vol_7_no_5 by Michigan Review

1i1iIiIf.!'.9 I. "3

bJ1~tt!~~,,:,,:,:,,: S'b~~~.,......

•.w '

....r•.-...... --... _, _ __

<__ - _

_ ,..'4' ..., ._,~_ ..

'""" _ _ " .. .... ~-""" ......................

THE

MlCHIGAN, REVIEW January 1989

Volume 7, Number 5

The Curricular Dilemma: ..~

WhatSho.uld Students Study? - ,The Western. Culture D'ebate - Should a Course on Racism Be Requi.red? --.J

~'路""""""'&_'"","'芦>.~P"''''''''''~k~''''>''''W'.''W1~'''''''"-",~,\,,,路,,,~,J"""",,,,,~",,

:.~ ~.'~"->~'~'.~-

The Michigan Review 2

January 1989

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

Serpent's Tooth Congrats to the Michigan football team on beating that California acronym.

Attention K-mart shoppers: There is a yellow school bus parked in the Diag with its lights on. .';\

It has come to the attention of the Review

that MSA Prez Mike Phillips and Veep Susan Overdorf, our student leaders, do not list their phone numbers in the Student Directory. Are they hiding from someone, like the student body?

other political organizations. But what the Daily did not tell everyone is that it forbids its staffers from working for the Review. Does this qualify as discrimination under the Discriminatory Acts Policy?

In order to demonstrate its displeasure, the Review plans to build a giant Daily in the Diag in protest

Duderstadt Month No.5: Share the fantasy.

losh Was Here! He came to warn us all As the Daily told everyone recently, its staffers are now permitted to be active in

about the evils of the flesh. Come to think of it, I liked Kilroy better.

A hearty Review congratulations to the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Congrats also to President George Bush and Vice President Dan Quayle.

The Campus Affairs Journal of the University of Michigan

It is absolutely not true thataReview staffer was caught last Diversity Day "impersonating Elvis Presley." He is Elvis!

F.ditor-in-Chief Marc Selinger

In order to conform to George Bush's vision of "a kinder, gentler nation," the Review has decided to discontinue its criticisms of the following: the administration, the Daily, MSA, UCAR, the shanties, the 'code,' Diversity Day, and the mandatory class on racism. Nah!

Publisher Mark Molesky Arts Editor Jennifer WO;fck Associate Publishers Vicky Frodel Ryan Schreiber Personnel~anager

John Miller

IfYou Think This Year's New GMAT Section Is Easy, Try Solving This. Directions: For the following question, select the best answer choice provided. I. Only if we know human nature can we know the nature of the true good for human beings. And only if we know the nature of the true good for human beings can we arrive at an idea of the truly just society. Thus, if we know human nature and the nature of the good for human beings, we can arrive at an idea of the truly just society. Which of the following points out a potential flaw in the reasoning above? (A) What one human being thinks is good might well be something that another human being thinks is not good. (B) Many people have arrived at ideas of the just society, and all of them have been slightly different. (C) It is quite possible to know human nature without in any way being able to know what is the good for human beings. (D) Philosophers have argued for centuries over what specifically defines human nature, without coming to a general agreement. (E) Arriving at an idea of the just society may require more than knowledge of human nature and knowledge of the good for human beings.

1 ! 'r:

~ .!!

I ~

! i

StafT Maria Ansari, Ian Beilin, Mark Binclli, Karen Brinkman,Judy Cheng, Rick Dyer, Susan Ellis. Stacey Farb. Brian Gambs, Stcphen George,Joshua Green, Ann-Nora Hirami, Ash Jain, Jeffrcy Leiman, Matthew Lund, Ajay Mehrotra, Dana Miller. Peter Miskech, Chris Moore, Carol Nahra, Jim Ottevaere, Belinda Peu, Mali Purkayastha, Lisa Perczak, Dan Shonkwiler, Perry Shorris, John Transue, Herbert Walker, Elisabeth Weinstein, Bob Wierenga, Brian Woerner, Chau-Ye Wu

1 i I

;ll

f STANlEY H. KAPlAN

Editor Emeritus Seth Klukoff

Go ahead. Try it Not so easy, huh? Especially when you realize just how much is at stake when you're taking your GMAT That's why you need" Stanley H. Kaplan. Only we offer a prep course that helps you prepare for this year's impossible new section. By anticipating and teaching all the changes all the time. Which means, if you had to look for the correct answer to the question at the bottom of the page, it's time you began looking into Stanely H. Kaplan. For information call800-KAltTEST and find out more about any of our 135 centers nationwide. 3 :1<WSUy

fI)

Production A5-c;istant Rannie O'Halloran

::!

''i"

'".t

I ]

Take Kaplan OrTakeYour~

The Micliif{QfI Review is an independent, non-profit student journal at the University of Michigan. We welcome leucrs and articles and encouragc comments about the journal and issues discussed in it. Wc are not affiliated with any political party. Our address is: Suite One 911 North University Ann Arbor, Mich. 48109 (313) 662路1909

ENROLL TODAVIII 203 E. Hoover

662-3149

It!. I

e'WIM;;~~it'l:m!.<.."Wl!X')/4~''''~~1~jFk(.'-\'',"I>.''''''1'=L'''

The Michigan Review

January 1989

From the Editor

Reagan's Education Legacy Jan. 20, 1989 represented more than just the swearing in of a new U.S. president. It also signified the end of the longest administration since President Dwight Eisenhower. After serving eight controversial years, President Ronald Reagan is bound to be remembered for many things. Most likely, he will stand out in the history books for his success with tax cuts and tax reform, as well as his failure to grapple with the budget and trade deficits. He will be cited for improving relations with the Soviet Union and his efforts to promote peace in the Middle East, Afghanistan, and southwestern Africa, but also for the blunders of the Iran-contra affair. But beyond his economic and foreign policy, Reagan should also be remembered for the influence he had on the nation's college campuses. Perhaps by pointing to the large number of campus publications, including this one, which have sprung up during the 1980s as "conservative alternatives," it might be argued that Reagan was responsible for

inspiring a conservative trend among college students. Yet there has been no conclusive evidence to indicate whether such a lasting increase in conservatism has occurred among students, who, on the whole, tend to be more politically apathetic than either conservative or liberal. More likely, the Reagan era gave those students who were already conservative the confidence to organize and express their views. Furthermore, Reagan's glorification of economic individualism and the profit motive may have contributed to making college students less idealistic and more career-oriented. However, the lack of any divisive national crises, such as a war, and the increasing competitiveness of the job market were probably equally, if not more, influential in this regard. The Reagan administration should be credited for attempting to directly influence specific aspects of education policy. As head of a department Reagan initially wanted to eliminate, Secretary of Education William Bennett became a very visible and often controversial proponent of

education refonn. Bennett received much attention in the press for criticizing the growing trend on campuses to move away from studying Western culture. He also led a well-publicized attack on rising administrative costs, leading many student journalists to assess their own schools' expenditures. But how much tangible influence did the Reagan administration actually have on higher education? Despite Bennett's opposition to the assault on Western culture, the assault continues. Stanford University, for example, recently bowed to pressure from a vocal minority of its students and watered down the reading list of its Western culture course with one that is more 'politically acceptable.' In addition, administrative costs have continued to rise at an alarming rate, causing tuition and other college expenses to increase at a much faster pace than inflation. Moreover, Reagan failed to change some education-related policies he opposed, such as affirmative action. In fact, affirmative action at many colleges, including the University of

Michigan, is receiving more administrative and financial attention today than it did before Reagan took offICe. At first glance, the Reagan administration's inability to influence education may be regarded 3,<; a failure. But since Reagan's intention in this area was to preserve local control, his inability to bring great change to education should not be regarded as a failure. By raising many issues worthy of continued diScussion during the Bush administration Jnd beyond, Reagan's presidency actually performed an important service for education.

