This summer I chose to read One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey and The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe. Both books were very important because of their overall theme of fighting against the power. Some schools could see these books as being negative to their education, because school and teachers is an authority. However, I believe that these books would help students understand the meaning of confidence and standing up for what you believe in. These books show life from the perspective of an array of people. From Chief Bromden in Cuckoo’s Nest to Ken Kesey in The Acid Test. Although these novels describe sex and drug use, the descriptions are relevant to the plot, and the overall understanding of the novels. 11th graders are mature enough to read these books and respond to them in a constructive and understanding way. Cuckoo’s Nest and The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test would be an interesting addition to the 11th grade English 3 curriculum.
