It’s Time for Harvard Students To Pick Up a Book

By Lotem L. Loeb

By Claire V. Miller, Contributing Opinion Writer

The Crimson

Summary of “It’s Time for Harvard Students To Pick Up a Book”

In their Harvard Crimson article, “It’s Time for Harvard Students To Pick Up a Book,” Claire V. Miller highlights the alarming decline in literature’s presence in Harvard College’s curriculum and advocates for the introduction of an English course requirement. Miller argues that such a requirement would not only expose students to the benefits of reading fiction but also foster critical thinking and intellectual engagement.

The Problem: A Lack of Literature in Harvard Curricula

Despite Harvard’s commitment to a liberal arts education, literature is noticeably absent from many students’ academic experiences. Current requirements, such as the Arts and Humanities and Expository Writing courses, often lack full-length novels. Students, even those in advanced programs, may graduate without having read an entire work of fiction. Miller finds this trend troubling, as literature uniquely challenges students to grapple with moral ambiguity, navigate complex ideas, and understand diverse perspectives.

The Benefits of Reading Literature

Miller emphasizes that fiction enables students to confront uncomfortable truths and empathetically explore multifaceted characters. Literature encourages readers to deliberate on moral dilemmas and form their own judgments, contributing to the “intellectual vitality” that Harvard values. Unlike some disengaged classrooms, English sections at Harvard often spark deep, thought-provoking discussions. Professors encourage active participation, making these classes both enjoyable and enriching.

The Need for a New Requirement

To address this gap, Miller proposes a required English course modeled after Harvard’s Quantitative Reasoning with Data (QRD) requirement. Just as the QRD curriculum includes diverse, interdisciplinary offerings, an English requirement could feature specialized literature courses tailored to students’ interests in medicine, law, math, or history. This flexibility would make literature accessible and relevant to all students, not just those pursuing humanities concentrations.

Reinvigorating Respect for Literature

The decline in reading habits often starts before college, rooted in inadequate high school curricula. Harvard, Miller argues, has a responsibility to reverse this trend by fostering an appreciation for literature. Assigning a manageable number of novels and teaching them effectively can help students rediscover the value of reading without overwhelming them.

Final Thoughts

Miller acknowledges that not all students will enjoy reading, just as she doesn’t relish calculus problem sets. However, education is about broadening horizons and gaining a well-rounded perspective, even in areas outside one’s comfort zone. An English requirement could inspire students to appreciate literature’s merits and perhaps lead them to pick up a book for pleasure in the future.

Conclusion

Introducing a required English course at Harvard would restore literature’s place in higher education, enriching students’ intellectual and personal growth. Miller concludes with a personal reflection: as she reads novels in the library, her peers express envy at her engagement with physical books—an experience that should be more common among Harvard students.

Source: Miller, C. V. (2024). It’s Time for Harvard Students To Pick Up a Book. The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved from https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2024/12/5/harvard-students-pick-up-a-book/.

Original Article

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com