English Majors Need Respect, Too

Some time ago, I ran into my old elementary school principal. She was excited to see me, and began to ask me all kinds of questions-what was I doing with myself, how were my mother and father, was I done with college yet. Before I could answer any of these questions, she made my rising spirit plummet to my feet and attempt to disappear into the cracks in the sidewalk we were standing on; she asked me excitedly if I was going to be a scientist or a doctor. She almost winced when I told her I was an English major. I know she didn't mean to offend me, and yet this incident made me think about how often I've heard people knock down English majors. Why is a science-related program of study or career track the first thing parents and teachers want to talk about? Is being a doctor the only worthwhile thing to do?

Why can't we, English majors, be looked upon with as much respect as is awarded to the science students? I realize how difficult being a natural science major is. They have an insane amount of memorization to do, dense articles to trudge through, and time consuming lab experiments to conduct. It's all very honorable. I greatly admire and am grateful to the science students. Thank God they've dedicated themselves to learning all the biology, chemistry and physics to sustain our scientific knowledge for the generation to come because it all bores the rest of us to no end.

But, can't we, non-science students, be given a little credit, too? After all, who is going to edit the science text books or scholarly articles? More importantly, who is going to create the literature that will calm our souls when science can't explain the randomness of illness or death?

If there were no English majors (or visual arts, communications, history, art history majors, etc.), who would worry about the preservation of the human spirit? Isn't this as important as safeguarding the human body? And don't the dimensions of the human spirit evolve along with societal changes the same way that technology and medicine are continually changing? What does the changing spirit have to do with literature? Perhaps I'm being too abstract, but I really do believe that literature is the expression of the soul or spirit; literature (art, the media and interpretation of historical events) is essential to understanding how individuals see themselves in a social/cultural context. Isn't any attempt to understand such a huge concept worthy of the same respect allotted by our peers and elders to the study of how to preserve the health of our physical bodies?

Here are the five most disrespectful things I've heard said to an English Major:

• Oh… that's… nice-but what do you plan to do with that?

• But there's no money in it!

• What exactly are you learning though? I mean, you know how to read and write, what more could there be?

• Have you ever read _________? (Insert any author from around the world, no matter how obscure, from any time period.) … No? What kind of an English major are you?

• Aren't you interested in science at all?

Please refrain from using these phrases when talking to an English major. We are as interested in human well-being and advancement as the science majors are. Furthermore, it's extremely annoying to have to constantly defend a decision that isn't even an easy one to follow through with. Have you ever tried to write three 10 page papers in 10 days?

12 comments

Tim CLC 81

Sat Aug 15 2009 11:37

As an aged English major myself, I know the feeling. Here's how I handled those critics. What they asked what I would do with the degree, I replied that I didn't understand the question. They would respond with a blank stare at first, then ask what I was going to do for money. I would then say I would get a job. They would ask what kind of job. I would tell them I would do whatever kind of work I wanted to. If the purpose of post-secondary education is merely vocational, then skip the university. Save time and money by going to a trade school. Become an electrician, plumber or auto mechanic. All these trades are good, solid work. They are in demand regardless of the economy. They all pay well. For the record, I found work in publishing, then advertising and I eventually went to law school.

La Goj

Thu Aug 13 2009 00:50

It's really easy to take the offensive isn't it, well paid scientist? If you feel the need to insult people, it means you don't really have much to say at all.
This is actually a personal essay, not really a persuasive essay. I don't think the writer's intent was to make all scientists give up their studies. The point, I think, was that professional peoples of both fields - the sciences and the humanities- should grant each other the mutual respect that they both deserve.

I think that you haven't read this closely enough to comprehend the counterpoints that the writer does indeed include. I agree that the statement that "Literature helps the soul" might be too opinionated and maybe too weak an argument. That's true. But afterall, this is an amateur opinions article not a scientific journal or an academic essay.

The writer did say why she considers literature to be important; literature often reveals the changes and shifts in identity and perspective that human beings have undergone with the course of time. The kind of consideration that literature gives to topics like self- consciousness or national identity or historical perspectives should compliment the scientific studies of how our physical world evolves.

