What is literature, and why does it exist?
Literature is a medium for an author to express his or her views on a subject in the context of a story. It serves to make the reader more knowledgeable about a viewpoint through clear, concise, narrow writing.
Literature exists because most people have an opinion, and some want to make that opinion known. It exists because sometimes talking is not always the best way to express an idea. Slow work, like writing, makes a point more cohesive and even beautiful; it perfects an argument.
Why should I read the classics?
Italo Calvino makes a strong point when he writes, "'Your' classic is a book to which you cannot remain indifferent, and which helps you define yourself in relation or even opposition to it" (Calvino 7). In classics such as Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre, I found myself relating to the strong women in these books. I can identify with Elizabeth Bennett or Jane Eyre, and that makes me enjoy the book more fully as well as better see the message the writer wants to convey because I can put myself in the story. As well, a book such as Catcher in the Rye is also a classic because of my strong feelings against it. I detested Holden Caulfield, but because of that, I was still able to understand the author's purpose in writing the story because I felt such a fixed emotion against the main character. Classics enable a person to better understand his or herself through love or hatred of characters or a book itself.
I also agree with Calvino's point that a classic is a book that "represents the whole universe" (Calvino 6). Although The Kite Runner may be too recent of a book to be considered a classic, it was the first book to come to mind when I read the previous statement. The Kite Runner was only about Afghani everyday life and how it is shaped by the Taliban, but reading this book really gave new meaning to my own life and how the universe interacts. This book is about a small sect of the world, yet someone like me, a white female living in Greencastle, Indiana, was touched by its message. Its because this book was about human nature and how too much power can put the world off-balance. Calvino is correct in his statement because most classics can relate to all humans if looked at in broader terms.
Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics" Why Read the Classics? New York: Pantheon, 1999. 3-9. Print.
I agree that a classic is a book to which you cannot remain indifferent. However, I do not believe that this is the sole criterion for a classic. I create relationships with many, many books. For example, I strongly disliked The Gatekeepers, a book detailing the college application process and the struggles of aspiring seniors. While I was reading it, I was going through the application process, myself. I could sympathize with the applicants, and frustration with the inconstancy of the application process forced me to stop reading at times. I defined myself in strong opposition to the book. However, I would not consider The Gatekeepers to be a classic. There was little room for interpretation, and I could not identify a central theme. It is not a book I would ever reread. In conclusion, I do agree that a classic must create a reaction from the reader, but I believe there are other qualifications, as well.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, I don’t agree that a classic should represent the whole universe. Calvino said, “a classic is the term given to any book which comes to represent the whole universe, a book on a par with ancient talismans” (6). If this was the qualification for a classic, there would be very few worthy books. I believe this standard is too high. One of my favorite books is The Phantom of the Opera. This book is considered a classic, but it is not on par with The Bible. After finishing the book, I saw my world differently, and, for awhile, I related familiar people to characters in the novel and compared my world to Christine’s world. I related to it, and it changed some of my perspectives. However, I would not venture to say The Phantom of the Opera represents the whole universe.
Lastly, I would recommend the book Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo. I read it after my brother was cast in his high school play as Jean Valjean. It was extremely informative about French history and detailed valiant acts of bravery at the barricades, a hidden love, and the internal struggles of a wounded man thirsting for salvation.