The Canon

After reading both handouts for class ("Defining the Canon" by Harold H. Kolb Jr and "Canon to the Right of Me" by Katha Pollitt,) I have decided that I agree with the more liberal view. Without diversity a unique personality would not exist. Without diversity society could just as well remove the arts from any academic institution. Richard Ohman stated that literature in society is chosen by a society's values and interests. Ohman was correct in saying that. I know as a student, I would prefer to read a piece that I can relate to; if I can not become part of the piece that I am reading I begin to just read and not absorb. I too believe that there should be diversity in choosing a canon. There should be a canon but it should not be limited to Western Literature and pieces written while this nation was still a young one. Contemporary pieces and minority writers should also be included in the canon. It seems to be easier to relate to a minority writer because of the every day struggles they describe, life is not perfect for anyone and it's nice to see that you are not the only one struggling from day to day. Like Kolb stated, "...a list of great books cannot exist by itself, seperate from convictions about greatness. A canon is a cultural mirror, imaging our notions of who we are."