I understand the fact that you don't agree with this article, and that you totally missed the point that someone who studies English doesn't really care how well-paid you are. But please don't degrade yourself, your comment, and your professional affiliation (to the almighty sciences) by trying to claim you know more about writing than the proponent of this argument does.

well paid scientist

Wed Aug 12 2009 17:38

You haven't explained, in this post at least, what the purpose or benefit of an English major is? I think you are trying to write a persuasive essay here, so you need to also present why your belief should be supported. You did mention many of the reasons why science is better, so what is the counter point? That English literature helps the soul, and how is that beneficial, I'm not clear.
You really aren't a good English major if you can't write an essay. So what kind of English major are you, again?

Cookie

Wed May 13 2009 15:47

Art versus Science. It's a common debate, and as a student of history, I can relate. Believe me. "So, are you going to be a teacher?" No. An editor actually. At some pretty technical magazines! The shocker for many people (and I'll leave Chemist's opinion alone as it is spot on for highly specialized content) is that students of subjects like English and History are trained to do something fascinating: Think! Please don't misunderstand me. Nobody thinks harder or more deeply than scientists plumbing the depths of the universe. But people who study subjects like English or History (and numerous other disciplines) often are trained to think broadly as well as deeply and to seek outside the box. In the interest of full disclosure, in addition to my history degree, I have two degrees in the health sciences. But I can truly say that my training as an historian has served me in good stead throughout my career. Now, go read some poetry or "The War with Hannibal"!

Chemist

Tue Apr 28 2009 08:28

I respect english majors, but as a Ph.D. in chemistry, I thought I'd respond to your question, "After all, who is going to edit the science text books or scholarly articles?" Scientists, actually. Every word in my articles came from my research group members, chemists all. The editors of the journals: chemists. We have people reading textbook chapters that aren't chemists, but they were typically chem majors with minors in English, or chem majors who pursued editing as a 'non-traditional career'. And our research books are typically chapter-length papers written by experts in the sub-discipline, collected and 'edited' by another chemist. We only utilize English majors (if at all) as a final proofreader, and even then all the chemists I know then re-proofread that version to be sure they didn't change our meaning (e.g. by changing adsorb into absorb).

I'm no expert in critical theory and methodology - I'll leave it to the English department. My colleagues in the English department don't know anything about adiabatic energy surfaces - they leave that to me. And both disciplines are better for it!

Tamesis

Thu Apr 16 2009 23:41

Thank you! I can't tell you how many times my family used those same comments. My favorite comment has to be "Are you going to be a teacher?" No. I'm not going to be a teacher. Thanks for asking. The world is made up of different people, and let's face it, the world needs those different people. It especially needs English majors.

Your name

Thu Apr 2 2009 20:52

Regarding the last post: how is an advisor who tells who to take classes outside of your major an example of the over specialization of the current education system?

Myth Ookami

Wed Feb 18 2009 06:35

There is way, way, way, too much specialization in the modern educational track. I used to have an advisor that made me waste credit hours and remember quite clearly being admonished for not taking classes outside my major because I "might actually get an education."\
That's NOTHING to say of the general ignorance of what I would consider "THE CLASSICS," basic foundational works of western philosophy that touch every discipline.
It seems to be more important to memorize facts and techniques then it is to learn to think.

John

Sat Dec 13 2008 21:56

Amen. I am a Biology-English double major. There is too much pride in modern specialization. I won't say that specialization is bad, but people need to aspire to be a little more like the "Renaissance-person" (no gendered language here!). I have met some science majors that cannot string together a sentence, as well as some English majors that don't know which way is up in the natural world. There is a beautiful connection between all fields if one is willing to look for it.

Amber

Thu Dec 11 2008 10:35

Thank you!

ellie

Thu Nov 20 2008 15:24

i know what you mean, my dad always asks what i'm gonna do to make money. why can't some people understand that some people want to do something they love, regardless of the pay?

Vivian Tyaba

Tue Sep 2 2008 13:11

I totally agree! I am a bio major and and english minor and I feels as though it takes a lot of work to be a writer or someone in the field of english. Its not at all easy! I hope people understand that it being a science major is great, but not the only avenue to a successful and prosperous career. I, personally believe that enliglish weighs just as much as any other major, and am happy to pursue it in my life.

Add comment


I am not posting spam. I understand posting spam or other comments that are unrelated to this article will cause my comment to be flagged for deletion and possibly cause my IP address to be permanently banned from this server.

Enter the characters in the image above:

log out