In the vision of an outsider looking into an average high school English lesson in today's society what would they see? Many students from high school dread the required English classes in college. It is thought the reason for this is because the useless literature they were forced to read in high school, or because they were drilled with TAAS trivia rather than reading the needed literature for mental growth. This is why students pick popular horror and romance novels over well written literature. .
The classic stories so many authors have been recognized for are by far not useless works of art. Authors such as William Shakespeare, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Mark Twain should not be disregarded, but rather encouraged upon students. Granted, Shakespeare may not have much to do with someone's future, but if a student does not open him or herself up to new reading material, they may never know if they will actually enjoy reading them and want to become an English teacher or professor. How often does a student hear a teacher ramble on about how great Herman Melville could depict such minuscule details of the mindless sea? These authors are models to be looked up to, not to be put down like yesterdays newspaper. .
Popular culture only pleases the masses by following the trend of society, it has no true basis. Most popular fiction writers come and go with the times and have no vast success. Typically, writers of this genre stick to an outlined plot, only changing the characters names. This plot is usually centered on a murder, money, and a woman. .John D. McDonald has written is an example of one of these writers. Although most popular fiction writers don't posses the talent to produce a second book; there are writers out there who have mastered the talent of popular fiction, such as Stephen King, George Lucas, and H.G. Wells, others only hope to grasp the reigns of their fifteen minutes of fame and become successful.