~~ Marc Selinger is a junior in political science and the editor-in-chief of the

Michigan Reriew.

,-------------------------l Yes! I want to support the Michigan Review!

Contents

1 Here's my tax-deductible contribution to help sustain the Univer- I 1 sity of Michigan's campus affairs journal. I understand that with I : 1 my contribution of $15 or more, I will receive a one year's sub-

: scription to the Review. Serpent's Tooth From the Editor From Suite One: Editorials

2 3 4

(oyer StOry The Curricular Dilemma

The Western Culture Debate, by Brian Gambs Should a Course on Racism Be Mandatory?, by Ash Jain

6 7

1 $15 1-

$25

: _$250

_$500

$50

_$1,000

5 8

1 1 Send to:

The Rising Cost of Entertainment, by Jeffrey Leiman Books in Review Twain Revisited, by Jennifer Worick

: Please send my subscription to:

A Spring Break Reading List, by Herbert Walker

Ar.ts

Cover Photo by Chris Moore

I am enclosing:

$100 Other

1 1 1 Make checks payable to "The Michigan Review"

Campus Affairs

Review Forum Expand Student Input, by Zachary Kittrie Essay: The Erosion of the University, by Ian Beilin

1 1

The Michigan Review/Suite One/911 North University/Ann Arbor, MI 48109

1 Name:

1 Address:

L_________________________ J

-----i ;;;- r .",. d The Michigan Review

1/)\<5

l,i,~~,,~'

'Jamiai-y 1989 .

From Suite One: Editorials

The D-Day Delusion Jan. 16, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, has now become an officially sanctioned holiday at the University of Michigan. But while the rest of the nation used the day to reflect on the words and deeds of the great civil rights leader, the administration set aside the day in order to celebrate diversity. The administration deserves criticism not only for the reason it established the holiday, but also for its bungling of the orchestration of the day's activities. While the administration may have felt a genuine need for such a holiday, its primary motive was the appeasement of the United Coalition Against Racism and other groups. Apparently, the administration was hoping to prevent more negative publicity which could tarnish the U-M' s reputation in Lansing, therefore jeopardizing state appropriations. But the administration set a dangerous precedent by implying that any organization that exerts enough pressure can influence the administration. This clearly contradicts thecivilized and enlightened atmosphere that should exist at this or any other university. Ironically, the stated goals of the holiday actually deviated from the central tenet of King's philosophy. King, an assimilationist, advocated equality for all peoples: "I have a dream," he said in his famous 1963 speech, "that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." But instead of celebrating equality, Diversity Day actually called attention to the skin-deep differences in the campus population. To fully honor King, the U-M should have concentrated on celebrating the commonalities inherent in everyone, not our differences. In addition, calling the holiday Diversity Day and thus implying that the day is in honor of all groups seems to have been but a cowardl y attempt

by the administration to make it look as if it did not succumb to any specific protesters' demands. The administration also handled Diversity Day poorly by only giving faculty and students the day off. According to the Office of Affirmative Action. approximately 90 percent of U-M faculty and students are white, whereas nearly 30 percent of the U-M maintenance and service workers, who had to work on Diversity Day, are black. The people who probably wanted the holiday the most were lea~t able to participate. The U-M does not cancel classes on the birthdays (and legal holidays) of other very important Americans, including George Wa~hington and Abraham Lincoln. In fact. the U-M fails to recognize virtually every religious or national holiday, with the exception of Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Thanksgiving. Why Martin Luther King Jr.? King was undoubtedly a great American, but canceling classes on his birthday simply cannot be justified until classes are also canceled on Washington's birthday. Even ifDiversity Day could have been justified, it was simply unnecessary for the U-M to cancel cla%es. With so many evenl~ scheduled throughout the day, studenl~ could have attended lectures and discussions between their classes. In addition. a greater emphasis could have been placed on weekend and evening events. Resides. the day off was widely abused. With Monday classes canceled, many studenl'\ skipped all activities and opted for an extended weekend. Many went home, studied, or slept late-not the intended result of the holiday. Before the administration decides to commit further follies next year, it should reexamine the delicate balance between its own short-term political needs and the realities of the university community.

Phillipsgate! At the Michigan Student Assembly's Jan, 10 meeting, President Mike Phillips, an LSA senior, released a controversial report to the assembly. The report, compiled by Bruce Belcher, a computer consultant to MSA, charges that Zachary Kittrie, an LSA senior and chair of the MSA External Relations Committee, is responsible for making "racist attacks" and for misrepresenting his authority. Many MSA representatives strongly questioned Phillips' authority to conduct such an investigation, as well as his motives. And rightly so. As Rep. John Coleman, an Engineering senior, pointed out, MSA is required under its constitution to set up a special investigative committee if it "wishes to investigate the ~of any MSA member(s) ..." (CRapter 40.20). Phillips claimed that his report was not an investigation but only a "letter" given to him by Belcher. But the rep0rt is obviously more than just a letter. It contains a very detailed list of charges collected through an investigative process, as well as a recommendation as to what disciplinary action should be taken. If this does not qualify as an investigation, what does? The majority ofMSA representatives, having the good judgmenttosee that Phillips ' investigation violated the constitution, voted to set up an official MSA committee to

investigate Kittrie. Even though a proper investigation will now be conducted, Phillips' unauthorized report, regardless of the committee's findings, has left a cloud over Kittrie' s reputation. Moreover, Phillips admitted that even though he agreed with only two of the eight allegations made by Belcher, he decided to release the entire report anyway. Why? Many MSA representatives have interpreted Phillips' actions as a thinly veiled attempt to damage one of his main political ri vals. Law School Rep. Kevin McClanahan, who was elected by MSA to chair the investigative committee, called Phillips' report a "totally blatant" effort to smear Kittrie. It does seem more than coincidental that Phillips' attack was directed at Kittrie, who is not a member of Phillips' Students First P<jrty, was the highest vote-getter in the November election, and has been mentioned as a possible presidential candidate for the March election. During the same meeting, MSA Reps. Heidi Hayes, an LSA junior, and Matt Mansfield, an LSA senior, attempted unsuccessfully to introduce a resolution calling for an investigation of Phillips. Given Phillips' disregard for MSA's constitutional procedures, such an investigation deserves strong reconsideration.

,."1.

