I think I was a Junior, when I read AQotWF, and I admit, that was probably my favorite book of that year (not my favorite thing we read; but as that was the Crucible and not, strictly speaking, a book, well) but that wasn't because it was so great, just that I really hated everything else we read except, as I said, the Crucible which rocks my socks off and will continue to do so for, um, ever.
I like that it was viciously, uncompromisingly realistic but at the same time, that ultra-Shakespearean "everyone dies" ending is just depressing. And I get it, WWI was hideously depressing and even when it was over the depressing still didn't stop because reparations and Stock Market crashes and the subsequent election of Hitler as Chancellor of Germany... On the one hand, it excellently captured the futility of WWI, but. I agree with you -- it's a Classic Novel of Literature Meant to Make You Feel Bad About Everything.
I have not actually read Of Mice and Men. I think we were supposed to read it my sophomore year, but a big hurricane swept through that year and knocked us out of school for almost a month (aside: we were in the middle of Julius Caesar when Katrina hit, and when we returned to class, my teacher said, "We don't have time to finish, so let me sum up: Everyone but Marc Anthony dies. The end. Next book!" I kind of loved her a lot.) Anyway... Yeah.
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I like that it was viciously, uncompromisingly realistic but at the same time, that ultra-Shakespearean "everyone dies" ending is just depressing. And I get it, WWI was hideously depressing and even when it was over the depressing still didn't stop because reparations and Stock Market crashes and the subsequent election of Hitler as Chancellor of Germany... On the one hand, it excellently captured the futility of WWI, but. I agree with you -- it's a Classic Novel of Literature Meant to Make You Feel Bad About Everything.
I have not actually read Of Mice and Men. I think we were supposed to read it my sophomore year, but a big hurricane swept through that year and knocked us out of school for almost a month (aside: we were in the middle of Julius Caesar when Katrina hit, and when we returned to class, my teacher said, "We don't have time to finish, so let me sum up: Everyone but Marc Anthony dies. The end. Next book!" I kind of loved her a lot.) Anyway... Yeah.
<3