changing. We should teach a diverse and changing list of texts. • These texts hold our society together

  7. Criticisms of the Canon Traditional View Critical View Again, this is just a way of keeping one cultural group more powerful. Ok, maybe it is USEFUL to be able to understand and use these references—but remember they are just a tool of power, not some absolute truth. • You need to know these texts in order to fully understand and participate in our society • (You wouldn’t want to miss all those Shakespeare references!...)

  8. So…what are the alternatives? • Broaden the curriculum to include texts by more diverse authors • Teach canonical texts critically—focusing on what’s biased or problematic about them, rather than on their “greatness” • Try to identify the specific qualities that get a book included in the canon. Consider other kinds of value systems that might privilege a different set of texts.

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