Most students at Pleasant Valley understand the joy, or perhaps the affliction, of beginning a new in-class read in their English class. Whether it is your freshman year and you are grabbing Of Mice and Men off of the stacks of hundreds or you are in your junior year skimming through The Great Gatsby, the feeling is universal.
This list will spotlight five favorites classic novels read by Pleasant Valley students and teachers in no particular order.
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Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
Perhaps the most memorable novel of retired teacher Don Fry’s Honors English 9 course, this novel, taking place in the summer of 1928, has annually invoked a nostalgic warm feeling in the hearts and minds of eagerly summer-anticipating freshmen. It is undoubtedly among Pleasant Valley’s most beloved class novels, especially because the finishing of the novel in-class marks the end of the school year.
The novel gets students in the mood for summer with the imaginative and overgrown imagery and a reminder of that childhood summer feeling of new sneakers, the sound of lawn mowers, and, of course, picking dandelions.
Fry himself adored the novel. “There is something about the novel that just hits me in the right spot. I taught it so many times, yet each year I felt it was fresh to me…it gives me (and hopefully others) a reminder to be an active participant in life and attend to everything the journey has to offer. Bradbury’s prose is some of his best, filled with magical moments, causing one to pause and cherish,” he explained.
If Dandelion Wine could be summed up in one word, it would of course be “transcendentalism”— a word that Fry taught the first day students would open the book.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Another novel from the ever-memorable English 9, Of Mice and Men is typically the first novel read as a freshman. Despite the inevitable spoiling of the book by upperclassmen, it presents an important lesson to readers through the lovable characters Lennie and George.
Along with this, it teaches students the importance of following their dreams, and it is taught at a formidable time when it is most important. Senior Natalie Ashby still remembers the significance of the novel years after reading. “[This novel] really left an imprint on me. It showed us many things from feeling alone when you aren’t, [and] the confusing times of being different,” she stated.
Of Mice and Men is a short novel, but it presents deep characters and incredible imagery. It also presents huge ideas in its limited number of pages.
This is why it is one of Fry’s favorites to teach to his freshman. “[Steinbeck] also gives the reader plenty to think about, insightfully examining the importance and nature of companionship, the need for compassion, our place in society and human hope. OM&M has stood the test of time; it is still relevant today, even after having been written over 80 years ago,” he said.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel read by most students while at PV, and like Dandelion Wine, it has a free-spirited child narrator with brilliant writing. On a deeper level, however, the novel has themes that still remain prevalent today that provide all students with a huge amount of insight after reading (or perhaps just from watching the movie in-class).
Senior McKenna Lewis voiced her memory of reading the book sophomore year. “It was an interesting coming of age story that also incorporated themes of racial prejudice and injustice,” she remarked.
English teacher Jenni Levora also adored the political analysis present in the book, stating, “[This] unit is so rich with themes and social commentary and also provides great springboards for critical thinking.”
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Although detested by some students, A Separate Peace is a coming of age novel that teaches students of different themes regarding friendship, competition and growing up. Taught in Honors English 9 and various other courses, the novel is challenging but gives interesting insight through a mind-blowing climax.
Upperclassmen that took Fry’s class may easily recall a loud whisper behind them reminding them how to spell “separate.” Despite the frequent need to fix students’ spelling, Fry thoroughly enjoyed teaching A Separate Peace. “I love how this novel is a treatise on relationships, responsibility and the movement from innocence to experience. It encourages one to look within,” he stated.
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
Siddhartha, read in World Literature, is a classic that is not easily forgotten by students. Featuring themes of spirituality and coming of age, readers follow main character Siddhartha’s lifelong journey towards enlightenment in the enigmatic time of ancient India. Siddhartha is also one of Levora’s favorites. “I love re-reading Siddhartha each year in World Lit,” she said.
Despite the seemingly distant themes of Siddhartha–it may be hard to relate to a Samana in ancient India–it is a favorite among students because of its universal nature. As readers watch Siddhartha experience different life events and realizations, they learn of the inevitably clumsy nature of life. By the end of the novel, students come to understand that these mistakes are part of the final destination to become one’s truest self.
As Pleasant Valley students navigate high school and learning in general, an unforgettable aspect of the intellectual journey is of course the books read along the way. These classics often provide insight that does not just build the academic strengths of students, but teaches them lifelong lessons.
Classics teach students the collective challenges of growing up–thus it is no coincidence that most of PV’s favorite novels happen to have themes of coming of age. And as students grow alongside their favorite characters, one can only hope that they continue their reading journey past high school to allow for further learning.
