“What we tend to require for something called a literary [classic] is a display of great craftsmanship [and] . . . striking originality. . . . Beyond this . . . the text must make a powerful emotional and intellectual impact, provide a rich reading experience, and leave behind a larger understanding of our past experience and perhaps a new way to think about our lives. In the case of the greatest works we return to them time and again in our minds, even if we do not reread them frequently, as touchstones by which we interpret the world around us.” (Nina Baym, The Scarlet Letter: A Reading)
