The Importance Of Escape In Literature

“Only the weak-minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry” (Goodreads). While in high school, teenagers are forced to read novels, plays, and news articles. It is a teacher’s goal to not only give students more knowledge; it is also their goal to figure out how many students are weak-minded. Katelynn is the average junior in high school. She plays sports, hangs out with friends, and tries her best in the classroom. Although she would never admit it aloud, Katelynn always looked forward to her English classes. There, she could open her mind to what different novels were truly saying. She knew that there was always a deeper meaning to a novel than what her teachers talked about. It was her goal to find those deeper meanings and put …show more content…
To find escape in literature is simple for some, and difficult for others. In an article written by Sharron McElmeel, she discusses how students differ when it comes to what they want to learn about, and how she has learned about this. McElmeel acknowledges that “One of the best techniques for motivating young readers is to increase their access to books of all types” (4). What this is describing is that when students have more access to new types of literature, they are more likely to understand different concepts. After understanding more difficult concepts, they can find escape from the stress or problems they may be experiencing in their life. Some kids have it worse than others, and those that have it worse may depend on a book to escape their harsh reality of poverty, abuse, or neglect. If opening students up to different types of books led to more students reading for pure enjoyment, some will have the knowledge that books can help them escape reality when things get truly tough. When it feels as though their world is crashing down, a student can escape to a new adventure that is written with such innocence that it makes it perfectly calming. In an article written by Diane Connell, she describes a type of learning disability called Nonverbal Learning Disability (NVLD) that not many people have ever heard about. Connell and Funk claim, “Who is this child with such an usual profile? She is an outstanding reader but has difficulty copying from the board. She has an enormous vocabulary but when she speaks, she manages to alienate her classmates” (1). What this is discussing is that with NVLD, this young child has issues with ordinary tasks, but excels in reading and the understanding of literature. Reading comes with a strange ease for her, and with her other struggles, she may not fit in with other kids her age. With not fitting in and having difficulty