Saturday, October 20, 2012
Classics
In conclusion to the class discussions on 'Jane Eyre', a novel that has been acclaimed as a classic for a great number of years, I felt it fitting to discuss the reasons as to why this book has reached such high esteem. Often artists and writers do not live to see their work gain the fame we see today or see a great boost in their popularity after their death. For example, it was only a few years ago that Michael Jackson died. Before his death his level of popularity was null compared to the heights it reached after his death. J.K. Rowling also was repeatedly rejected with her book 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' which became the base for the literary and film juggernaut which later rose to catch the imaginations of readers across the globe. In short, what makes a book or piece of art a classic? Is it possible that some works gain a boost due to the "novelty" of their age?
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I think it is hard to say what is a "classic" or what is not. Every reader has a different opinion about books, thus I think it would be very hard to determine exactly what is classic. I think it has something to do with how many people like the book and the popularity status it reaches. I do not think it neccasarily has to do with the book its self, just how many people are fond of it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, classics are formed by the general following a thing has. A following does not necessarily mean however that the work in question is good. The Transformer franchise has a terrific following for example but is terrible.
DeleteI am in agreement with you Jessie. The fact of the matter is with any classic that we know of, it has been a book or piece of art that has been fond over for many years. It may not have anything to do with the writing itself but definitley how many people are fond over the certain piece of work.
DeleteI like your style of thinking here, Jessie. I do believe that part of the reason why a book stays so popular is the storyline and whether people like it or not. But, I do think that it also has to deal with the content of what the book is about. In the time that Jane Eyre was written, women's rights were just starting to emerge out of the darkness. I think the novel meant a lot to women as a whole.
DeleteThere is a fascination with antique items in society, an allusion that the older it is the better it is. I have heard these things all my life "Citizen Kane" is the greatest film of all time, "Jane Eyre" is one of the greatest works of literature, and modern day music is just dribble. Well it is all a lie. Yes the past may in fact have great works of art but age does not determine how good something is.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Hunter. Many people, especially older people, may look at modern works of art and deem them all to be worthless, but that is just because they are too fixed on what they already like to admire any new works. Honestly, most of the artwork that is produced is fairly meaningless, and it is nothing special, but every once in a while, there is true art that is made. If people can just get past their preconceived notions, then they would realize that there are many new works of art that are truly respectable.
DeleteAge in no way determines how classic a book is. I think the reason people think that way is that they need to compare back to books then, but they fail to compare to books now.
DeleteI completely agree with you Hunter. It seems as if age makes it a "classic" as opposed to actual quality. Now, granted I do favor lord of the rings as classic novels, but "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"
ReplyDeleteMost people are reluctant to list any "new" work of art as a masterpiece or classic even if it is one of the greatest ever produced. I do believe though that many of the older films and books get their esteem because when they were first released maybe they were extremely original and captivating, but that to me is not necessarily saying that it is the greatest ever, it just means that it was extremely influential. For example, the Ford Model T was the first real production car, and they sold by the millions. They were the beginning of a revolutionary industry, but does that make it the greatest car ever? No. If I were told to analyse the ingenuity of a car, I would pick one that was much newer and more advanced, because it truly is better. It's the same thing with Jane Eyre. Sure it was revolutionary at the time, talking about women's rights, but that does not mean it is really among the best novels ever written. We should be aware of its influence on literature, but we should not marvel at it.
ReplyDeleteI think that age definitely has an effect on whether a novel becomes a "classic" or not. Once a book reaches a certain age, along with a certain amount of fame, it will become a "classic". The age factor gives it a certain novelty or makes it a curiosity for the advanced readers.
ReplyDeleteI agree that age plays a major role in the "classic" title. With age comes a sense of superiority and of wisdom. Being an older book that has survived the critics of time gives them the title of a classic and the glory that comes with it.
DeleteI disagree that age matters. After a certain amount of time people stop believing in the past. Some truths are changed over time like when considering religion. There are too many people that it passes down to be considered a classic. It then becomes one's own interpretation.
