Young Adult Book Reading Challenges discussion
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Do teens want to read classics?
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I think that because YA has only become fully established in the last few years (with it now having its own section in bookshops and stuff) it's quite hard to identify specific 'classics', more difficult than it is to find classic children's or adult books. I guess lots of classics deal with YA themes - Jane Eyre for instance, it's got the elements of the paranormal, even a love triangle. But at the same time I think I'd quite like it if a YA 'canon' became a thing on its own. I study English lit at uni and it frustrates me so much the way that YA fiction gets looked down on so much - I once mentioned GoT to a tutor and she looked at me like I was mental to even count it as literature. What I really want to study is YA, but my course refuses to recognise it as a thing - if I ever want to stray into that area I have to have mounds and mounds of evidence that I wouldn't have to provide if I was working on say T.S.Eliot or something. Having a set of YA classics would be a step towards establishing it in certain institutions eyes, and giving it the legitimisation it should really already have.
I think some do, I did not want to read any of Austin's work until after I watched the movies, I think that is a contributing factor. But going back to the poll discussion I can agree with both sides of this argument, I have read 3 or 4 of the books above, but I did not realize I was "old". Anyway as an avid reader, I will read anything, my nose was always in a book, I agree that many young adults don't want to read many of the classics, I hated Shakespeare until I had to read Hamlet, then I started to appreciate his work, I've read Poe, and Dickens. I appreciate some of their work but not all, my sister hates reading, does not matter if it was written 200 years ago or last week, if it's a classic, YA, or smut, she will not pick up a book to read for enjoyment. But that's the point right reading should be for ones enjoyment. That being said I have a 9 year old who loves Tolkien and I'm pretty sure that the Hobbit was written in the 30s, but he also loves Spiderwick and Percey Jackson books. I prefer YA and tend to gravitate toward YA, I don't want to read any of these books this month, so I just did not vote, I'll participate next month. As it's not mandatory, maybe in future we could do 2 books one classic and one written in the last 20 years, but that's not for me to decide its for the moderators who keep this group running. Just my 2 cents, I hope I have not offended anyone.
This particularly question came up in both children's and YA literature classes that I took while working on my Master's degree over the past year. Both times--and I have to agree--the general consensus was that young people don't need to read classics, but they certainly can if they want to. Although YA tends to still be considered as relatively "new," both it and children's lit have come a long way in the past few decades. So many current YA books out there are rich in characters, plot, themes, etc. that young people can experience and learn about a lot of literary devices from these newer works without having to read a "classic" work.
I still read the classics along with newer YA. Currently, I am reading Emma by Jane Austen. It is harder to read than most YA, but it is worth it. I believe that teens are against reading classics because of the experience of reading them at school. Teachers force the students to agree with the popular idea of the book, instead of their own opinions about the book. And that takes away the foundation of reading. Reading for pleasure is when you can form your own opinions, but teens are taught to only accept their teacher's interpretation of the story. Also there are people who are attempting to promote the classics, like Hank and John Green. On their Youtube channel Pemberly Digital, they are creating vlog series that are based off of Jane Austen's books. Their videos are actually what inspired me to read the books.
I feel that anyone who dismisses a book because it's a classic or a modern story is doing themselves a disservice. There is so much out there that's well written, why limit yourself?However, as many have pointed out, when you read for enjoyment you should pick the books you want to read; not the ones someone says you should read. Having said that, I find that I get the most enjoyment from a book when I understand the allusions to other stories. In other words, because I've read classics I'm better able to enjoy books written by authors who were influenced by those classics.
(Reading classics also helps if you like to play along when watching Jeopardy.)
Grace wrote: "I find that I get the most enjoyment from a book when I understand the allusions to other stories. In other words, because I've read classics I'm better able to enjoy books written by authors who were influenced by those classics."I definitely agree on this point, especially when a plot or character directly references something that was said or happened in a classic work. If you haven't read that classic that is referenced, it's like you're missing some bit of the puzzle or overall picture of the current book.
I did as a teen, my son is now 13 and he has read animal farm, 1984 and lord of the flies... he loves dystopia novels
As a teen I do find that some are discouraged from reading classics. We'll study them in school and the constant symbol hunting and rushed reading for a quiz the next day can suck the joy out of simply reading for the plot before you go into the author's intentions. I agree a little, sometimes reading a book in school can cause me to dislike the book because of how much we have to analyze and discuss for months, like an over played song on the radio. This can sometimes make other classics off putting. However, reading these books in school force me to read classics I might not have picked up otherwise and I am very thankful for that. Reading classics outside of school, especially when I was in middle school seemed cool. I got excited because I would recognize the titles and how they are referenced in everyday life and even pop culture, and I wanted to be a part of that knowlage. From the teens both younger and older that I know, and myself, most of us (if we recognize the novel as a classic) almost want to read it that much more. We kind of see it as a timeless novel, one that everyone usually enjoys and that makes us excited to read it and see why it's known as a classic.
