Historicizing English Reflection

This assignment gave me a lot of new insight into not only English overall, but English as
a disciple in the education system. Not only has it given me insight, but it has given me
foundations to build off in my future classroom, and understandings about the world that I must
understand in order to teach any kid that walks into my classroom.
When learning about early English in the 500-1500s, I saw how language was used as a
form of power. When William the Conqueror, the Duke of Normandy, invaded England, French
was the language used by the nobles and elite, while Old English was used among the peasants
and commoners. However, they started integrating French terms, creating Middle English, that
became more wide-spoken.
This showed me how language was a method used to divide and separate those who had
power from those who didn’t. Before Gutenberg invented the printing press, written literature
was more inaccessible unless you were rich or elite. By creating the printing press, literature
became much easier to copy and distribute, making the cost go down so it was more accessible to
the common people. This was the start of literature becoming more widespread, but even then, it
was still only for those who were educated and knew how to read; so, when we colonized and
then became the United States, literature was still not accessible for the slaves that didn’t have
the access to learning to read or write.
Even when slavery was abolished, African Americans still had a struggle learning to read
or write, getting access to literature, etc. During the Harlem Renaissance, African Americans had
found a new foundation of self-determination, identity, and pride, which started the original
foundation to the Civil Rights Movement a decade or so later. In doing this, it created the start of
true consequences to racism and injustice, creating a voice both in and out of literature for Black
and Brown people to be heard and represented. When the Civil Rights Movement occurred, this
is well-known for ending segregation and creating less of an equal rights gap, which still isn’t
fully closed, for Black and Brown kids across the nation. In doing this, another barrier was taken
down in terms of literature being used to separate rich/poor, powerful/powerless, etc. Because of
this, we have seen a rise of Black and Brown authors/poets/etc. as they fight to gain that power
that had been so long taken from them.
Not only did I see this idea of literature being used to both conceal AND regain power, I
have also seen it in recent years as a method of expression and finding identity. Especially in the
last decade, there has been an increase in literature related to race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender,
minority cultures, etc. Not only this, but there has been a rise in the attempt to ban these books
for kids, which stops them from being able to figure out who they are. With this knowledge and
the knowledge of how literature is used to separate powers, this has shown me how there may be
another attempt like this today.
Looking at today, there has been a positive trend in the focus of bringing in different
cultures due to events like the Civil Rights Movement and other outspoken Black and Brown
authors who fight for equal rights in and out of literature. In doing this, there has been in increase
in African American, female, and other minority authors being studied instead of just guys like
Chaucer or Shakespeare. Not only this, but other forms of literature are starting to be brought
into the classroom. Not just novels, but movies, music, poetry, etc.
Literature is ever changing, and because of that, the study of it in a classroom must
evolve with time. Because of this, I think that there are standards that need to change. I think
focusing on other cultures and authors of color is important to bring in perspectives that students
can resonate with. I don’t think that this should be an option, but a requirement so that students
don’t have to ‘get lucky’ to have a culturally responsive teacher, but it should be something that
every child has access to.
Overall, this assignment has shown me that English has been used in many ways, both
positive and negative. Not only this, but it has also shown me that English/literature and the
education of such discipline should be accessible to all to create real fairness and equality. It
didn’t only show me this, but it showed me why. Literature is a way for a person to find who
they are, what they resonate with, connect with something on an emotional level. It is a way for
someone to be an activist, speak out against injustice, or reach the heart of someone 1,000 miles
away. Literature has extreme power, and that power should not be kept to those few with elite
power but spread to all so that every voice can be heard, and as a future educator, I have a
responsibility to do that very thing.
 Sources

Williams, J. J. (2018, February 1). Historicizing African American Literature: An interview with
Ken Warren. Symploke. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/685050/pdf

Collis. (2023, October 2). Book ban data. Advocacy, Legislation & Issues.
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/books-ban-data

Irfan, S. (2020, October 22). A brief history of the English language. Oxford International
English Schools. https://www.oxfordinternationalenglish.com/a-brief-history-of-the-english-
language/

Vlahos, J. (2023, March 13). How the Gutenberg press revolutionized printing. Printivity
Insights. https://www.printivity.com/insights/2021/10/07/gutenberg-press/

14, S. R. C., & Covington, S.R. (2020, July 14). Brief history of African American literature.
part 3: Literature of the Civil Rights Movement. St Tammany Parish Library.
https://www.sttammylibrary.org/blogs/post/brief-history-of-a-african-american-literature-part-3-
literature-of-the-civil-rights-movement/

History of English. EnglishClub.com. (n.d.). https://www.englishclub.com/history-of-english/

Moore, C., & Palmer, C.C. (2020, December 24). Teaching the history of the English language:
An interview. MLA Style Center. https://style.mla.org/teaching-history-english-language/