Classic Is A Classic Essay

There are certain works of literature that are held in great respect and admiration. How do novels become classics? What makes an ordinary story critically acclaimed? An exceptional novel affects and relates to all of its readers. Each reader should be able to connect to the story in their own way. Harper Lee’s best-seller To Kill A Mockingbird is considered a classic work of literature. It is taught and read in most high schools across Canada and has won many different awards including the 1961 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Lee’s novel has gained its popular appeal for several reasons. It provides a sense of hope for readers who are dealing with racism, prejudice or bullying. To Kill A Mockingbird is highly favored amongst readers and critics

   A classic literary work has been defined as a work "that lasts through generations because of its universality of theme, ageless symbolism, word choice and the ordering of detail."  A Farewell to Arms, by Ernest Hemingway should be considered a classic literary work due to the universal themes, ageless symbolism, word choice, and story detail.

There are a numerous amount of books that have been placed on the “classic” book list. Classical literature is generally associated with well-known novels, however, it is frequently a book that marks a turning point in history. Warriors Don’t Cry, written in the 1990’s, by Melba Pattillo Beals is scrutinized as a “classic” book because it incorporates morals and educational uses.

What does it mean for a book to be a classic? When something is a classic, it has been judged over a long period of time and come to be considered one of the best of its kind. So a classic book is one that has tested time, teaches a lesson, entertains many audiences, and changes your perspective or values after reading the book. Some examples of classic books would be Moby Dick, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Hobbit. The Maltese Falcon, an exceptional book written by Dashiell Hammett, is filled with mystery, crime, and adventure. The Maltese Falcon should be a classic because the characters are very interesting, it makes the reader reconsider the acts of good and bad, and it was one of the first unique detective books.

What exactly is a classic? There are a few ways to determine whether a book is a classic or not. A classic can contain criteria such as professional writing, being representative of its time, or having a universal appeal. One example is a classic is Slaughterhouse-Five, or The Children's Crusade: a Duty-Dance with Death by Kurt Vonnegut. The novel is about a man named Billy Pilgrim who was involved in the Second World War.

In this day in age, classics range from movies such as Titanic, to books such as Moby Dick, or even television shows such as I Love Lucy. But what does that mean? What even makes something “classic”? The definition of classic includes descriptions like “traditional”, “enduring quality”, “literary work of the first rank”. So what makes these works of art timeless or classic? Herman Melville, a classic author himself, stated that “To produce a mighty book you must choose a mighty theme.” Theme, in literature, is the main idea or underlying message of the book. The reason why theme is, in my opinion, the quality that makes a story classic is because it reaches the reader intellectually and emotionally. Good themes, more often than not, churn

Throughout high school students have to read novels that are American Classic, but what even makes a book be considered a classic? A classic is when a novel is relatable throughout decades of being made and it makes the reader intrigued.

During the process of writing the novel that would be classified as an “immediate classic”

Sanjana: Why do you think that so many people think of The Great Gatsby and think “a classic”?

Have you ever noticed that the most popular and successful novels often share many similarities? Have you ever felt as though the variety in the most popular books on the market can sometimes appear bleak? In many cases, this has to do with perspective, or the point of view that the book was written in.

“A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say” -Italo Calvino. According to (dictionary.com) a classic is a book that is “something noteworthy of its kind and worth remembering”. There is multiple definitions of what a classic is but all of them say that the book still needs to be remembered for a long time after being finished. The book, 1984 by George Orwell is a classic book when analyzing the symbolism and figurative language used throughout the book.

Many old books compose the classical literature, which still influence nowadays writers. Many people work studying books from classical literature and school also teach students how to interpret the classics. Some of the appreciated books are Don Quixote, The Odyssey, Animal Farm, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, The Hobbit and many others. When reading Don Quixote and The Odyssey, the reader notice that the books have many similarities developed throughout the stories, such as fighting for love, fighting monsters and being structured in non-linear plot; however, as the stories are developed, specific detail shows how one story differs from the other.

Every student has a list of novels that they read over their high school career: To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, Lord of the Flies, and others. What characteristics gives these specific books the title of a ‘classic’? Usually when one hears the word classic they associate it with the term ‘old’; contrary to that belief, All the Lights we Cannot See, written in 2014 is a book that is universally read in high schools. In order to meet the criteria of a critically renowned piece of literature, it must reflect deeply on the human experience in such a way which has never been fully realized until that moment. Therefore, to be categorized as a classic, a novel must portray a timeless message, be well written, and contains a universal appeal.

Many titles that are heard around the average high school english classroom on a frequent basis are considered to be a classic. These titles include The Great Gatsby, 1984, Brave New World, To Kill a Mockingbird, and many more. Although these books are considered to be classics and a requirement for many students, do some of these belong on that list, or are there some that should be on that list that are not very well known. The books Brave New World and A Lesson Before Dying should both be on the classics list as they teach many important values and are a great introduction to more intense novels to be found later in education.

There are different forms and examples of exemplary and classic literature which have been deemed as significant works that are highly esteemed worldwide. These examples of literature would awe the world with how much literary skill they entailed when they were composed and written: attention to details as to formation of characters, the most crafty of plots, the most eloquent speeches and lines, the most astounding of twists of scenes, and most of all, the most universal and meaningful of themes. The theme of any literary work is what makes it great as it should be able to encompass the immense diversity of the world and as it would be able to transcend the boundaries of religion, age, race, gender, etc. Two examples of this great and