The Red Badge of Courage.

I remember reading The Red Badge of Courage during my Junior year of high school and liking it. I'm re-reading it now as part of my preparation for the PRAXIS exam that I have to take in order to be licensed as an English teacher. Reading as a teacher is entirely different than reading as a regular reader. I pause at every line and think, make notes, look up words, write questions. Maybe I go overboard. Last night I looked for Civil War photos at the Library of Congress website photo archives. I feel compelled to add visuals to every lesson that I write, whether it's contemporary artwork or photographs. I guess it's the thwarted artist in me struggling to find an outlet. There were hundreds of photos of soldiers and campsites and battle fields. They were in excellent condition - sharp and detailed. I made a PowerPoint presentation, which just shows how overboard I go, considering I haven't got a job yet.

I'm surprised to find myself excited about the prospect of teaching. But I am. Not just a little excited. I've been possessed of that sort of zealous, manic excitement. Joan of Arc excitement. Change the world excitement. I know it's crazy.

Anyway, I'm a little ashamed of how under-read I am. I have a list of twenty-something books that I should have read by now, and I know that some of them will come into play on the PRAXIS. I just don't know which ones. So I'm reading them all and making lesson plans for them, just to be safe. Couldn't hurt. The Red Badge of Courage is the first, and I'm feeling a whole new appreciation for it now that I'm older. It's a great idea to read those mandatory high school books again after you've gotten older. I highly recommend it.