Fostering Response to Literature with the Literature of the Vietnam War

This paper suggests that one way teachers can revitalize literature studies in classrooms and foster students' response to literature is by teaching the literature of the Vietnam War. The paper presents some typical student responses to some Vietnam War literature, which stand in striking contrast to student responses to other kinds of literature. The pap r then focuses on some Vietnam War literature appropriate for classroom use and offers some ways teachers might want to go about teaching it. The paper explores why this literature can have such a powerful impact on students. A 37-item bibliography and a 30-item selected annotatedbibliography of the literature of the Vietnam War are included. An appendix contains student responses to the books they have read as well as to the documentary film (called "Dear America: Letters Homefrom Vietnam") that they have been shown; and a set of handouts that provide teaching activities (including writing activities) are also attached. (RS