Building bridges : using Robert Cormier's young adult novel In the middle of the night to enhance student understanding of Hamlet : an honors thesis (HONRS 499)

Abstract

This thesis pairs Shakespeare's Hamlet part of the literary canon, with the young adult novel, In the Middle of the Night by Robert Cormier. Brief summaries explain the basic plots of the two works, and connections are made between themes, characters, and actions. Pairing the two works makes Hamlet more readable and enjoyable for students. Arguments are presented for why young adult literature should be used in the classroom. Adolescent literature engages all students in exploration of the text. Reluctant readers, in particular, can benefit from the use of young adult literature in the classroom because unlike more complicated works, such as Hamlet, young adult literature is written in a reader-friendly style. This allows all students to make meaning and draw personal connections between the text and life experiences. A variety of suggested classroom exercises that incorporate all facets of language arts (reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing) are presented for class use. Project examples, as well as guidelines for evaluation, are included.