1WIitbt

JIiIiiB(QI

:~~~lit'IIlll!.~:t\-..IWl:.V:"'''_''''''~''''' ' ''_'

The Michigan Review

January 1989 5

Review Forum

Expand Student Input

by Zachary Kittrie The Michigan Mandate, a proposal introduced by President James Duderstadt, could significantly change the learning environment at the University of Michigan. Yet students know very little about it Tuition and fees keep going up nearly 10 percent per year, but few justifications for the increases are directed toward students. Students are concerned about increasing occurrences of crime on campus, especially after a series of rapes. Though students expect a response from their university addressed toward students, they do not see one, These issues hit close to home for most students. But the U-M administration has not responded accordingly. In this article, based on my own observations of recent event~, I will try to explain the existing problem and offer remedies. I am not in any way speaking for the student government. Duderstadt often says that opportunities at the U-M are not just given to students on a silver platter; rather, students must take their own initiative. Such a credo is quite daunting. In certain area~, such as participating in university decision-making, students need to be encouraged to take the initiative or at least be informed of the existence of opportunities. Institutionally, there is little meaningful student or faculty input allowed in the decision-making at this university. For example, let us look at the growing issue of crime on our campus. Crime has been rising on campus and in residential areas over the past year and there was a particularly disturbing series of rapes last semester. A USA Today series on campus crime in October said that students at the U-M were twice as likely to experience a property or violent crime as students elsewhere. Nationally, the average number of students per crime is 15.1, according to USA Today; the U-M figure is 7.8. USA Today also said that the average nu mber of students per violent crime is 500.4; the figure for the U-M is 209.3. Many students are concerned about these statistics. How has the administration responded? According to the A1111 Arbor News on Nov.

6, "University officials have launched a multi-pronged effort to improve campus safety and calm the growing fears .... UM President Duderstadt has promised improvements." Duderstadt made the announcement after receiving 26 letters from the parents of students. In other words, he expressed his concern to parents, instead of to students. The administration also neglected to tell students of some improvements it has made in campus safety. Students need to be informed directly of the improvements and not indirectly via parents. If the administration had mechanisms to feel the pulse of student concerns, then the presidential response could have been earlier and proactive rather than reactive. Let us look at the setting up of the celebration for Diversity Day-another useful example. The Office of Minority Affairs coordinated numerous university-sponsored activities in honor of King's birthday throu gh the Martin Lu ther King Jr. Symposium Committee. The Symposium Committee was composed of 24 faculty members and two students. The numbers speak for themselves. Those numbers do not project an open-arms embracement of student input and they do not convey an invitation to students to participate on the ground level. The administrators mean well. But as they are jumping on the bandwagon, they are being impolite to those who came earlier. It has been the Commemoration of a Dream Committee and a variety of other campus groups, run and organized by students, that have traditionally been doing such an excellent job with celebrations, commemorations, and workshops in the past. The administrators are the late-comers. This was the first year that the U-M allowed a break from classes to honor King's birthday. From my understanding, these student groups were not adequately consulted when the decision was made to call the day "Diversity Day." Judging from this year's experience, it appears that when the university wants to do something officially, it feels it is necessary to clear the students out of the way. Ironically, faculty frequently seem to get lumped together with students. When an important decision is going to be made, an impression is given that all the faculty members need to be cleared out. Why do students and faculty not have more input? Plainly put, the administration, over the

years, has grown significantly in size and it no longer needs the assistance of students or faculty to achieve its goals. According to the Michigan Daily (Sept. 3, 1988), the administration has grown by 22 percent since 1980. But both thP. faculty and the student body grew by less then 5 percent in the same period. The administration seems to be assuming that since students and professors are being pushed to research and produce more, they no longer have the free time or interest to give meaningful input into major university decision-making. Why does the situation need to change? First, the U-M needs to keep up with the times and changing values. Duderstadt speaks of gearing up the U-M for the 21st century. He has set lofty goals of improvement and change. Well, innovations take longer when students and faculty are the last consulted and the first expected to respond. Students and faculty members who are meaningfully consulted feel they have a greater stake in the university. Second, the U-M 's relations with the state of Michigan in the last few years illustrates that the U-M needs all the vocal support it can get There has always been tight competition for state higher education dollars among Michigan's 15 public universities. However, for the last three years, the U-M has received the lowest percentage increase of funding of any state university. There seems to be a different controversy every year. Two years ago, legislators felt that the U-

-~ ~

M did not accept enough Michigan residents. That concern was addressed in the short term, but conflicts over in-state/outof-state enrollment are liable to come up again. Then, last year, for political reasons, Michigan universities were pressured heavily by Governor James Blanchard (D) to submit to a tuition rollback. All 15 universities scaled back tuition. It does not seem that the governor is planning on dramatically increasing monies for higher education this year, but he is again putting pressure on universities to keep tuition down. Compounding the problem, the UM lacks strong friends on the key legislative committees that decide higher education appropriations. How can the current situation be changed? The U-M has a tremendous ca· pacity to get information out to alumni. Alumni newsletters are habitually sent to over 300,000 alumni. In return, the university receives enormous support fro'm alumni. The same should be done for students . The president, provost, and vice president for student services should embark on an aggressive, meaningful outreach program to students and student organizations. Open forums addressing specific topics of discussion should be conducted. The University Record, the administration's newspaper, should consider expanding its relations with student groups. U·M adminis· trators need to be willing to discuss both the strengths and weaknesses of this uni· versity. The university administration needs to take the initiative because they have the advantage of abundant resources. However, they cannot bear the burden alone. Student government and large student organizations must be mature and prepared if they are to be consulted. The administration has put a lot of money and commitment into dealing with crime on campus, minority issues, and tuition. But they are not getting at the prob· lems in the most cost-effective way. Outreach to students must be a cornerstone of any university plan for 1989 and the 1990s, let alone the 21st century.

Zachary Kittrie, a junior in history, is currently a member or the U-M Budget Priorities Committee and chair or the MSA External Relations Committee. He is also former president or the East Quadrangle Representative Assembly.

"",""~''''' ~'' .-,-"."~-",,,,,~,,,<--,, ~,,,~,,>,,, """""-"""""~'路~'"'路"",,\l'~4~'V"!I~!lW""''1N''''''''''~!<.''"'''''-'1~''~'~''

0<__ "

......,,'. ~

~-"-..".--,----."'.,,,.<"~'''

