'Such, Such Have Been the Joys': Teaching Twentieth-Century European History with George Orwell

Y

24

History Instruction; Teaching Methods; Authors; Undergraduate Students; Novels; European History; Literature; College Faculty; Student Reaction; Course Descriptions; Working Class; Social Systems; Self Concept; Middle Class; Memory

0018-2745
1945-2292

Some historians still hold back from assigning literature out of concern for historical accuracy, but using fiction and popular culture is no longer unusual and, if anything, using novels may be seen as outdated in some circles. The author suggests that one way to reinvigorate the use of the novel when teaching history is to center a class on only one author, which requires a writer who matches a period or theme extremely well and who covered a wide range of topics during their career. This article reflects on the experiences from teaching an upper-level college course on European history in the early twentieth century using the works of George Orwell, to draw lessons and offer other faculty ideas when considering similar approaches. The first section delves into the idea of using literature to teach history generally, possible variations of this approach, and why Orwell was chosen for the course. The next portion discusses the main themes and readings used in the class to explain the course more thoroughly and illustrate some advantages of using one author. The final section considers student responses over the years and reflects on the approach and its value. Overall, the author has found the course to be a great success that can be adjusted to fit different level classes depending on a faculty member's needs.

ERIC

2022

EJ1358224