Why Is It Difficult To Teach And Understand Modern English Literature?

Abstract

The paper is aimed at stating some general and special problems encountered by Russian university teachers and students of modern English literature. General problems include reading crisis, lack of time, motivation and background knowledge, while special difficulties consist in misunderstanding language and cultural situation peculiarities described in modern English fiction. It is argued in the paper that the majority of the revealed problems are conditioned by cultural barriers, different mentality, value systems and stereotypes. The hypothesis has been proved that integral discourse approach to literature teaching and learning in general and modern English literature in particular is considered to be the most productive way in acquiring language and cultural professional competence. Teaching modern English literature course alongside with teaching and analyzing language and cultural peculiarities of English speaking countries, using available for students and teachers commentaries to the modern English novels, writing detailed commentaries to the books recommended for reading and discussing are understood by the author as effective means to minimize misunderstanding of authentic literary discourse. Examples from the novels Nice Work by David Lodge and White Teeth by Zadie Smith are given to implement the integral discourse approach for understanding English literary discourse through understanding peculiarities of national and cultural identity of the characters.