The Michigan Review 6

January 1989

Cover Story

The Western Culture Debate by Brian Gambs There was a time when Latin and Greek were considered indispensable components of a quality education. As students learned these languages, they read books now known simply as the "classics." In the course of mastering the great works of Greek and Roman times, students took the truths contained within them and applied them to their own lives. As a result, these classical works have had an immense influence on the nature of Western civilization and the way which it has been described. Today, students generally complete their educations without acquiring fluency in the languages in which the classics were originally written. However, this handicap has not prevented English translations of the classics from playing a key role in Western education. Modem scholars have added such authors as William Shakespeare, Rene Descartes, James Joyce, and William Faulkner to the canon of the classics. The resulting compilation of these books is often said to most accurately represent Western thought and values, and for years has been at the heart of required reading lists for freshmen at the nation's most prestigious colleges and universities. After being a part of the curriculum for so many years, the use of the classics has provoked controversy in the world of academia. Some scholars argue that the classics have become incompatible with an intellectual, political, and social atmosphere radically different from that which existed 2,000 years ago. Some scholars have joined minority activists in charging that the classics are generally Eurocentric, often misogynist, and closed to the ideas and ideals of other races and cultures. These protests have not fallen on entirely deaf ears. The suggestion that the classics are exclusionary and misrepresentative has produced great controversy and caused changes in the curricula at some institutions. Many universities have added more books by women and minority authors to their required reading lists in an attempt to more accurately reflect the changes some feel have occurred in Western civilization. The alteration in the freshman core reading requirement at Stanford University has received the most attention from the media. Stanford replaced all but six of the original 15 books in its "Western Culture" course with works from outside the Western tradition. The controversial decision

has become a rallying point for those on both sides of the issue. Some academics charge that alterations in the curriculum of great books are being made without regard to the quality or value of the works that replace them. Stephen Tonsor, a professor of history at the University of Michigan, says that beyond the fact that some of the suggested changes are inappropriate, "A lot of what people are trying to include in the canon are not [even] classical state-

rate with the real needs of student~. In Bloom's view, one essential component of such an education would be teaching even more of the classics. The thrust of Bloom's thesis seems entirely compatible with the basic educational strategy of the Reagan administration and many educational reformers who stress a return to the basics. Secretary of Education William Bennett, for example, responded to Stanford's change in its cur(')

tn路

! ~

1\. ~

ments of the positions these people want to be presented." The charge that American students are, or could potentially be, shortchanged by a flight from the classics adds fuel to a fire alreadly burning furiously. Politicians, educators, and parents are worried about the quality of American education in the wake of studies that have repeatedly suggested that students are not getting the kind of education they should. Advocacy of a renewed focus on the classics comprises one facet of a growing "back to the basics" movement in the United States. One sign of this movement is the popularity of a book by Allan Bloom, a professor of philosophy at the University of Chicago, entitled The Closing of the American Mind. Lengthy tomes by professors do not normally make the summer best-sellers lists, but Bloom succeeded in touching a sensitive spot in the American psyche. Ir: his book, he asserts that colleges should tum away from the rush for relevancy that began in the 1960s, and begin rebuilding their basic programs in order to provide an education commensu-

riculum by accusing them of "tra,hing Plato and Shakespeare." Opponents of changes in curricula say that a flight from the canon of great books wou Id represent a flight from the roots of Western culture. Others argue differently, however. They admit that there are problems in American education, but say they do not lie in a lack of exposure to great books. On the contrary, these critics say that courses in Western civilization increasingly represent a damaging exclusion of ideas that are becoming more important in America's multi-racial and multi-cultural society. A. Leroy Greason, the president of Bowdoin College, told a national campus magazine that "you can't have curricula that neglect~ Asian students. That's half the world." He and others like him think that curricula should be altered not simply for tl}e sake of altering it, but to provoke serioUs thought and discussion about what Western civilization is, what it means, and how prevalent attitudes and behavior should change. Tonsor agrees that exactly what composes the canon is "debatable," but also

feels that the canon of classics should not be changed merely because a minority feels unrepresented. If, in Tonsor's view, we include all minority views, we would have to include those of groups that would hardly be representative-such as "cannibals." Tonsor also feels that the canon it'ielf is simply not unrepresentative of humanity as a whole. "I can't see that the classics have neglected half of humankind," he says. The U-M does not requ\re a co~rse in Western civilization, yet most students are exposed to the classics, either through freshman English courses, or through honors courses in Classical Civilization or Great Books. At the U-M, the controversy over Western civilization has largely been avoided, partially due to the lack of a core reading list to excite controversy, and partially because the faculty has taken the approach of increa<;ing student exposure 10 other cultures while not damaging courses oriented around traditional great bcx)ks. Bert Hornback, a professor of English at the U-M, says, "What I'd hope would happen is that kids would do a Greek course one term, and then take one or more of the other [courses in non-Western cultures], using what they learned in the first course about how to approach culture .... More people need to take courses that teach more than simple white culture." His hope is that new things can be added wilhoutdetracting from what is already studied, expanding the range of experience available to student. As Hornback says, 'There's a perfectly good rea<;on to study things in depth. but we do need to offer students more in terms of things to study, and need to offer more choices than simply one thing. I'm not sure it's diversity we want; it's multiplicity. I want us to be able to do many things, not just different things." For the moment, the canon of "c1a<;sics" seems firmly in place as the standard by which Western civilization will be measured and discussed at the U-M. Yet the push for a mandatory class on racism and the continued pressure for increased minority recruitment means that the debate could potentially become the kind of issue that has disrupted academic life at campuses around the country. Brian Gambs is a freshman in LSA and a staff writer for the Re~'iew.

. . . .!a'fi'

(tUlia' U

"'l~'&,}}>~\~"V~"}~.~'l!;~:iÂťl.<W'\v""""",.""",,,,,,,

January 1989 7

The Michigan Review

Cover Story

Should a Class on Racism Be Mandatory? by Ash Jain Racism. This term has been used at the University of Michigan to describe acts varying from outright racial harassment to the attendance of scheduled classes on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. The term has also been used frequently by student organizations and faculty groups formed to combat it. And now the term has been raised by the School of LSA as it considers adopting a mandatory class on racism. The LSA Curriculum Committee recently approved University 299, a course dealing with racism, and the LSA Executive Committee now has to decide whether the class should be required for all incoming LSA students. Is racism really as prevalent at the U-M as these developments suggest, and would a required course actually help eliminate racism? The goal of a mandatory class, according to the fifth draft of the Curriculum Committee's proposal, is to "provide a critical analysis of the concepts ot race and racism from a historical, anthropological, biological, sociological, political, or other points of view." In addition, the class would "open the barriers to communication, and provide an introduction to some of the major cultural achievements of people of color." One of the proposals now before the committee says that all incoming students would be required, sometime during their first two years at the U-M, to enroll in a COllege-wide course on racism. Thecourse would consist of two hours of lecture per week by two professors from different departments. Students would be able to choose, based on their own interests, among various two-hour per week discussion sections taught by teaching assistants from different disciplines. Students would be graded ba~ed on their attendance and participation in discussion, two exams, and a research project.

!~~

Tl4Al-S A '

!UT

~(ISTfl~.