I am a middle school librarian, and I do have some students who ask for classics. Most recently, I had a student ask for Uncle Tom's Cabin and The Old Man and the Sea. I agree that allusions in other literature and parents/teachers talking about classic titles really help drive students to seek out the classics on their own. I also totally agree with and understand Kaleigh's comment that studying the classics for months in school is a real turn-off. I think teachers/librarians would be smart to introduce classics with related contemporary titles such as Peterfreund's For Darkness Shows the Stars(Austen's Persuasion), Flinn's Towering (tons of Wuthering Heights references), and Taub's Still Star-Crossed (Romeo & Juliet). This helps drive interest in the classics as well.
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I also agree with one of the above comments. In high school you really have to go with what the teacher says. No real opinions of your own. In college I had an amazingly fun class where we studied The Bluest Eye and the Great Gastby. Books that were intriguing and the professor wanted our opinions. It is too bad that high schools have made students dislike classics and look at them as if they are a chore.
Leigh wrote: "I think teachers/librarians would be smart to introduce classics with related contemporary titles..."Are you familiar with AudioFile magazine's Sync YA program? Every summer they offer two free 'YA' audiobooks to download each week; often a contemporary novel is paired with a classic. It's a game for me to guess why particular books were offered together - what did they have in common. For example, one week in 2011 Cory Doctorow's Little Brother was paired with Franz Kafka's The Trial.
The other thing I noticed, not surprisingly, is that the classics don't always fit my idea of a YA novel. The emergence of YA as a genre is very recent.
Angie wrote: "In high school you really have to go with what the teacher says. No real opinions of your own. In college I had an amazingly fun class where we studied The Bluest Eye and the Great Gastby. Books that were intriguing and the professor wanted our opinions. It is too bad that high schools have made students dislike classics and look at them as if they are a chore."I had a similar experience between high school and college. I tended to dread English class in high school because it just wasn't fun and there was a tendency to treat classic works as some kind of puzzle in which students have to find certain literary elements and put them all together in a specific way. Still, I somehow ended up majoring in English in college and absolutely loved it. And I suspect this was because in higher education students are allowed to have more of an opinion and find and discuss whatever elements they choose. Most of my instructors did not expect a "right" answer when analyzing classic works; they just wanted an answer that clearly had been thought about and made sense.
This discussion really does beg the question: how much do high school English classes/teachers influence young adults' perceptions of classics?
I am ancient. When I was in high school, we read classics, because I was preparing for AP tests, and at least then, that was what was on the AP tests. Then, I read what I was assigned, and usually I liked it, I think.I am also a special education high school teacher. As a teacher, I have taught banned and challenged YA books like Whale Talk and Kindred. When I teach a book I like, I teach it better, more interestingly, passionately. I don't teach books I don't love.
And I do teach a lot with movies-- good movies, that my students might not be aware of: I had students who couldn't get over how subversive & funny they thought "Horsefeathers," a Marx Brothers movie from ~1932 was.
My students were taught Shakespeare toward performance, but we read no Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, mostly because of length, my students didn't believe they could read long books. But I took a great class as an undergraduate in John Steinbeck and the Sea. We did read Of Mice and Men.
Those of you in high school, just out, or out for many years--- what, if anything, were you assigned to read in English in middle school or high school that you liked?
P.S. It's hard for me to think of The Princess Bride as a classic; it's just great!
Julia wrote: "I am ancient ..."...but probably NOT as ancient as me. I remember reading Silas Marner, The Mayor of Casterbridge, and lots of Shakespeare. I liked to read so I found something to like about everything that was assigned.
My teacher in Grade 11 made all the books come to life. She would often mention more contemporary authors in passing (saying "Have you read...") and I would go off to the library to find works by Salinger J.D, Terry Southern, D. H. Lawrence,, T. S. Eliot, and others - none of which where on the prescribed course of study. And all of which were definitely books for adults.
Because of her influence, I seriously considered studying English Literature at University. Unfortunately (or fortunately), my Grade 12 teacher sucked the life out of all the books we read so I stuck with my original plan of studying Physics.
As I approach retirement age, I've dedicated myself to reading all the classics I can. But I don't read just classics. I also watch for future classics - the fantastic, well-written, modern books that are very likely to survive into the next century. Good writing doesn't go out of style no matter how old it is.
