What is literature?
The word literature is defined in many ways by different
people which quite frankly is similar to what literature is. Literature is a
work of writing that creates a controversy amongst people because from
literature people gain insight and find deeper meanings connect to themselves.
Response to reading:
While reading, Why Read the Classics?, by Italo
Calvino I began to think to myself, I
have not read many classics in my life. Well at least not what are considered
by many to be classics. The reason for this may be because I am waiting to
reach the point where these classics do have that deeper meaning that I can
pull from the texts. Calvino points this out when he says, “For the fact is
that the reading we do when young can often be of little value because we are
impatient, cannot concentrate, lack expertise in how to read, or because we
lack experience of life.” (Calvino 2.) I would agree with this statement, there
definitely comes a point in ones life where one can find the deeper meaning in
a classic book. For me it has not come yet. Or maybe it has and I do not know
it.
Calvino
points to the idea that each person has their own library and finding their
“own” book. Calvino says, “It is only during unenforced reading that you will come
across the book which will become ‘your’ book.” (Calvino 9.) I may have found
my book years ago in the same way he is talking about. I was reading a book
just for the pure interest in it when I realized the much deeper meaning with
in its text. The book is called, The Boys of Winter, by Wayne Coffey
Foreword by Jim Craig. To many they would not call this a classic but to me it
may just fit into that exact category. This book is about how the 1980 Men’s
U.S.A hockey team defeated the Soviet Union in Lake Placid, NY. Many would say
that this book is too recent to be a classic but if you read the book you may
understand why I believe it is. In section 7 Calvino talks about how the text
creates a smoke-screen where on finds the deeper meaning to it. That is exactly
what is in my book. Deeper into the text you are able to find the meaning of
how a young amateur American team defeated the strong Soviet team. I do not
want to reveal much of the book as I believe it is worth reading, but
throughout the book there is man more deeper meanings to be found. Also, as I
get older and reread the book I continue to gain new insight and thoughts of
how it pertains to my life and the experience I can gain from it.
Tom, I'd like to dispute your agreement with Calvino that there is a time in your life when you are truly mature to understand a classic. I understand that at a younger age one does lack the complete competence of literature and the values they hold and share, but at a younger age I feel a classic has the ability to impact your life on a much larger scale. When we are young we are greatly impacted by our surroundings. For example, I have found myself to be an emotionally strong person that can handle a lot of adversity because throughout my childhood I would get beat up by my brother often.
ReplyDeleteAs a freshman in high school I was assigned to read Life of Pi by Yann Martel and found myself to be greatly effected by the rhetoric. It triggered within me a stronger craving for adventure and friendship as beforehand I was relatively shy. The relationship between Pi and the tiger on the lifeboat helped me understand the true beauty in friendship, inspiring me to be more outgoing and approachable. With it came a great deal of success and some amazing friendships.
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. A book about one family's journey built around the rise and fall of the town they founded. I brought it with me and would be glad to let you borrow it.