One of the most important professional decisions I’ve made in recent years has been a deliberate effort to move away from an overreliance on mid-twentieth-century literature. This was not an easy shift. When I began teaching English more than twenty years ago, novels like Catcher in the Rye, Slaughterhouse-Five, 1984, The Old Man and the Sea, and Lord of the Flies were considered staples. The same held true for short stories— many came from the same period and often from the same authors. These texts, while valuable in their own right, often lacked diversity and featured outdated worldviews. Yet they remained central in curricula largely because of their canonical status.
While works from this period have merit, especially when taught within their historical context, they often fail to resonate with today’s students. Many students struggle to see themselves in these stories, which only adds to the broader challenge of student disengagement as readers.
To be clear, I am not advocating for the removal of authors like Orwell, Hemingway, or Steinbeck from our shelves. As a classicist, I believe in preserving literature, not eliminating it. I still consider Kurt Vonnegut one of my favourite authors. However, context matters. With a growing number of students showing a lack of interest in reading, we need to be intentional about the texts we teach. One key reason for this disinterest, I believe, is that many canonical works no longer reflect the diversity that students encounter in their daily lives—whether through media, friendships, or their own identities. Diversity—racial, cultural, economic, neurological, etc.—is now more visible and valued, and students expect to see that reflected in their learning.
One effective way to address this gap is to incorporate more contemporary, diverse voices into the curriculum. This approach has been gaining momentum for some time, with libraries, curriculum specialists, and publishers recommending a range of newer works that better reflect the realities and identities of our students. Two recent additions to my own classroom, We the Animals by Justin Torres and Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera, have had a noticeable impact. While all students seem engaged with these texts, the emotional connection among my Latino students was particularly powerful. Watching them see their lives and experiences reflected in our readings, and their emotional investment in the texts, was deeply rewarding. It’s hard not to wonder how many underrepresented students have gone through school without ever seeing themselves reflected in what they read.
As I continue to build a more inclusive curriculum, I have also come to recognize the value of teaching ancient texts. Instead of focusing solely on Western classics, we can introduce ancient literature from a variety of global traditions. These texts offer alternative worldviews, moral frameworks, and storytelling traditions that enrich our understanding of the human experience. Even ancient Western texts, such as the dialogues of Plato, can be used in ways that promote diversity and critical engagement.
For example, Plato’s dialogues, while written by a white male philosopher from ancient Greece, are structured as conversations rather than declarations. This format invites students to question, challenge, and even reimagine the ideas being presented. Students might rewrite dialogues to reflect contemporary issues or highlight the absence of women and marginalized voices in the original texts, opening the door for critical discussion. An easy go-to and constant favourite is the “Allegory of the Cave” from Plato’s Republic.
Beyond Plato, there is a wealth of non-Western ancient literature that brings valuable perspectives into the classroom. Texts like the Bhagavad Gita (India), the Popol Vuh (Mesoamerica), and The Analects of Confucius (China) introduce students to different moral systems, cultural narratives, and philosophical questions. One of my favourites is The Epic of Gilgamesh from Mesopotamia, particularly in Stephen Mitchell’s translation. This text explores early ideas of conquest, power, and man’s relationship to nature. The character of Enkidu, for instance, represents the “other” and offers a lens through which to explore the theme of marginalization— reminding students that such dynamics are not new, but enduring aspects of the human story. The Epic of Gilgamesh is the earliest known piece of surviving literature, and it originates from the region that is now modern-day Iraq, a fact that often surprises and engages students, as it challenges the Western assumptions many bring with them to the literature classroom.
One of the most powerful lessons teaching ancient texts can offer is that diversity is not a new phenomenon. Throughout history, people from all cultures have been creating, thinking, and telling stories. What is relatively new is the conscious effort to make space for these voices in our classrooms and curricula. This distinction is important for students to understand. Diverse perspectives have always existed; they are not recent additions to the literary landscape. By including both contemporary works by marginalized authors and ancient texts from non-Western traditions, we help students recognize that these voices are not intrusions on the canon but rather long-overdue acknowledgments. This shift encourages us to see diversity as recognition rather than disruption.
Incorporating a broader range of texts—contemporary and ancient, Western and non-Western—is not about discarding the 20th-century canon but about expanding it to better reflect the world we live in. Literature should serve as both a mirror, reflecting students’ own identities, and a window, offering insight into the lives and experiences of others. By decentralizing mid-twentieth-century literature and making room for diverse voices, we create more inclusive and engaging classrooms. Students find deeper personal relevance in their reading while developing greater empathy, curiosity, and critical thinking. Moving away from a mid-century focused curriculum has been one of the most impactful changes in my teaching career. After revitalizing my classroom with contemporary diverse voices, I now look forward to enriching it further by introducing ancient, globally diverse texts through my World Literature course in the coming school year.
AUTHOR THE AUTHOR
Michael Sweet
Michael Sweet is a teacher and writer. A recipient of both a Canadian Prime Minister’s Award and a Queen’s Medal for significant contributions to the field of education, Michael taught for the English Montreal School Board for twelve years. Currently, Michael is on the faculty of the Robert Louis Stevenson School, a private therapeutic school in New York City.
This article is featured in Canadian Teacher Magazine’s Fall 2025 issue.
