This is a super-important topic, getting to the core of who we are today. Nothing wrong with informational reading, practical how-to manuals, etc. — American students have had such trouble with this that the “new curriculum” is heavy on following directions and less on literary analysis. Makes sense — for now. Part of the issue is the literary terms and themes of old — irony, foreshadowing, exposition, dramatic arc, traditional genre categories — don’t resonate with today’s reader. I recall JD Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye reviews (before my time but our teacher wanted us to see the reaction) — most banned book in schools from 1980–2010 but also the second-most assigned book…. quite the extreme reaction. Reviewers mentioned “exceptional literary style and technique encompassing a character filled with depravity and repulsion” and “a tale that was gripping at first until a few chapters in you have no one to root for, cannot find a thread of decency or human connection to follow; the ceaseless voice of the jaded and merciless Holden Caulfield eventually drives you away from caring what happens to any of these regrettable souls.” This was deep learning for me; it was new, strange, and forced me to consider the views of those who wanted the book banned. These kinds of experiences are invaluable; and good teaching practices include the in-depth social issues that accompany literature. Now we’ve opened the door to creativity and spontaneity. I recall seeing an immigrant student, new to English, in a corner of a classroom, laughing at phrasing in “Catcher” he hadn’t encountered, but getting it fully because it sparked something in him. On the way out, he held up the dog-eared and falling apart paperback and said to me; ‘I like this guy, he’s very real.” I bet the student didn’t forget this once the year was over.