When we got assigned the Classic Novel Study assignment, I was glad. I have never been able to make myself finish a classic novel, and I thought that this would be a good opportunity to finally say that I have read one start to finish.
I have always found classic novels to be hard to understand, no matter how determined I am to read it. Unfortunately, I have found the Scarlet Letter to be no different. I chose this book because after seeing the movie, 'Easy A' (in which the main character becomes entangled in the plot of the Scarlet Letter), I had a vague idea of what it was about. Knowing the main idea of the novel helped a lot in my understanding; but there hasn't ever been any excitement to read it. When I finally convince myself to pick it up, my attempts to focus and get into it equal nothing close to enthrallment.
The older language and grammar used, combined with the strange plot, make it quite a struggle for me to comprehend. As i battle my way through it, I think about the purpose of the novel - to amuse the reader. I perceive that while nonfiction books are made to educate, fiction books are made for enjoyment and to entertain. I know that classic novels still do that for some of this generation, but for the majority it seems as though they are too outdated to enjoy. So why pick up a classic when we could read literature that is still well written, but more relatable and purposeful? Well, that is exactly what I am trying to figure out. My goal is to answer this question for myself, with an honest knowledge of my conclusion.
Hopefully by the time I get through this blog I will have an answer, and maybe the ability to say that i have read a classic novel from start to finish.
That is a start Vienna. My question would be how much time and effort did you put into selecting a novel that you would be interested in, and which fit the definition of a classic? There are so many out there that you could have selected from, certainly one could have captured your interests. I guess you have set yourself up for a big challenge - to find out what keeps books like the Scarlet Letter still in production, and still being used as idea factories for contemporary films - like Easy A.
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