Speaking broadly, literature is the collection of texts each written by one author and each having what it takes to endure the test of time. Through literature Authors document history, provoke thought and imagination, develop meaning and expose emotion, and push boundaries. The classics do most all of these things and do them better than every other competing piece of literature. Because of this, the classics need to be read by students. I agree with Calvino when he writes, "It is only during unenforced reading that you will come across the book which will become 'your' book." (6 Calvino). It is hard to put your entire self in a book when it is an assignment. Classics should offer the sense of discovery and stumbling across the classic itself should be the same. In order to create the treasured experience coveted by those who have already read the classics, those who haven't should read them in the proper state of self discovery. The problem is that students have a hard time picking out the classics for themselves and professors have the knowledge capable of pointing students in the right directions. Upon realizing this, students need a new stand on assigned reading and do the best they can to get the full experience out of reading classics.
Becoming a classic takes a lot of time. Harry Potter is a perfect example of why a modern and very popular book will never become a classic. Harry Potter has "exhausted all it has to say to its readers" (5), the book's narrative while intriguing for a while comes a clean end leaving nothing more than to be put on the shelf and never reread. Walker Chance during his speech at commencement talked about packing things he believed to be cherished but things that were ultimately trash, among them, his Harry Potter books. If you asked Walker if he thinks The Odyssey and other classics should be thrown in the trash he would have a much different opinion. It is because these books can be reread each time with a new sense of discovery. Calvino's eighth definition describes a classic as a book which garners much critical discourse. Debate and critical discourse over Harry Potter is non-existant. At first glance, teenagers might say that the Harry Potter books are classics. But on closer inspection realize that they do not adhere to the definition. Harry Potter books are read widely, accepted and not disputed, and not worth a seconds read. Classics on the other hand "relegate the noise of the present (Harry Potter)" (8). This means that classics are omnipresent, they are masterpieces which have been forever read and loved from before I was born and will be long after my death. This is why we read the classics.
I agree with your point about how students do have a complete fulfillment of the classics because professors pick the books for them; the students do not stumble upon the books themselves. I think that is an important part in the full discovery of what a book has to offer, especially a classic; a person has to open his or her mind to a new experience in order to gain new insight and see the point the author wants to make.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do agree with your first paragraph, I disagree with your position on the Harry Potter series and how it has, in the words of Calvino, "exhausted all it has to say to its readers." On a superficial level, Harry Potter is a coming of age fantasy story that people can read for entertainment. However, Harry Potter has a multitude of underlying themes, such as too much power in the hands of the government, that people may not pick up until reading the books a second or third time. As well, the Harry Potter series has had extensive criticism by religious communities for displaying witchcraft and occult behaviors. Although the series does not have a high vocabulary level, I still believe it has potential for becoming a classic once people start to delve into the book beyond the superficial story being told.
A book I would recommend for you to read is Kite Runner by Khaled Housseini. I read it as required reading for my senior year, but I would go back and reread chapters all the time because of how beautiful the story is. It opened my eyes to the problems of the Middle East and gave a humanizing aspect to the government problems exhibited in that area and in relation to the United States. It is still a relatively new book, but it will definitely be considered a classic in the years to come with the underlying themes of friendship and power in the hands of the few.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree when you say reading a classic should be a coveted experience. Throughout most of my years in school required reading has always been dreaded. In the past two years my opinions have changed, I have stopped dreading and learned to appreciate the gift that our teachers or professors are giving us. If nothing were to come out of a classic then why would we be required to read them? To your response on Harry Potter I cannot agree more, it just does not provide a sense of new discovery each time it is read. I would not consider them trash, because it is a great way for children to become accustom to discovering themes as they read. Once they learn to discover easier more prevalent themes then they should be exposed to the classics so that they learn to appreciate and discover more through detail. Great job Austin!
ReplyDeleteA book I would strongly recommend to you is The Catcher in the Rye. It was required reading both my sophomore and junior year, which I did not understand until I reopened the book my junior year and discovered a whole new perspective on Holden Caulfield than the year before. One reason I the book appealed to me was perspective J.D. Salinger wrote it from. He used more of a vulgar and cynical language that goes along with rebellion that comes with younger age. I plan on rereading The Catcher in the Rye again sometime soon, and would encourage you to read it if you have not before.