My goal in teaching A Tale for the Time Being is to prompt students to consider the role of reading in the twenty-first century, specifically the function of novels as spaces for social commentary and reflection. But not only do I want students to consider the impact of stories contained within novels, I also want them to consider the power of printed, physical text. In other words, how can materials manifest social change?
In this digital age, (why) do printed texts matter?
I will introduce the novel to students through its cover art, to encourage them to think about the material impact of printed texts. If we think about books as containers - of knowledge, of information, of entertainment - then why might the “packaging” matter? The purpose of a book cover is multifaceted: is it meant to advertise? to inform? to invite readers into the universe of the story itself? The book cover is more than just a container - it’s a bridge. It’s a mediator between the world of the book and our world. So, are we to take Nao at her word - that “You can’t tell a book by its cover!” (Ozeki 20) - or is a book’s materiality an integral part of our reading experience?
At the end of the unit, students will design book covers for the novel, so that they can create their own art objects. Ultimately, what I hope students gain from our unit on A Tale, for the Time Being, is a deeper appreciation for the way contemporary authors use literature, the book specifically, as a space to critique our contemporary world.
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