I came here to say similar. I’ve never had a professor who expected a certain interpretation from a student studying literature. Once art is out in the world, interpretation is up to the individual. I’ve had a literature professor push me to write more about my own personal thoughts on a piece. After my third essay, where I held nothing back about one of Wilde’s works, I was even invited to specifically attend her classes going forward.

I fully agree. I was an avid reader at a young age. It makes me ill when my children’s teachers assign books based on some level they believe a child should be reading these days. The first book of substance I read was The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. I was eight, and it was for a book report. My teacher was hesitant, but I was insistent. My mother was skeptical, but I did not care. I aced my report. My mother let me read anything I wanted from that point on, and I never chose a book assigned by teachers again. Children aren’t given a chance to explore books that might interest them anymore. Perhaps that’s why so many don’t even have an interest in trying to read great books.

It’s a good thing to read a book at any age.