If works of literature are continually used in the classroom because of their relevance and usefulness, then there is not truly a need to encapsulate that work of literature in the canon to preserve it. That preservation occurs through popular use. Being exposed daily to the challenge of engaging minds in a discourse on literature, I believe it is possible, and sometimes necessary, for teachers to structure their material to fit the needs of their students. Gatsby is one such novel that appears to be filling this role. A popular classroom fallacy holds that classics are universal and timeless.
Literature has staying power, but it is subject to metamorphosis.
The Great Gatsby is pushing its way into more and more classrooms, because it is interesting as a literary work and, moreover, because it remains relevant to issues in modern society. What may be an overlooked element in the question of Gatsby 's classroom popularity is the teacher's purpose when instructing literature. If we as teachers are attempting simply to instruct students in the assimilation and basic comprehension of texts as dictated by the literary canon, we must then question whether this instruction serves a productive purpose. Without a purpose in the teaching and learning process, nothing will be effectively learned from the texts. A primary purpose of literature in the classroom is a tool for composition, debate and various thematic discourse.