I am starting out the year by dazzling my 14-year old students with the wonders of small town gang warfare. Specifically, warfare of the male, teenage variety. In this mileu, bravery is being on the large side of a four-against-one confrontation. Hey, it is easy to be brave when the victim of your agression is smaller and younger. I am describing the action in chapter 1 of The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. The question I ask myself is this: Why doesn't anyone in class ever point this out? Possible answer: middle school students prefer the titilation bullying produces. Laughs. Wiggle-in-your-seat excitement.
If this violence stuff, the bullying, bothers me, why do I teach this novel? I teach it because the victim of early bullying grows, learns, becomes empathetic, and eventually overcomes the petty forces of cowardace. Hip hip hooray!
Besides, the novel if full of beautiful language, imagery, and goofy 1960's slang. Gotta love that.
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