In their attempt to have the mandatory class on racism adopted. Concerned Faculty, the United Coalition Against Racism, and other anti-racist groups have broken down their argument into three parts: 1) Racism exists today and is serious enough to warrant action, 2) Racism can be eliminated by education, and 3) Arequired class would provide the proper education. Proponents of the mandatory class feel very strongly that racism is a major issue confronting American society, and that it needs to be dealt with actively. The Curriculum Committee draft says that "it would be difficult to argue that there is any setof issues more importantto the future of our society ... than those surrounding racism and racial inequality." Even though "most white students are not supremacists," says Elizabeth Anderson, an assistant professor in philosophy and a member of Concerned Faculty, "there is widespread ignorance of how minorities have transformed American culture." A primary concern for many people at the U-M is "institutional racism," a difficult term to define. According to Vice Provost for Minority Affairs Charles Moody, "An institution that finds that it is dominated and ruled by one race ... has embedded in its operating system institutional racism." Some people believe a mandatory class will help overcome institutional racism. According to Anderson, adopting this class would "add incentive to push for increased hiring of minority faculty." Other people, however, feel this is a manipulative tactic. For instance, Dan Bamowski, an LSA freshman, says, 'This sounds like a backhanded approach to force the hiring of minorities." In addition, many attempts to prove the existence of institutional racism are difficult to substantiate. The Curriculum

5EZWHO?

'THe U.'VE~Irr.

Many people see a larger problenl with requiring everyone to take a course on racisnl. Committee cites as evidence of institutional racism the "large differences in income, employment, housing, health care, and education between the majority and blacks." However, many social scientists, including Thomas Sowell of the Hoover Institution and William Julius Wilson of the University of Chicago, attribute these disparities to broader socioeconomic factors than just racism. Furthermore, racism, institutional or otherwise, has generally been attributed to ignorance. Most people agree that open communication and education would help overcome racist feelings that persist in society today. Chuck Ebel, an LSAjunior, says that "after taking Philosophy 355, a class on racism, I realized that there was a lot more to racism than the blatant instances which most people are aware of." Barnowski believes, however, that "by this age, most students have already formed an opinion of racist attitudes. This [mandatory) class won't change them." Many people see a larger problem with requiring everyone to take a course on racism. It must be required and not optional, the committee draft says, because "an optional course would not be elected by individuals who might benefit from it." But LSA senior Glenn Kotcher says, "Those who are forced to leam about racism will inevitably enter studies with varying degrees of resentment over their forced compulsion." Kotcher believes that this might aggravate rather than eliminate racist views.

Questions have also been raised as to how fair the grading would be. For example, would students opposed to a racial policy or even someone who is a devout "racist" be penalized for not confoffi1ing to the views presented by the professor? History Professor Stephen Tonsor opposes the mandatory class as a matter of principle. A class like this, he says, would be "a violauon of academic freedom." Tonsor makes it clear that although he is "opposed to racism in all forms," he does not "see the c lass room all a place for indoctrination for certain ideologies. A c1as,.'1 like this should not be forced [on students). Even worse is the fact that they have to pay to hear'it." Tonsor sees in the proposed course a conflict between "the values of diversity and the values of liberty." The Executive Committee, in making its decision on the class, is expected to take into account these and other factors that will determine the fate of incoming U-M students. According to the LSA Dean's Office, the proposal will then be put forth for discussion and a vote by the LSA faculty, possibly in March. The course, as Concerned Faculty and others believe, will have a positive impact on reducing racism on campus, allowing everyone to feel more secure. But a<; Tonsor says, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

Ash .lain is a sophomore in political science and a staff writer for the Rni.ew.

f~6ET

Sf! WlfD! I

TH~ ~rv~srry. '/,

rr.

I ~ (.,(JIN t;,

,Ia rrrl'1lt

f(f.4LWD~.

'~-~*""~~_~"'_'·_~'jO""'~~"'''''''''!4''':..~iI:t>''.:l.I!#~It!: ..... <.'.N'~'''''''''''''''''~"''"('' . ~" ,~.... ,.,.,

... ' ,.

',','" W.W' ':",,,,,,,,,,,,.

The Michigan Review 8

January 1989

Essay

The Erosion of the University by Ian Beilin Walking the halls of our university last semester, you may have noticed a poster announcing a series of lectures collectively entitled "Understanding and Challenging Our Ism's." A picture of a tree on the poster displayed its fruits: the many invidious "ism's" that plague our society. Among them were the well-known ones, including racism, sexism, and ethnocentrism, as well as some not-so-well-known ones, such as "able ism" (discrimination against the handicapped), "heterosexism," and "ageism" (age discrimination). You may not have cared about this poster or you may not have read it at all. As a proponent of free expression and justice, you may have had no qualms with such a series of talks taking place. But if you looked closer, you may have noticed that the lectures were sponsored by the University of Michigan. This, I believe, is a serious problem and should worry anyone concerned about free expression on this campus. This seemingly harmless little series of lectures is just a small indication of what is taking place throughout our university, as well as at universities throughout thecountry. It is a prime example of what can only be described as the political radicalization of the university environment. This is a phenomenon which has taken place only during the past few decades and which is now making its effects known by threatening the most basic principles of learning: openness and freedom of expression. Let us examine the case of the "ism's" poster. There is no doubt that this poster and the series of lectures it advenises considers these "ism's" to be terrible evils which stand in the way of the general improvement of society and mankind

Indeed, the lectures are intended to help us "understand" and "challenge" these base prejudices. The task of the university, then, is to eradicate these prejudices by helping us to "understand" them. But the crucial question is, how can we reall y understand these things if the case is closed? It is obvious that certain individuals at the university, namely the ones sponsoring these lectures, a/ready think they do understand them. At least they think they understand them well enough to know that these evils should be eradicated with no questions asked But this undermines the spirit of the university. A university is not a place where a particular political group, no matter how large or powerful, propagandizes its views and presents them as the holy truth. Rather, it is a place where all opinions are open to censure and criticism. The assumption here is that we might better arrive at a more accurate knowledge of the nature of things if we permit dissent and debate. Debate and open-mindedness help check the human tendency of thinking that one possesses the truth on all matters. We by no means know everything, especially in political matters. Yet the university would have it otherwise. It is evident that it supports a group which does think itknows the truth, at least on some matters. Its singular intention is to change the world so that it conforms to its liking. What better place to do this than the university, where young people are just beginning to form their world views? This abuse of the university for political purposes is appalling, yet our university sponsors it! The university ostensibly presents things like the "ism's" series in an apolitical guise. But clearly it is an expres-

Choose to EXCEL .• Learn to Anticipate th~ Exam • Improve Your Test-Taking Skills • Use Your Study Time More Effeclively • Achieve Your Maximum Potential Score

E\.~~~parali on

996·1500 1100 South University

sion of the narrow political interests of a cenain group which has achieved power and status. The fact is, many of these "ism's" might not be construed as bad; in cenain forms, some may even be construed as good. The university must not exclude someone who may wish to come forward with an argument in support of what some people might construe as "sexist." Freedom of expression includes the right to express "sexist" or even "racist" opinions. One of the reasons is that everyone has a different defmition of what sexism and racism is. Some feminists consider the bulk of Western literature to be sexist. Should we then not allow these books to be read because they contain such dangerous ideas? Maybe the feminisl~ just are not right Could that . be possible? We must leave the door open for criticism and dissent. You may think that anything that promotes inequality of the sexes is wrong and should be eliminated. But that isjust your opinion and you may be wrong. There are some who may wish to argue that women should occupy a subordinate position to men in society. Some Catholics and fundamentalist Protestestants may have this belief. If you believe in the ability of reason to establish the truth, then you should have nothing to fear, provided that the other· person also has a respect for reason. This respect for reason is the commonground upon which all opposing opinions of the university community meet. Without it, there can only be propagandizing. And this brings us, alas, to the central problem at hand. What has happened is that the faith in reason which once united the university has been abandoned. The new belief among many educators is that the only way to establish what one believes is true and right is to eliminate all dissenting opinions through a power struggle. This interestingly is a central tenet of all totalitarian regimes and it is one that enormously successful leftist ideologues in American universities have adopted. We can see the effects right before our eyes. The purpose oflearning for these ideologues is to inculcate students with the "correct" political attitudes and a higher "consciousness" of the injustices of our society. This is not acheived through reasoned discourse. Inde~\eas.on itself is scorned as an illusion created by the oppressors to maintain their world ·'hegemony." The university is thus transformed into a battleground. A skirmish occurred last winter at the University of Massachussets at Amherst.

