Students groan as their teacher hands out copies of The Scarlet Letter. A student asks, “Should we read this, Mrs. Smith?” Another student chimes in: “Yeah, it’s boring!” » In response, Ms Smith says: “Of course we do. It's a classic! The Scarlet Letter is a wonderful canonical literary work. I would fail you if I didn't expose you to that! » “But what is canonical? What does that mean?!” Jane, one of the best students in the class, comments. “Well, you know, it’s in the canon. Everyone reads The Scarlet Letter,” replies the professor. Janie retorts, “What makes it hot?” “People say the book should be taught in schools. This is what makes it a respectable canonical novel. “Who are these people? Why do they decide? This back-and-forth conversation between the teacher and her students continues until finally Ms. Smith exclaims, “Read the first chapter and write down your initial thoughts. » The hypothetical situation above often occurs in schools. Teachers are bombarded with students who question their reading lists, but some are unable to give good reasons for emphasizing certain texts over others. Saying that we study a piece of literature because it is “canon,” as Ms. Smith did, does not give students much justification for their learning. Unfortunately, the term "canonical literature" is not used in everyday conversation, so most people are either unfamiliar with it or have widely varying definitions. My definition differs slightly from Ms. Smith's; I have found that canonical literature refers to works that are generally highly regarded in the scientific sense of the term or, in a classroom setting, works that are best suited to study and writing. historical and thematic admiration. Aca...... middle of paper......for being too dramatic with too many plot holes. Today, African-American writers often praise it, such as Alice Walker, who says it's the most important book you'll ever read. Schools use Their Eyes Were Watching God as an example of African American women's past struggles for freedom; it's even considered a timeless play about the relationship between a man and a woman, even though Janie has had several such relationships. The book was originally written about the culture of its time, just as popular fiction is usually written based on the culture around it. At one point, Their Eyes Were Watching God was popular fiction, just as, at one point, Third Girl from the Left will be literary fiction because of its timelessness as a commentary/insight into the journey toward self-acceptance of their sexual identity and because of their different levels of independence.