Yes - this bothers me too - primarily because I can't think of writing about 
literature in anthing other than the present tense.  What I try to do is to 
get the kids to write as if they were one of the characters - i.e., if 
you're Benard, this isn't in the past - it's NOW!  Or, think in terms of the 
writer - if you're the author, in the process of writing, none of your 
characters have done anything!

Geoff Layton


>From: "Paul E. Doniger" <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar              
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Literary present
>Date: Fri, 11 May 2007 14:58:46 -0700
>
>Hello all,
>
>I'm looking for advice: This year, many of my high school sophomores seem 
>unable (unwilling?) to write about literature in the present tense. They 
>discuss events in a novel, story, etc., only as past tense events. For 
>example, a student wrote in one of his journals for Brave New World: 
>"Bernard was with Lenina when he met John, the Savage." How can I get 
>students to think in the present and write "Bernard is ... he meets" 
>instead? Has anyone else struggled with this problem? I'm looking for 
>teachable moments, here.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Paul
>
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