Julius Lester, a well-known black lewish thinker, was expelled from the Depanment of Afro-American Studies because he dared to criticize the writings of the late James Baldwin and the beliefs of the Rev. Jesse 1ackson. This kind of administrative action has a disturbingly totalitarian direction. We can see why activism is so popular on this campus. It is seen a~ the only means to be really heard and to have one's desires for a better world materialized Reac;on is abandoned in favor of action. Activism consists in being convin'~ed that ~ou are right about something and going out and demanding that your desires be met and that your opinions be officially recognized as truth. Our administration has given in to activist,' demands (not all of them, admittedly), in the face of intimidation and threal~. It is difficult to decide whose behavior is more shameful, the activists' or the administration 's. One of the great ironies of todllY is that while for the first time in the Soviet Union, schools and universities are allowing dissent from the pany line, the atmosphere at American universities is becoming increasingly characterized by close-mindedness and intolerance. But professors and administrators in their callowness do not seem to do very much about this. Indeed, many are trying to do as much ,l~ they can to destroy the tradition of free and o~n debate. Students should remind professors that they came to the university to learn and discover, not to be indoctrinated orenlisted into some ideological power struggle. In the university, different opinions are supposed to do battle with ont? another in a hope that the truth may prevail. More importantly, it should be a place where students are presented with many different opinions on an issue, not just one. They should be taught to make reasoned decisions on important issues by themselves. The only way this can be done is to expose students to the groundings, the basic beliefs of any school of thought. But many professors find it easier or more advantageous to talk amongst themselves and try to indoctrinate students with a method of teaching that is essentially propagandizing. Now is the time to put a stop (0 these things or else one day some of us might find ourselves sending our children to school in the Soviet Union. Ian Beilin is a junior in history and

German and a staff writer for the Review.

___""'_'"..·..

. . .'<M_. .

't"'_"'~j~1~

({ I

·'",.>""""".-">.,~»

.. " • ., ~

The Michigan Review

ja~~aiy'

1999 ' .~ r

Arts: Film Alternatives

The Rising Cost of Entertainment by Jeffrey Leiman For a student living on a tight budget, one of the most difficult dilemmas that he may face while attending the University of Michigan is what to do with his entertainment dollar. Ever since childhood, he has gone to the movies for a magical two-hour experience free from any commands of "Clean your room!" or "Stop hitting your brother." It was about as close to paradise as any 9-year-old kid could come. Things have all changed since those carefree days of $1.50 or $2 movie experiences. Today, $2 will not even get a person inside the theater, let alone buy a ticket and a box of popcorn. The day of the $5 movie has arrived. To most college students, Friday and Saturday evenings present a break from classes, exams, homework, and stress, and movies provide an ideal escape. LSA freshman Bradley Stem is generally enthusiastic about the weekend. "Friday nights are great nights for movies because I do not have the threat of classes the next day," he says. "There are not any papers or exams looming over my head. I can just kick back and relax." But for Stern and others like him, the cost of admission may place a serious damper on the evening's festivities. Most theaters in the Ann Arbor area, such as the recently opened Showcase Cinemas on Carpenter Road, the State Theater, and the theaters at Briarwood Mall, put a $5 price tag on their evening admissions. Many theatergoers choose to supplement their viewing experience by purchasing a tub of over-salted popcorn or a glass of flat Pepsi-Cola. But this is not cheap. It can lead to a total of close to $10 for a few hours of enjoyment. According to Jessica Dietz, ajunior in the School of Art, "Many students have been known to need professional counseling after shelling out that kind of money to view Sylvester Stallone's latest attempt to speak in complete sentences." Why, then, in the era of the video cassette recorder, do students continue to pay $5 to view films in these movie houses? No one truly knows, but the film industry is well aware of this behavior and markets its movies accordingly. In her book Media Impaci. Shirley Biagi emphasizes the importance of the industry's marketing by illustratingjust how vital the youth audience is to the continued health of the American film industry. According to Biagi, young people, ages 16-24, account for approximately 38 percent of movie attendance, which she claims is an extraordinary figure

since this age group comprises barely 18 percent of the general population. Consequently, this segment of the audience has a direct influence over the films Hollywood generates. Many mature adults are not going to pay $5 to see youthoriented films, such as CockJail or Coming to America. These films and many others like them depend on the you th audience for their success. The film industry panders to

campus full of worthwhile alternatives. There are several ways to see movies on campus without paying $5. In addition to matinee showings at most major theaters which usually cost about $3, a wide selection of films are shown at the Michigan Theater and at various campus locations by a host of student cinema societies. These films are almost always priced under $3, and there is a wide selection shown every - ~ - .Q

' ,~, ~ )~'). . ~

·if "·' "

IltHU(~t R "il ...

n.r ne _.1. __

'te

One alternative: The Michigan Theater. this audience by producing a plethora of ftlms with youth appeal. A look at some of the top grossing movies of the summer of 1988, according to Variety (September 1988), illustrates this point

WhoFramedRogerRabbil $133,157,337 Coming to America 119,055,052 Crocodile Dundee II 107,214,324 Big 97,856,795 CockJail 60,333,130 Collectively, over $500 million w~ made from these five pictures. LSA junior Melissa Gessner is one of many students appalled by the money generated from these youth-oriented pictures. Gessner says that "maybe we should be more selective about the films that we choose to view." She uses Cocktail as an example. "Had I known that this movie used every cliche in the book and lacked a plot, I never would have paid to see it. The popcorn I was eating had a higher IQ." If, as Gessner has suggested, students become more selective about how they spend their movie dollar, they would find a

week. Films range from the old to the new. A classic Alfred Hitchcock thriller can be seen one night and a more recent film the next The Michigan Theater, in particular, is a special treat It has a classic aura that takes the viewer back to a time when going to a movie was truly a special event. One cannot help but enjoy a trip to the Michigan Theater, especially since the price of admission for nearly every event is $3.25 for students with ID. In addition to a wide variety of classic films like Casablanca and more recent ones like Jonathan Demme's Married 10 the Mob, the Michigan Theater often hosts ground-breaking cinematic events like animation festivals or premieres of independently produced projects. Earlier this month, it hosted the Midwest premiere of U-M alumnus Lawrence Kasdan's critically acclaimed new film The J\pcidentai Tourist. Events like these make the Mlthigan Theater a definite entertainment,alternative for the Ann Arbor moviegoer. While lacking the classic surroundings of the Michigan Theater, campus cinema