DeleteI belive that books from many years past are not neccesarily any better than some written now. I think that the reason that older books are regarded in this manner is because there is a select group of people that can even understand the language in them and interpret a "meaning". Many professors and english majors say teach theese books in thier classes because they can rant about hidden meanings and appear to be smarter than they are. Look at Thomas Foster, in his book 'How to Read Literature Like a Professor' he goes off on all sorts of hidden meanings, and who knows if theese are true or not. We are all being manipulated into beliving things that are not true.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your opinion. Understanding literature has become too ambiguous. We are all just taking Foster's book as truth without getting a second opinion to at validity to his points. Perhaps there should be a giant universal vote taken to decide what determines a classic work. We should let the people decide, because after all we the people are the ones reading, studying, and learning of these so-called classic works.
Delete"The curtains were blue." English teacher - "The blue curtains represent his deep sadness and frustration at himself."
DeleteAuthor - "The curtains were freaking blue."
Not all books are about symbolism. Maybe the author just wants a good story. For example; when we were in 6th grade, Mr. Pugh had us write a short story. Mine was about D-Day. I said something about a grey parachute. Some English professor would probably assume it means like the greyness of war or some BS. All I meant was the color of the parachute.
Sorry to go off on a rant, but it relates to the subject. The professors are not always right. Just because they think that something is a classic, does not mean it is.
I believe that a book becomes a classic from what the story contains. If you look at all the old classics in litature, most contain hidden messages or life lessons. These classic stories are easy to pass from generation to generation while still maintaining the same encrypted codes that are applicable even today. Classics are born of the truth mixed with a intreeging story line that make them easy to remember. Also classics can be called the first of there kind; the first time that the story has been told. As all stories come from others, these are the bases of all the other stories.
ReplyDelete*literature hahahahah Anna
Delete*Like
DeleteNovels or writings become classics due to the time frame of the piece being written. FOr example "Jane Eyre" was written in the victorian era, making this book a piece of our history. I believe that after a time frame of the book being published, the book or piece of art will then become a classic because of the aged writing or art.
ReplyDeleteI believe what makes a classic is how relevant it is. Literature becomes classified as a classic when people from any part of the world,any cultural background, and any part of time can relate to the themes and/or ideals portrayed in a novel. "Jane Eyre" is considered a classic work, because the book is about human nature. It is about love, jealousy, dealing with the constraints and freedoms of society, and the struggles and joys of relationships.
ReplyDeleteA classic is like "the Great American Dream", there is no definition but there are opinions. One might say that books written by Mark Twain are classics, and most Americans would say yes. I would say no. Not every child in America has heard the stories he has written. To me a classic is something everyone has heard of and can make reference to.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great topic. You probably don't realize it, but you are discussing one of the most hotly debated topics in the study of literature: the relevance of the canon (not the "boom-boom" cannon). The most famous examples of canons tend to be religious texts; the Bible, for instance, is a collection of books agreed upon by early bishops of the church to be divinely inspired. The study of “literature” also contains its own canon, and it is undoubtedly a reflection of the culture that forms it. Unlike religious canons, however, the literary canon does evolve and change over time, though some “staples” are unlikely to be removed. In fact, given the predominance of Western thought (civilization, not “cowpokes”), the study of literature has, justifiably, been considered the study of “dead white men.” Since the postmodern era (post-WWII), there has been a move to rectify this, but it still stays with us, to some degree. Now, it may surprise you, but, while I do enjoy “classic” literature and appreciate the influence and continued relevance of many of the texts, I do believe that overly-elevating classic texts can have several negative effects. For one, it often becomes ethnocentric and male-dominated, given the demographics of the population that was “literate,” and therefore omits several preliterate voices. Secondly, we have a tendency to treat older writing as somehow more “true” than more recent compositions. Consider the following scenario, for example: a new “old” text is unearthed and dated at 3,000 years old; it tells tall tales of a hero’s deeds; there is no referent of whether or not it is “fact” or “fiction.” While the same story would likely be categorized as the latter by most people if it were written today, many are more likely to consider it “true” because of its age, as though ancient peoples had no need for diversion, elaboration, or entertainment. Good discussion. See you tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteA book that is a classic is from some people's opinions. For example; I do not think that Jane Eyre should be a classic. Just because a lot of people enjoy the book and read it, there should be just as much that don't like it, like me. I think a classic is defined by the reader, not by a bunch of people.
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