Despite his own love for literature, commentator Tim Gillespie acknowledges that "literature . . . [is often] devalued in the conversation about communication skills of the future." Indeed, Gillespie finds himself having to respond to "pragmatists" who feel that "no one needs literature to be a productive worker, competitive in the global economy. In fact, one can be highly successful in the marketplace with no knowledge whatsoever of literature. . . . The important reading matter of the future will be information, the main reading skills information-gathering and information processing. In other words, "pragmatists" are convinced that "literature is not essential." ...How would you respond to the issue Gillespie raises? Why should 21st-century students study literature--British literature in particular? What are the benefits of such study? How can the doubts of the pragmatists and skeptics be answered?I have to chuckle at these "pragmatists and skeptics" who would say that literature is not necessary for the workplace. Where did they learn their theories? What training did they receive that gives them the authority from which to comment? The answer is that they learned it from the literature, invalidating their own arguments!
Sadly, for many years pedagogical training focused on the pragmatist point of view - children in public schools need to be taught only the basics of reading and writing, some mathematics and technical skills, and they will be ready to go be good little worker bees on assembly lines across the country. This idea was based on skills actually used in the most common workplaces when these theories were generated (the early 1900's).
But, In order to remain competitive in a global marketplace, businesses now need entry-level employees who can think on their feet, communicate fluently, perform in a variety of positions, and come up with better ways to do their own jobs. Students graduating with the skills required for 1912 are completely unprepared for 2012, making a college degree a requirement for many entry-level positions. Why? Because experience has taught employers that most high school graduates are not ready for the workplace. The majority of high school graduates were unable to think beyond what was presented to them, trying to find better solutions - they could only implement the solutions given by others. The more advanced training in university science and liberal arts programs focuses on getting students to think for themselves, try out several answers and come up with something that might work. Most new graduates, taught to sit in a classroom and be quiet, were also completely unprepared to communicate with other members of their team and their supervisors. The emphasis on discussion in literature and theory classes in universities and the requirement to succinctly state a problem and the possible solutions in advanced science courses prepares young people to communicate in the workplace.
British literature, in particular, is necessary for communication. Many high school students are graduating with little understanding of anything more than the conversational language they speak in their homes. Words such as eschew, ubiquitous, superfluous, uncanny, and poignant (now among my pet words) are lost on the average high school graduate (I've had many comments on these words as people have read my writing). The difference between latter and former when selecting between two options may be as inscrutable as an ancient Egyptian papyrus. Yet these terms may well be found in any number of work-related essays, proposals, and instruction sets. For a supervisor to continually have to explain the "big words" to her team members is a waste of time, energy, and money.
The current pedagogical push from kindergarten on is responding to this new paradigm. Children are now expected to read classics in their public school classrooms. The new Common Core exemplar texts range from excerpts by Homer, Ovid, Voltaire, and Kafka in 9th grade to Chaucer, Poe, Austen, and Hawthorne by graduation. In the past, many of these books may have been presented to Honors and AP students, but these texts are now recommended for all English/Language Arts classes. The thinking has shifted. Pragmatists and skeptics who still believe that literature is not required are out of touch with the realities of the modern workplace. Literature, far from being unnecessary, is vital to the communication skills of the future.