societies or film co-ops as they are com· monly called also offer a variety of interesting selections each weekend. Although shown in many of the lecture halls that give students nightmares during the week, these films are Quite worthy of student patronage. Admission prices are affordable, usu ally priced at$2.50 for single showings and $3.50 for double features. Films run the gamut from the old to the new with each cinema group specializing in a particular film genre. According to LSA sophomorf;! Alan Bernstein, a member of Cinema II, a co·op which shows foreign and art films , "The campus film societies provide the student moviegoer with the best possible alternative to the over-priced, first-run films that pervade the Ann Arbor area." In addition to Cinema II, there are sev· eral other film groups that are active on campus. Founded in 1950, Cinema Guild specializes in foreign and classic films, but also shows a wide variety of more recent domestic films . The Ann Arbor Film Co· op specializes in cult and science fiction films and sponsors the annual 8mm Film Festival. For students interested in films of a political or religious nature, Alternative Action concentrates entirely on offering films of political and social interest and Hill Street Cinema, sponsored by the Hillel Foundation, specializes in films of Jewish interest. Ann Arbor film societies do not simply concentrate on entertaining their audiences but seek to educate and move them as well, making the groups an interesting and provocative alternative to the $5 first-run offerings around town. LSA sophomore Eric Franz is a big fan of these campus cinema societies because "they give me an opportunity to view many of the classic films the way that they were intended to be seen-{)n the big screen. It is also a great way to see more recent films that I missed the first time around." Franz readily admits that the urge often hits him to shell out$5 and see a ftrst-run movie, but only "if I am positive that it is going to be a great movie." However, how can Franz or anyone else be assured that a movie is going to be worth $5? This is a dilemma that each individual moviegoer must face, and the answer can only be found at the movies .

Jeffrey Leiman is a junior in political science and communications and a starr writer for the Review.

""'H't

~ ·::f ~~"l~/~~ ~~I.::t1(,~l'ili<h~M<#~:"' ''''' ''''''M '''''~'''I... ,.. "",,,,~·, ,,:,,·,, ,., · ,,,

The Michigan Review

January 1989

Arts: Books in Review

Twain Revisited The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain Softcover, $1.75 Bantam Books, 1988 292 pp. by Jennifer Worick

r:'

The Adventures ofHuclcJeberry Finn iz a right fme book, with a vemakular reminiscentoftheBeverLy HiLlbillies. MarkTwain infuzes many themes and opinions into the youngin's story so although it apeers to be a continuous stteam of ackshun, the book is, in ackualitee, a well-crafted narrative, laden with meenin. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is just that-the adventures of young Huck as he escapes from a conventional lifestyle (in the form of his guardian, the widow) and from captivity (represented by his "pap"). He and his companion Jim, a runaway slave, encounter many situations, people, and, well ... adventures on and along the Mississippi River. The novel is a chronicle not only of Huck and Jim, but also of the world they and Twain knew best-a world of dialogue, propriety, and opportunity. For over 100 years, Huck Finn has been lauded and heckled in nearly every respect. It has been interpreted as advocating both racism and civil rights, censored because it was thought to be a bad example for children, and attacked for lacking serious literary merit. Although criticism continues, many people now agree with Ernest Hemingway that "all modem American literature comes from one little book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn." On the surface, it may seem that Twain is presenting Jim as a less than exemplary representative of blacks. Jim is an easily frightened, superstitious man who speaks poorly: WeLL, you wouldn't a ben here,

'J il

/radn'tabenfor Jim. You'd a ben down dah in de woods widow any dinno, en giltn' mos' drownded, too, dill YO" would, honey. Chickens Icnows when iI's gwyne to rain, en so do de birds, chiLe.

In Ilwse old slave-holding days the wlwle comnumity was agreed to one thinfJ-Ihe awful sacredness of slave property . ... [TJo help a hunJed slave ... was a much baser crime, and carried wish iI a stain, a moral smirch which nothing could wipe away ....

Despite this social belief, Huck does what is right and helps Jim--his coriscience tells him that color is irrelevant and good beans are not q Ironically, througb Jim's dialect and Huck's repeated se1f-coodemnatioo for aiding a slave, Twain shows himself to be a strong advocate ofcivil rights and a harsh critic of his society. In describing a feud between the Grangerford and Shepherdson families, Twain cleverly shows that no matter how good and admirable people are, they are often put at odds f<I reasons long forgotten. "WeU," saysBuclc, "afeudisthisway. A man has a quarrel with anotlIer man, and lcills him; then thai other man's brother kills him; then the other brothers, 011 both sides, -goes for one another; then the cousins chip iJt.-...mId by and by everbody's lcilled off, and there ain't no morefeud. But it' s lcindofslow, and toIw a long tlml!.

WeAre Looking/or S, EXl!cUtives, Future Editors 'IIIJIisMrJ, Production MaMgers, p~,... ~1f;

Call 662-19·

t:d

~ '"'" . ~

But Twain also shows that Jim is a goodhearted man. Huck comes 10 love and respect Jim as a human being and aids him in his search for freedom, although he knows perfecdy well what his society dictates 00 the issue of slavery:

•

The two families simply fail to question their state of affairs. On a symbolic level, they could represent the Union and the Confederacy, but more likely, Twain wanted these people to stand for whites, blacks, and his society's ~ceptance of their tragic relationship. HJld:Jebury Finn has been a favorite of cen500 because, yes, it does set a bad example for youth. According to Forbidden Books ill American Public Libraries, 1876 - 1939, many public libraries at the tum of the century restricted children's access to Huck Finn on grounds of "irreligion" and "mischief," and rightly so. What child would opt for school and propriety when he could float down a river on a raft, with only a current about which to worry'! But Huck does not just evade responsibility; he also demonstrates courage, quick-wittedness, honesty, and a carpe diEm philosophy. Censors must ask themselves if the bad example Huck Finn sets outweighs the admirable qualities that society wishes youth to learn and adopt. If they look closely, they will see that it does not. If books, such as the Decameron, Candide, Jane Eyre. and the Grapes of Wrath were still censored today fa indecency, immorality, not satisfying "the just demands of the community," and advocating socialism, respectively, think of what a rich literary tradition the world would lack. A great deal of insight, not to mention entertain~t, can be gleaned from Huckleberry Fw. these works.· Hud:leben;y Finn is far more than a stream of consciousness spewing forth from Twain's pen; it is a carefully constructed, thematic narrative delivered through Huck's sincere voice. The theme

an.

