I asked students to read two magazine articles about a tacky Indian reality show called Splitsvilla and compare them to a long tribute to the serialized version of the Mahabharata, which first aired decades ago on what was then India's national (and one and only) television station.
The result? A room full of insights and differing views:
It's wrong to assume that Splitsvilla is evidence of Westernization, or that Westernization is a recent and entirely unfortunate phenomenon.
Only youth in the country's rural backwaters watch Splitsvilla and aspire to fame and fortune.
No, Splitsvilla's growing popularity exemplifies India's obsession with the United States. That's true, whether you prefer Breaking Bad or Splitsvilla.
Among the responses were outright challenges to the wisdom of the assignment itself. Some students thought I was asking them to support one extreme or another; in effect forcing them to champion either the old India or the new India.
Students' questions, skepticism and fresh takes on the themes and quality of writing found in these stories are exhilarating and instructive.
On that note, here's a link to a lovely online essay by one of my students: http://www.sparkthemagazine.
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