We are often told as Elon University students that we live in the “Elon Bubble.” But if you look a bit closer at the advertising boards and posters around campus throughout Winter Term, you will see a focus on diversity.
The Oaks Neighborhood has taken this to heart by starting a book program in which students are to read “12 Years a Slave” over the span of Winter Term. In the book, author Solomon Northup explores his own story as a slave and provides readers with some of the most vivid, moving tales of slavery in the cannon of American literature. Once they’ve completed the book, students will see the recently released movie version of the story for free as a reward for their work.
The Oaks Neighborhood Association Committee put a great amount of thought into selecting this particular novel. Many people were part of this initiative, including students, faculty and staff at Elon. The question is, why “12 Years a Slave?” The board in charge of selecting the book, particularly Assistant Director of Residence Life Nolan Patouillet, felt it would truly compel students to take action. In addition, he and the staff felt that, by spanning the program over the course of a month, the quest for diversity would be embedded in students’ minds by the end.
According to junior Brianna Duff, the student leading “12 Years a Slave” book discussion, Patouillet and his staff are taking the program to heart.
“Even though I was asking the questions, I was really just there helping out some other residence life staff members who were really invested in the program and had planned it from the beginning,” she said. “They were the core of the program.”
Junior Allison Hren is enthusiastically involved in the program and has been moved by the novel thus far. After the first meeting a week ago, she is already excited for the next book session.
“[“12 Years a Slave”] gives insight you would not see otherwise. It makes you see slavery in a different light that can even be hard to read,” she said. “It is an extremely interesting book and I truly enjoy hearing others’ perspectives.”
Students like Allison and the 15 other participants are taking this program to heart, connecting with their fellow students and the quest for diversity through “12 Years a Slave.”
Hren was originally drawn to the program because she felt she could get to know people better through a deep exploration like this.
“I felt it would be beneficial to read a book with others, forcing me to read and helping me get to know the people in my hall a bit better.”
By exploring “12 Years a Slave” in both the forms of a novel and a film, students truly dive into the theme of diversity. Duff feels this increases the initiative toward diversity in Elon.
“The story gives a perspective on slavery that isn’t usually seen. You learn things from that you don’t learn in the textbooks,” she said. “It takes our thinking out of the neat boxes of high school history lessons and gives us the chance to see our past in a new way. Even if we are not away from the Elon bubble yet, the story and our discussions at least give the opportunity to start looking outside it.”