Movies...

Molière (2007)

In 1658, playwright/actor Molière, having been given a theater in the capital by the King, is back in Paris after touring the kingdom of France with his company of players. One day, a young lady asks him to follow her to the deathbed of her mother... Thirteen years earlier, Molière already runs a troupe but goes broke and is thrown to prison. Fortunately, his debt is covered by Monsieur Jourdain, a rich man who wants him to help him rehearse a one-act play he has written with a view to seducing a beautiful bright young widow. As Jourdain is married to Elmire, and is the "respectable" father of two daughters his design must remain secret so Molière is introduced into the house as an austere priest...mistaken identity, cuckoldry, and hilarity ensue.

M: I just recently saw this movie and it was fantastic. Much more humorous than I had originally though, especially the scenes in which Moliere is giving acting lessons to Monsieur Jourdain...who knew horses could be so different!

Middle School Reads...

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

In a time when a good marriage decides a girl's future, Mrs. Bennet is doing everything she can to find her five daughters the perfect match. But sometimes things don't work out the way they should. Especially for smart, independent, and stubborn Elizabeth Bennet. When she meets the handsome and wealthy Mr. Darcy, he seems proud and arrogant. But could her first impression be wrong?

This is the perfect story of love, life, and foolish misunderstanding.

M: Amazing! Lizzie Bennet is such a wonderful character who is able to see the error of her judgements and come to terms with her own misconceptions. Everyone has a flaw and she is able to see hers and make amends accordingly. Great characters all around!

Middle School Reads...

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

The novel describes the passionate love between the courageous orphan Jane Eyre and the brilliant, brooding, and domineering Rochester. The loneliness and cruelty of Jane's childhood strengthens her natural independence and spirit, which prove invaluable when she takes a position as a governess at Thornfield Hall. But after she falls in love with her sardonic employer, her discovery of his terrible secret forces her to make a heart-wrenching choice. Ever since its publication in 1847, Jane Eyre has enthralled every kind of reader, from the most critical and cultivated to the youngest and most unabashedly romantic. It lives as one of the great triumphs of storytelling and as a moving and unforgettable portrayal of a woman's quest for self-respect.

M: Great novel! I read it in seventh grade and absolutely loved it! I had recently moved to Texas from Pennsylvania and I was able to connect with Jane through our shared sense of being an outsider. Everyone should read it. Period.

College Course Texts...

The Book of Margery Kempe by Margery Kempe

Considered by some to be the first autobiography in the English language, the book follows Margery's life as she encounters God and travels on many pilgrimages across Europe. The text was transcribed by two different scribes under her supervision.

M: The book is very interesting to consider and helps illuminate the experiences of a middle class woman in the Middle Ages. Somewhat slow, but clearly a classic and noteworthy text.

College Course Texts...

Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozol

Kozol discusses the disparities in education between schools of different classes and races. It is based on his observations of various classrooms in the public school systems of East St. Louis, Chicago, New York City, Camden, Cincinnati, and Washington D.C.. His observations take place in both schools with the lowest per capita spending on students and the highest, ranging from just over $3,000 in Camden, NJ to a maximum expenditure of up to $15,000 in Great Neck, NY.

M: This book was shocking to me and opened up an entirely unexplored truth. I especially recommend this book to anyone entering the field of education.

College Course Texts...

Maggie: A Girl of the Streets by Stephan Crane

The story follows Jimmie Johnson and his family as they struggle to survive in New York's Bowery neighborhood. Jimmie, his older sister Maggie, and their younger brother must face an abusive father and a drunken mother. As Maggie struggles to rise above her situation, her reputation is questioned and tarnished until she is left with no choice but to become the very thing she is accused of being.

Maggie is a shockingly explicit portrait of the brutal conditions that existed in the poverty-stricken slums of New York.

M: Great story about a young girl who tries so hard for a better life but is given a losing hand by Fate.

Maggie...

College Course Texts...

The Red Badge of Courage by Stephan Crane

Henry Fleming is a young, idealistic 18 year-old who signs up with the Union Army during the American Civil War. He cannot wait to earn his "badge of courage" on the battle field, but as he faces the actual brutality and horror of his first battle, his dreams of heroism and invulnerability shatter before his eyes. He flees from the Confederate enemy and witnesses the death of a close friend. Caught in the seemingly never ending terror of war, it is ultimately Fleming's own anger and confusion that spur a true act of courage.

M: Excellent novel that helps bring both the Civil War and the horrors of battle into perspective, especially for young students.

Red Badge of Courage