“The Things They Carried” is one of my favorite High School books! Another good read that is probably on the AP English list is Animal Farm by George Orwell!!!!

Most classical literature is (hate to say it, but it’s true) based on realistic interpretations of those times. Another example, a bit younger, is Twain’s Tom Sawyer, and his Huck Finn, too. The torment of cats in both those novels is really sickening, but, again, it is realistic for that time.

I just finished reading chapter 5 of “Crime and Punishment” where the main character, Raskolnikov, has a dream about a young boy witnessing drunken men beat a mare (horse) to death. It was ghastly and I cried.

It reminded me of “The Things They Carried”. In it, one of the soldiers shoots and tortures a baby elephant to death. I was bawling that time and it ruined the whole book for me. And the worst part is, that book may or may not be true, which also tarnishes the reputation of men at war.

I read “The Things They Carried” for AP English Language and am reading “Crime and Punishment” for AP English Lit. Both are on suggested AP reading lists.What’s with all this animal abuse within classic literature? I know that the entire story isn’t about that one incident but I’ve just found that classic authors like to write about that kind of stuff.

Why is this so common and what other examples have you guys seen?