I love this thread! I had a YA lit class in college (a few years ago) which was interesting to me in how many unpleasant and boring books that they could make you read from a genre I always thought of as pure pleasure. I call them, 'issue' books. I've never liked Dickens either though. Too depressing however brilliant his analogies. I think the movies/classics link is the strongest impetus for kids to read classics. I had to read Emma after I saw Clueless. I came to the conclusion that Austen did it better. She's the Man was Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, only not as good, of course. The DiCaprio Romeo and Juliet actually had Shakespeare's prose. I loved that. "Peace? I hate the word, as I hate hell and all Montagues" by John Luigiamo, wow! And then he blew up a gas station. And their guns were engraved with their house names. There are so many fantastic resources and classics are always being remade, so, I'd say that classics in one form or another are completely accessible to teens.
On the other hand, there's nothing like picking up a moldy leather bound copy of Wilkie's Moonstone. Ah. No one did dialogue like Collins. I'd like to see some more modern adaptations of that!
I have another - not so uplifting - reason for liking classics. If (or perhaps, when) our energy civilization collapses, we can turn to the classics to learn about hay ricks and sheep farming. Thomas Hardy's books have interesting tips on what not to do to be a successful sheep farmer.Also, after going on an Austen binge a few years ago I developed a profound appreciation for what a wonder the modern automobile is. In Pride and Prejudice, it takes Elizabeth and her aunt and uncle a full day to travel 50 miles by horse and carriage. It takes half a day to travel 20 miles. How many people commute more than 20 miles to work each day? How many people commute more than 50 miles to work? If (when) we run out of oil, what will it do to our way of life?
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That is interesting and one of the reasons I actually like classics. I like to feel like I am living in a more simple time. No cars, no phones, people actually would travel and visit someone to speak to them. There wasn't the 1 second email. Families didn't usually live all over the US. They lived closer to each other.
Being a teenager myself, I can say that I personally do not want to read classics.
Avery wrote: "Being a teenager myself, I can say that I personally do not want to read classics."Hmmm... so you're saying that teenagers don't want to read classics BECAUSE they are teenagers?
Grace wrote: "Avery wrote: "Being a teenager myself, I can say that I personally do not want to read classics."Hmmm... so you're saying that teenagers don't want to read classics BECAUSE they are teenagers?"
No. I'm just saying that I'm a teenager and I personally do not want to read classics.
Avery wrote: "No. I'm just saying that I'm a teenager and I personally do not want to read classics."Thanks. I didn't check the title of the thread and totally misinterpreted the intention of your post.
On the other hand, it made me think back to my teen years. I think I may have had an aversion to classics then as well. At least, if I was given the choice between a contemporary novel and something written in the previous century, I always picked the contemporary novel. My appreciation, and appetite, for classics grew as I aged.
Of course, many of the contemporary novels I read in my teens are now 'classics' in the minds of today's teens. (And the rest of the contemporary novels I read back then have been forgotten.)
I'm a teenager and I still read some classics, but most of the time I read YA. I have a really close friend and classmate though, who does the exact opposite.
I'm no expert on the topic by any means, but since I left high school, my perception of the classics have changed. The more I read, the more I begin to understand their roles as markers of history, culture, ideas, etc. that helped form modern day literature, and I appreciate them more through the directions of my college courses.In my honest opinion teens most likely resist, or refuse to read the classics because they're so oddly introduced in school. The public system in America has no way of tying culture or history to literature in the same manner that colleges and universities do. Instead, the classics like Romeo and Juliet, The Sound and the Fury, etc. are thrown into teens faces and when asked for an explanation as to why the book's important, they're given a curt "you just have to read it" or "that's for you to figure out."
High school teaches readers to make up their own interpretations and to read into symbolisms that follow the archetype systems of society, not to connect literature for anything, not to find a relation between the classic piece and your modern day life.
That's why I think the YA retellings sell really well (namely the fantasy retellings, but this could go for classics too). Teens are able to relate to the YA genre, and authors can still manage to slip in strands of the classics into plot lines to keep things fresh or readers interested in something they may stumble across later in their reading careers. They take the old threads, mix it into the teenage mindset as a base-plot, and run with it. They illuminate the flowery language that tends to be considered as dry and boring, allowing readers to at least familiarize themselves with basic, classical themes as opposed to reading the actual material and finding it un-relatable.
My second point is that most of the classic literature is VERY dry in many of the situations. This relates back to the begrudging of teens in the school system as well. By throwing the classics in their faces with no context, we're giving them little enough reason to actually read or even enjoy reading as a pass time. On top of that the old descriptions and formal narratives make a story slow, or dry, or just plain uninteresting. Which further discourages teen's desires to read.
