Saturday, March 25, 2017

Dearth of a Salesman

The other night the FP Gal and I were talking about classic literature that we read in high school. This conversation was started because I was talking about my interactions with my classmates in my college literature course. My class has been sub-divided into smaller groups of five or six and my group consists of several young high schoolers, mostly women. Their approach to the poems and stories that we've been reading is very different than mine. This is understandable and not at all meant as a criticism. An 18 year old must have a very different perspective on fundamental issues like death and marriage.
Anyway, this lead me to talk with the FP Gal about what 'classic' stuff we had read while in high school. I mentioned that I'd happened to read 'Death of a Salesmen' twice and didn't feel the need to read it ever again. She calmly told me that it's probably a piece that isn't meant for high school. We both agreed that it might be valuable for me to read it now, as a middle age man who is frustrated in his work career.
Alas! I was pretty sure that it was all packed up. I probably have five or six copies of it in different collections but I've already packed the drama section of my bookshelves. I told her that I'd feel some obligation to follow up and reread it, but I couldn't.
You can see where this is going, can't you? Two weeks from now, in my lit class, we'll be reading 'Death of a Salesmen'.

Joy.

No comments: