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One of the major themes in my classes is coming-of-age and the conflicts between the individual and the society they are in. Being a smaller school, we have a very limited number of novels with enough copies to go around. . And the novels with enough readable copies tend to be older, and harder for the 21st century student to connect with. Though some of these titles are classics and great reads, we have found that they tend not to have protagonists students connect to. Instead, we want books that can show students how raw, lonely, confusing, and redemptive the final journey to adulthood can be. Whether they are ready or not, one or two years after they take a class with me, students will be out in the world, and for many of them it will be something they cannot prepare for. "Catcher in the Rye" and "Into the Wild" provide glimpses of what might await them. We will use these novels to spark discussion about how "realistic" the protagonists are. To debate and open up about stressors and issues facing young people today. To come to terms with how to deal with depression and anxiety. And how not to lose yourself, both literally and figuratively.
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