The Books That Made Us Groan: When Mandatory Reading Feels Like a Punishment
We’ve all been there. You’re handed a thick, dusty novel in class, told it’s a “classic,” and suddenly feel your enthusiasm for reading deflate like a punctured balloon. While many assigned books become lifelong favorites (To Kill a Mockingbird, anyone?), others leave us scratching our heads—or worse, counting the minutes until the unit ends. Let’s talk about the books that made us dread English class and why some “must-read” titles miss the mark for modern readers.
The Usual Suspects: Books That Spark Universal Eye-Rolls
Ask a room of adults about their least favorite mandatory read, and you’ll hear the same titles repeated like a broken record. The Scarlet Letter often tops the list. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1850 tale of Puritan hypocrisy and embroidered red letters feels about as relatable to a 16-year-old as dial-up internet. Students groan at the dense prose, archaic language, and Hester Prynne’s endless suffering. One Reddit user put it bluntly: “It’s like watching paint dry… if the paint were also judging you for having fun.”
Then there’s The Catcher in the Rye. J.D. Salinger’s angsty protagonist, Holden Caulfield, has become a polarizing figure. While some teens connect with his cynicism, others find him insufferably whiny. “I kept waiting for him to do something besides complain,” lamented a college freshman. The book’s lack of plot and Holden’s repetitive rants about “phonies” leave many wondering why it’s hailed as a coming-of-age masterpiece.
And who could forget Moby-Dick? Herman Melville’s obsession with 19th-century whaling minutiae—entire chapters devoted to rope taxonomy or the ethics of harpooning—has tested the patience of generations. As one teacher joked, “It’s the only book where students cheer when the whale finally shows up… 500 pages in.”
Why Do These Books Flop? It’s Not (Always) the Book’s Fault
Before we declare these classics irredeemable, let’s acknowledge an uncomfortable truth: Sometimes, it’s how we’re taught—not the book itself—that breeds resentment.
Take Shakespeare. His plays are crammed with raunchy jokes, sword fights, and psychological drama. Yet students often recoil at the Elizabethan language, unaware that Romeo and Juliet is basically a TikTok-worthy story of impulsive teens and family drama. When teachers focus solely on iambic pentameter quizzes rather than the raw human emotions at play, even the Bard becomes a chore.
Timing also matters. Lord of the Flies, a brutal exploration of human savagery, might resonate deeply with a mature reader. But asking a 13-year-old to analyze the symbolism of Piggy’s glasses while they’re still processing cafeteria politics? It’s like serving filet mignon to someone who just wants chicken nuggets.
The Disconnect Between “Important” and “Impactful”
Many mandatory reads are chosen for their historical significance rather than their ability to engage. The Great Gatsby critiques 1920s excess, but Jay Gatsby’s tragic parties can feel distant to kids raised on social media influencers. As one high schooler noted, “Why obsess over green lights and fancy cars when we’re worrying about student debt and climate change?”
This isn’t to say old books lack value. But when educators prioritize “cultural literacy” over relevance, students miss the chance to see literature as a mirror for their own lives. A ninth-grader forced to slog through Pride and Prejudice might never discover that Lizzie Bennet’s wit and societal pressures have parallels in today’s dating apps and TikTok fame.
When Bad Teaching Meets Good Literature
Even brilliant books can crash and burn with the wrong approach. 1984 and Brave New World are prophetic dystopian novels, but reducing them to vocabulary lists (“Define doublethink”) strips away their urgency. Imagine discussing surveillance capitalism, AI ethics, or misinformation through Orwell’s lens instead of memorizing plot points—suddenly, Winston Smith’s rebellion feels less like homework and more like a survival guide.
Similarly, The Diary of Anne Frank loses its emotional weight when taught as a Holocaust checklist. One student shared, “We analyzed her metaphors for a test, but never talked about how her hopes and fears were just like ours.” When trauma becomes an academic exercise, it risks numbing readers to the very humanity these stories aim to preserve.
The Case for Updating the Canon
The most common complaint about mandatory reading lists? They’re stuck in the past. While Hemingway and Steinbeck deserve their spots, why not pair them with contemporary voices? Imagine exploring themes of identity through The Hate U Give alongside Invisible Man, or discussing immigration with The Book of Unknown Americans and The Grapes of Wrath.
Teachers are slowly embracing this mix. A middle school instructor in Texas replaced Old Yeller with Ghost by Jason Reynolds, a novel about a Black kid navigating poverty and track meets. “For the first time,” she said, “my students argued about who got to read aloud.”
The Takeaway: Reading Shouldn’t Feel Like a Sentence
The worst mandatory books often share two traits: They’re taught without context, and their deeper truths get buried under academic jargon. The goal shouldn’t be to force students to “appreciate” classics, but to help them discover how stories—old or new—connect to their world.
So, what’s your most hated assigned read? Whether it’s Melville’s whale saga or Fitzgerald’s doomed love story, remember: It’s okay to dislike a book. What matters is staying open to the ones that surprise you. After all, today’s dreaded paperback might become tomorrow’s dog-eared favorite—if given a second chance.
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