Understanding and appreciating the classics

[Joshua123]

I'm mainly a genre fiction reader; Sci-fi, fantasy, military, adventure, spy novels. In the past I've read some of the classics, 'The Sun Also Rises', 'The Old Man and the Sea', 'The Sound and the Fury', 'The Big Sleep', 'The Great Gatsby', and I tried to finish 'A Farewell to Arms'. I could not. I think I got to page 30 and just could not do it anymore, although I had previously read two Hemingway novels I just could not get into this. Nor did I really 'get into' his or the above mentioned novels.

The genre novels do the work for me, I really don't have to think about it, it's right there on the page. How do I get involved in literature?

I know the fault is in me. Any advice on appreciating classic literature? Should I slow down my reading and try to absorb more? Am I not understanding the symbolism used? I'm totally lost, these novels are masterpieces and these authors artists for a reason. I want to get in on the secret.

 

[Hugh]

Don't read what you don't enjoy, and don't let book snobs tell you what you should enjoy. Danielle Steel, Dean Koontz and James Patterson will be boring classics in 500 years anyway, so you are reading the classics, you're just doing it in advance.

 

[sparkchaser]

FWIW, I hated The Great Gatsby.

Don't read what you don't enjoy, and don't let book snobs tell you what you should enjoy.

I agree 100%. Read what you want.

Danielle Steel, Dean Koontz and James Patterson will be boring classics in 500 years anyway, so you are reading the classics, you're just doing it in advance.

This is probably very true.



Let's see what the book snobs have to say (aside from "are you calling me a book snob sparky?").

 

[Polly Parrot]

Are you calling me a book snob Sparky?




Just kidding. I read mostly the classics but I think that has more to do with me having studied English literature for the past four years than my personal preference in reading. However, mainly reading classics did change what I like to read so when I pick up a book for reading that hasn't got anything to do with my course it is quite likely to be a (Modernist) classic.
I don't think there is anything wrong with you for not liking the ones you have read so far; and no you don't need to understand all the symbolism and puns for most books, though I admit that can be part of the fun if you're the puzzle solving type of reader.

Question: are you interested in only reading the more recent classics from, say, early twentieth century? Or do you want to go back further and read Dickens, Austen, et cetera?

 

[sparkchaser]

Are you calling me a book snob Sparky?

 

[Joshua123]

Thank you everyone for your comments!

Polly Parrot, I would like to get back to earlier classics such as Dickens, Melville, Hawthorne, etc.

Do you have any recommendations on where to start?

 

[Fantasy Moon]

The Three Musketeers would be a fun place to start. And it's just the first book in a series if you end up liking it and want more.

I love the classics, but most of my reading history lies in the 19th century. I'm working on reading F. Scott Fitzgerald's earlier works right now. So far I'm loving his writing, but not all the stories. I haven't gotten to The Great Gatsby yet so I can't really comment on that book at this time.

 

[Fred R]

It's easy for me to get burned out on a particular author if I read too many of their books back-to-back. You mentioned several Hemingways so I wondered if that might be the case. I've heard many people mention that they don't particularly care for Hemingway's longer works but they quite like his short stories. The shorts are pretty good, IMO.

I tend to read a lot of the classics but I try to alternate them with something that's quicker and easier to digest. Usually science fiction in my case — even some of the genuinely awful old stuff that is pure pulp. I can't wave my snob flag too high. Usually I'll have a couple books going at once too.

I enjoy reading older classics but it can be more work and I do find myself reading more slowly. Sometimes it's a language issue. The different time periods have their own peculiarities of vocabulary and sentence structure. It can take some getting used to, but it does get easier the more you read.

Just to comment on some of the authors you mentioned...(warning, I'm not a very sophisticated literary critic.)

I'm no big fan of Hawthorne or Melville. I think the Scarlet Letter gets more hate for being a staple of assigned reading than anything else. It's not as bad as many people make it out to be. His short stories are worth checking out. It's generally more repressed Puritan themes. I'm glad I read Moby Dick but I can't claim to have enjoyed myself all the way through and I sighed with relief as I closed the last page. It's chockfull of symbolism though if you're after that sort of thing. There's a whole chapter on the various interpretations of the color white.

Dickens was the best ever at naming characters, I'll give him that, but I can't claim to really like him either. Sometimes he gets in a subtle turn of phrase or dry English witticism that makes think he probably really slayed (slew?) them back in the day. (I already warned you that I'm not a very sophisticated critic) A Christmas Carol is good though and not too long. I keep trying him out though. Maybe something will stick.

As far as something that might appeal to you, maybe there's a certain period of history you like. That would give you an existing level of enjoyment to link back to. If the book is strong on social commentary then understanding the time period will help you get more out of the book.

If the older dusty stuff doesn't appeal to you there are plenty of more modern classics that might be more approachable. Some that I've enjoyed are One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Catch 22, and then the obligatory mention of To Kill a Mockingbird. On more of a SF bent there are always 1984 and Brave New World.

Ok I got to rambling and that ended up pretty long. Good luck!

 

[Peder]

"Classic" seems to have rather a flexible meaning in this discussion, ranging from meaning "old" to meaning "esteemed." No matter, I would suggest that one's selection of what to read is really a matter of taste, and one's taste will change with time and reading -- as with one's taste in food. When one gets tired of eating the same ol,' same ol,' day in, day out, then one becomes willing to try tasting something different. Just so with books and reading. As long as one is satisfied with what one is reading -- whether by genre, or author, or period, or topic -- then by all means read more of it. As in tennis, "never change a winning game; always change a losing game." But when the time comes (to change), consider branching out in a different direction. Ruts run in all directions. The world of literature is so broad that one cannot exhaust its wonders. For myself, I avoid the word "classic" (always thinking of it as applying to ancient Greece and Rome) and prefer more descriptive adjectives like ancient, medieval, Victorian, modern, contemporary, hyper-modern, innovative or experimental, in addition to the usual genre descriptors (literary, detective, suspense, thriller, mystery, espionage, real crime, fantasy, horror, sci-fi, biography, history, exploration etc; and don't forget poetry, if you can find a poet you like).

I think it comes down to two rules:
1. Try to find and read more of what you like. Series are good.
2. Try to find and read totally different things. Be brave; explore.
I suspect you will oscillate between these two approaches and always find more books than you can possibly read in the available time.

(PS Don't be afraid to put a book back on the shelf that doesn't suit your taste. Nobody's checking.)

 

[Meminger]

Joshua, if it weren't for audiobooks, I would have missed some of my favorite classics. Having them read to you, often in actual accents, by talented narrators makes a world of difference. I have recently listened to and enjoyed David Copperfield, The Good Earth, The Count of Monte Cristo, Pride and Prejudice, and the Anne of Green Gables series and have truly enjoyed them all.