This is because our society as a whole today is all focused on the now, the fast paced, getting from point A to B and getting there as quickly as possible. Information is limitless and immediate these days. A book takes time to dissect and the more flourish-y language involved, the longer it takes to get through, and the more time that is "wasted" to today's average, stereotypical teen. They clearly want something that keeps them focused. A plot, a direction, predictability--which some but not all of the classics have. Even then, they need faster paced works. Bogging books down with description after description is no longer appropriate in the business. It's dry, and readers lose interest after an author describes the color of the curtains for the eighth time in three pages.
Which brings me back to why I think the YA retellings are selling better, because they're relatable, draw on the past as a baseline, and are able to keep their reader interested in a faster-paced plot line in comparison. That doesn't mean I think the classics are a waste, or should be dusted under the rug at all, I just think the teenage mind isn't ready for the density of some of them. The average teen simply has other interests at the moment.
The older we get, the more we appreciate the classics overall as well. (I think that's due to a shift in maturity levels and a broader perspective of the world as a whole.)
I don't care about when a book was published as long as the synopsis sounds good. I've read YA sci-fi like Across the Universe and Cinder, but I've also read classics like The Time Machine and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, because all of those books sounded interesting and relevant.
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Great points... I didn't think about the classic retellings being so popular. You are right though. By taking old classics and putting a modern spin on them it has really taken them to a whole different level with teens.
Priscila wrote: "The literary canon is predominantly limited to able-bodied, cis-gendered, white men. "You're right - but we can learn from that. That's one thing that makes classics so valuable - they truly capture the essence of what life was like in the past. They help us to understand history better than history books do.
When we read one of these 'limited' books and view the stories through our modern attitudes we can see how far we've come. We're better able to understand how people can adopt very narrow, prejudicial attitudes and, hopefully, we can avoid making the same mistakes.
I agree with you about the need to critically analyze what you read. It's important to understand that classics describe how things were and that's not the same as how things should have been.
This thread continues to interest me. It seems that now we need to define "classic". I would argue that whether the characters were diverse or not, the work can stand on its own. Since we view the world through our modern lens, we can already add any context that would otherwise be found lacking. This means that there is inherent value in the ideas and language independent to whether or not it aligns with our current ideals. Truth, Beauty, Nature, ideas unfold to enlighten me, as a reader if it's done its job as a classic whether or not it is current. Whew! That came out a little convoluted. If it's a classic, it has value, otherwise it would be called something else.
I'll be honest when I was a teen, we had summer reading lists at my school. And back then I felt it was pressuring because like most teens I thought "It's summer why are the educators forcing books on us." I dont feel this way now. But I can see where many teens dont want to read classics because of this reason and they want to read books that they can somewhat relate too.
Cheryl wrote: "But I can see where many teens dont want to read classics because of this reason and they want to read books that they can somewhat relate too."This is an interesting observation. The same idea is popping up in the current discussion on diversity for Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. I believe that people get more enjoyment from a story or novel if they can identify with the main character. On the most basic level, the more you have in common with a character, the more likely you are to identify with him or her. Younger readers may demand that the fictional character be an exact image of themselves - like looking in a mirror.
As a reader's ability to think in the abstract evolves, it become possible to identify with fictional characters who are very different from yourself - for example, a wealthy, young, white woman can identify with an extremely poor, elderly, black man even if she has never lived through events similar to those related in the story. When you get to the point where you relate to the characters in the book because of their humanity, and not because of the details that characterize them, you're able to relate to a wider selection of fiction that may include some classics.
I think mentality towards Classics needs to be changed. I am not English nor study English lit but I'm Portuguese and we study our classics too, they were written in 1400 and 1500 so they are very old. We have one written in 1900 and I think they are all interesting! All of my classmates go to school with the idea that they are going to hate it because it's mandatory and they are just lazy and don't read ANY books. But if the habbit of reading was spread, they wouldn't find it so boring because I personally think they are interesting.
The only American classic novel I ever read was The Great Gatsby and it's one of my absolute favourites ever because of the way Fitzgerald was pointing flaws at society. Also read Mrs Dalloway and Pride and Prejudice, not sure if considered classics but they are hige and not so recent so... I loved all of them tho.
If you like classics you should read "Os Lusiadas" by Luis Vaz de Camoes, "Os Maias" by Eça de Queiroz and that's probably it.
Young Adult Book Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (other topics)The Mayor of Casterbridge (other topics)
Silas Marner (other topics)
Whale Talk (other topics)
Of Mice and Men (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
T.S. Eliot (other topics)J.D. Salinger (other topics)
Terry Southern (other topics)
D.H. Lawrence (other topics)
Jane Austen (other topics)
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What do you think about YA Classics?