Harry Potter and the Sparkling Vampire

I have read both Twilight and Harry Potter multiple times, but I have never been asked to compare them. There were more similarities than I had expected and several differences I had never considered. Obviously, these are both stories of teenagers facing new environments and magical worlds of which they were not previously aware. Upon further reading, however, I found similarities between characters, such as Carlisle and Dumbledore. These two characters from the different novels both act as the wise mentor, looking out for the young heroes and answering their questions. This connection was only seen after thinking about the two familiar stories in relation to one another.

I think Foster raises an important point in this article. Too often, books are chosen because they have always been on the curriculum and are therefore expected to remain there. While I believe than many of those same books, such as To Kill A Mockingbird, The Scarlet Letter, and Shakespeare, should continue to be taught, the decision should be based on whether or not they are “good enough to teach.” How this is determined is definitely tricky, but how much the students benefit from reading the texts is certainly an important consideration. The books I enjoyed reading and learning about most were ones that stood out because of the message they gave, the quality of the writing, and/or my ability to relate to the characters in the story. I’m not sure how I would choose what is worthy to be taught. However, I agree with Foster when he asks teachers what they want to teach, because if the teacher enjoys teaching it, it is far more likely that the class will enjoy learning it.

In my personal opinion, I think Harry Potter and especially Twilight are better left off the syllabus for adolescent students. I read both for fun, outside the classroom, and I think that is where they should remain. I will admit that I would not have minded having to read them for class, but for more reluctant readers than myself, there seems to be an unavoidable taint on books on a reading list. My fellow students in middle and high school always sounded shocked when they admitted that they actually liked reading a book for class. I think these two bestsellers are better when read for the sake of enjoyment.

That being said, if these books were chosen for the classroom, I believe they could teach adolescents some valuable lessons. Seeing how two teenagers face new environments and find the strength to overcome obstacles would be beneficial to adolescents. Bella and Harry are both presented with new ideas and ways of thinking, as well as views on life. Learning to keep your mind open to new things and to accept new ideas is valuable during a transitional time in life. Both novels also illustrate the importance of friendship and family, even though they may be chosen and not biological, which is one of the most important messages in my opinion. Ultimately, I believe if a teacher wants to teach one of these books and can teach it well, then there is no reason they shouldn’t.

Copper Sun Reflection

I enjoyed reading Copper Sun. I found it enlightening, thought provoking, and appropriate for the audience for whom it was written. I have been taught about the history of slavery but I had never seen slavery through the eyes of one of its victims. It is one thing to be told slavery is wrong, but Copper Sun was very effective in showing exactly how wrong it is. Even after years of learning about the inhumanity of the slave trade, I was still surprised by some of the descriptions Draper gave. The slave auction was especially powerful to me because I live near Charleston and have stood in the same place where Amari was sold. The circumstances of our visits to Charleston are so drastically different that while I read I found it difficult to compare the place I know and love to the setting described in Draper’s novel.

I appreciated Draper’s description of the initial kidnapping of the Africans from their villages and the journey up until they were forced onto the slave ships. I have heard many stories about the horrible conditions faced by slaves aboard the ships and on the plantations, but this was the first time I have heard about what they had to go through before they even began the trip across the ocean.

I think this is an important book for teens because it gives not only a realistic view of the evils of slavery, but also a clear message of hope and overcoming obstacles. Everyone should learn the truth about slavery so we can be sure never to repeat history. Draper helps educate teens about the past while giving them hope for their future. Copper Sun’s message of hope can be applied to the difficulties teenagers face during the transitional period of their lives. Though the obstacles they face may not be as large as those faced by Amari and Polly, they too can hope for the future while facing the unknown.