Should I use East of Eden for my presentation?

[JhKreisler]

Hi, at the end of the year I have to give an oral presentation about a book. A standard assignment of course, but I'm really doubting what book I should use for this one. Because, there's nobody in my class who's interested in literature (even our teacher isn't I think..), so I'm looking for a book that has a lot of interesting details-information that I can use in my presentation so the students won't fall asleep. I was thinking a bit about East of Eden, but I'm guessing you guys have a lot more propositions..
Thanks!

(sorry for my english)

[Scheherazade]

Are you at highschool?

[dfloyd]

heavy stuff. If you like Steinbeck, try Of Mice and Men. An interesting story, and more attuned to high school. There are probably many college upperclassmen who couldn't get through East of Eden

[*Classic*Charm*]

Yeah, East of Eden has some pretty heavy life lessons to be learned that go over the heads of high school students. I suppose it depends on what aspect of the novel you're focusing on. If you're doing a character study, Kate would certainly keep your audience's attention, but if you're going in terms of theme it might be a bit much.

[JhKreisler]

I'm in my last year before high school. We're not ought to really dig in deeper in the book, but just give a general presentation about the book itself, the writer, and an extra assignment like a videoclip, reading a poem or showing some pictures that are related with the book. It's not that I really want to use something of Steinbeck, anything will do.

[Babak Movahed]

Do it on A Clockwork Orange, I'm sure your teacher would love that!!!

but my actual suggestion would be The Stranger by Camus, it has could serve as very beneficial to kids about to go to college.

[janesmith]

Not sure what age you are but I think its really sad that you think your peers and teacher won't be interested. If that is the case I would say just go with whichever novel you like. It's their loss.

[JhKreisler]

Do it on A Clockwork Orange, I'm sure your teacher would love that!!!

but my actual suggestion would be The Stranger by Camus, it has could serve as very beneficial to kids about to go to college.

I was first thinking about The stranger, but as I said, there's assuminly nobody in my class who ever heard of Albert Camus, and isn't it a bit too 'dark' maybe? To keep them awake I mean. It's a bit a dumb situation but I have to suite myself to the class "level".

[Katy North]

Present whatever you want. If you do it well, maybe your class will be encouraged to read more Steinbeck.

Personally, when I was in high school, I didn't worry about the class level... I just saw presenting or writing about tougher material as a challenge.

[JhKreisler]

Not sure what age you are but I think its really sad that you think your peers and teacher won't be interested. If that is the case I would say just go with whichever novel you like. It's their loss.

I am 18 yrs old, I dont' say my teacher isn't interested (although ...) , she couldn't make the difference between someone who searches which book is suited for bringing it's audience some "education" and someone who just goes to a library and picks a book with eyes closed.

That's the average (sad) case in my school.

Present whatever you want. If you do it well, maybe your class will be encouraged to read more Steinbeck.

Personally, when I was in high school, I didn't worry about the class level... I just saw presenting or writing about tougher material as a challenge.

You're right indeed,
I kind of started this thread to find a book which has a lot of "extra"-information, but yes, you're right.

[keilj]

East of Eden is a pretty long book. But it does have quite a bit of extra information that might be good for a presentation (stuff on using prisoners to build highways in Florida, stuff about Chinese immigrants in California, and, of course, the parallels of the 2 sons to Cain and Abel in the Bible)

The only other "extra information" novel I can think of off hand is Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis. It has the main narrative - but also some stuff about medical science, and a little bit of stuff about naturalism

[JhKreisler]

I'm in my last year before high school. We're not ought to really dig in deeper in the book, but just give a general presentation about the book itself, the writer, and an extra assignment like a videoclip, reading a poem or showing some pictures that are related with the book. It's not that I really want to use something of Steinbeck, anything will do.

Oh wait, I mean that I'm in my last year before college I'm from Belgium, and they call college here "hoge school" literally translated "high school".
It's a shame we're not allowed to read the original, it has to be a translation. Many things go lost in translation, ...

No really, my school isn't the one where you are to develop your literary knowledge.

What do you guys think of 'The Gulag Archipelago' of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn? Wouldn't that be an idea?

[jadrianne]

Crime and Punishment?

[kelby_lake]

Lolita would shock them.

Maybe try something like 1984 or Brave New World.

[Scheherazade]

Why not go for something quirky like The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time?