The Present Crisis by James Russell Lowell

2 Responses

  1. Nancy says:

    I am looking into your curriculum for my 8th grader next year. I watched your YouTube review on your curriculum and enjoyed it when you made clear that this would be easy for math minded individuals such as myself to successfully educate my child in classical literature. Considering recent events, I felt that even in Classical literature we should include available African American Authors. I know you spend many hours debating your text material due to the tremendous amount of options. You also include supplements to explain surrounding events of your literature choices in order to give a broader perspective. In your current curriculum is there a way to include more diversity in authors? In other words, I want to be conscientious of current events while exploring the past. Is that something I can do with your materials?

    • Thank you for writing, Nancy!
      I appreciate the question, especially at this time. EIL is designed to provide a foundation of great works within the cultural context of their time and place. For most modules, that means there’s an opportunity to read poetry, listen to music, and see art from a variety of people and perspectives. There is some diversity here already — Alexandre Dumas in E2; Frederick Douglass in E3 Honors, for example — and geographic/linguistic diversity in E5, plus poetry, art, and music by people of color within the modules.

      I continue to adapt and add things throughout the curriculum (links are kept updated on this site — through the Study Guide Links), and I think this is where you could easily add more diversity. In addition to works by people of color, the focus texts provide many opportunities to observe and discuss topics such as colonialism, slavery, and prejudices of all sorts. One of the beauties of classical literature is that it helps us see that there is nothing new under the sun, and we are not dealing with a small issue, but fighting a much older and larger war. I hope that the journey through these books and resources will be a fruitful one for you and your family.