of freedom winds il<; way through the novel, much like the Mississippi River winds its way through America's heartland: We said there warn'l no home Like a raft, after aLL. Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a rafl don't. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a rafl . The ever-present raft is mov),ng tow<l:rd freedom, but lacks maneuveJ1lbility and power. It represents the helplessness of slaves as it pa'ises the free city of Cairo and Jim misses an opportunity for freedom . It also stands for the powerlessness of youth and those wanting to avoid mainstream values and opinions. At one point, the raft is smashed by a steamboat, suggesting that the far-reaching arms of society (in the form of the passenger-filled ship) seek and desttoy it<; deviants. ' The ending of Huckleberry Finn has been criticized for the insertion of a deus ex machina, which allows Jim to be free and Huck. to continue in his travels. In Modern Critical Interpretazions-Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, critic Leo Marx claims that Twain's ending had "vast room for invention. Clemens might have contrived an action which left Jim's fate 30.<; much in doubt as Huck's. Such an ending would have allowed us to a'isume that the principals were defeated but alive, and the Quest unsuccessful but not abandoned."But it is important that Jim and Huck be free---the entire narrative is ajourney away from pa· rental, conventional, and societal consttaints and toward a life free from those chains. To send Huck and lim back to their former lives would negate the premise of the novel and would insert a element of worthlessness into the duo's odyssey. The Adventures of fluckLeberry Finn is about the freedom to choose and think. Critics, censors, and readers have demonsttated such a freedom in their various interpretations of Twain's work. But in 1989, most people familiar with fluck Finn agree that it deserves a critical analysis, for it offers much more than a purely entertaining look at a boy and his adventures. So peek up a copy at the VGLI, seddle back, and reackquaint yurself with young Mizter Finn.

Jennirer Worick isajunior in communications and English and arts editor or the Review.

1IIiIWf" ~ 路路 ('tliiP$IlI<'~~~~'~'Wfo<""io.~it"i'$,~t>"" (" \.''''''路'''l:>wO._.''' ''.' ' ' ~'

January 1989 11

The Michigan Review

A Spring Break Reading List by Herbert Walker

When the Michigan Review first approached me about writing such a list for them in the spring of 1975, I reluctantly declined. At the time, I had only four short years of experience as a senior literary critic for the New York Times and honestly felt that such a responsibility was ratherout of my league. Yet only two weeks ago. I happened to bump into the publisher of the Review on a barge about a hundred miles up the Ganges River. As we talked over a bottle of absinthe and the finest bratwurst. he casually brought up the possibility of my writing a list for the January issue. Again, I was reluctant, unsure that I could maintain proper objectivity. For although I am now a respected international journalist and the owner of two Shetland ponies. I could not divorce myself from my excessive emotional attachment to the Review. As it happens my paternal grandfather indirectly owed his life to this publication. In 1899. while he was posing as a geisha girl for British intelligence during the Boer War, he accidently fell out of an observation balloon and cut his ankle. The man who first saw to him, having remarbbly no prior medical training, advised that the wound be thoroughly cleaned and bandaged, thus saving my grandfather from a long, horrible death from gangrene. That man was none other than Harry S. Linderman, the world-famous contortionist and founder of the Review.

good pitching and dialectical materialism came together in one unforgettable season. 5. Class, Gender, and Self in the Modern University: A Love Story. by 1. F. Arouet. 6. Great Books of the Founding Persons.

by Charlene Tilton - Finally, a book that explores the sexual identities of the "Guys of Philadelphia."

7. Having it all! How a modern women raised afamily, managed a career, and still found time to incite violent revolution. by Cassandra Wick-An emotional testament to the great dilemma of modem womanhood. 8. Totalitarianism gnd Childrearing. by L. Turgot-Makes Dr. Spock look like a

Republican. 9. Latin American Revolutionary Movements and the Upper Middle-Class University Student-Radicals Who Will Probably End Up in Law School. by Alexander Eisenstein- No RC social science major should be without it. 10. Weimar Acrobats: A Reminist Perspective. by Zerconia Franklin- A timeless account of trapeze artists between the wars and what feminists think about . that

12. Male Dominance. by O. Smith- The terrible truth about men and how they consciously conspire to make foul the

1. The American People: Wow! by Rod-

erick Sanchez

13. The Secret Lives of the Proletariat. by Karl Engels-What the bourgeoisie doesn't know won't hurt it.

2. The Selected Works ofBenito Mussolini For Children. edited by 1. Swift- Children will make these wonderfully instructive tracts of Unde Duce a treasured part of their bedtime reading list.

14. Fashion Trends Among Austrian Workers: May 1897-July 1897 (3Vols.). by P. 1. Hossenffeffer - The fast-paced social history that is on everyone's shopping list

3. Speak Out! A Young Boy's Shocking Story of Alcohol Abuse among the Khmer Rouge. byPhanLoc- The story the world refuses to believe.

15. IwoJima: A Male Perspective. byBob Busch- An oral history of the decisive battle from a distinctly male point of view.

New York Mets. bySheckieBeard-How

program. 17. The Making of a Rockette: As Seen Through a Women's Eyes. by Larry Snithers- A new twist to the old rockette literary genre. 18. Insignificant People and their Indelible Impact on World History. by Steven Svidrygaylov-Tired of reading about the great human accomplishments of the past and the generals, statesmen, and thinkers who made them possible? Then you'll just love this book!

19. Women Who Love Men and tJle Men Who Love Them and Yet Still Find Jjme for . Their Vo/vos. by Russell L. Pang los

20. The Multi-social Self and Big Game Fishing. by Yosefrie GuldenbrooksBecome self-actualized and catch larger tuna.

Herbert Walker is a senior literary critif for a major national newspaper and a stafTwriter for the Review.

RESERVE OFFICEIS' TRAINING CORPS

II. Gender and the Hindenburg Disaster. by Stillwell Starkwell-A sexual perspective of one of our nation's 10 worst zeppelin disasters.

As we moved slowly down the sacred river, with my publisher friend seated at the bow polishing his pince-nez and singing a folk song. I made my fateful decision. The result is what follows.

4. An Economic Interpretationof1he 1969

As we talked over a bottle of absinthe and the finest bratwurst, he casually brought up the possibility of my writing a list for the January . Issue.

earth.

16. Mayan Weight-Loss Tips. by Bedford Graziani- Lose weight the easy way, the Mayan way, through a revolutionary new

YOUR UNCLE WANTS TO PAY FOR COLLEGE. BUT ONLY IF YOU'RE GOOD ENOUGH. Army ROTC scholarships pay tuition and provide an allowance for fees and textbooks. Find out if you qualify.

(

ABMYBOTC m

SMARTEST COWGE COURSE YOU'tAl-TAKE.

Find Out More. Call Captain O'Rourke. Visit 131 North Hall or Ca11 164-2400.

•__~~~\t~...........w.·!'WWfo«;"').IDI';Il~MWlh1o,~·I:...:((I'>.l;G~"'\"V"".'''.'.J.·I'' '''', ...:.~ .... '.,

....., •• ~ . • ,.

Keg Party.

1..

• It's jUS[ nor a party without brewery~fresh draft beer. Thus Q'KJrs. The Original Draft: since 1959. In handy 12~()unce keQS.

ThE ORIGINAL l'l~" :\''''!rh(,, ~,~,'

""',r;lm t",!.Itr (

l.ot.J,.· ....~~"... : · p..' .. ,·'l)o:· ..·

"'........ I,n FIn-! ...... r"

..... ,

~.;; .. \