Oct 15 2010
Christian Literature & Fiction
Qualities of Classic Fiction
Mark Twain defined a classic as, “Something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read”. What must be true to make a story a classic? Could it be the number of printings the book has undergone? Could it be the number of languages in which it is found? Is it called a classic because some distinguished soul said it is a classic? While these are interesting, even significant, they do not determine that a fiction book is a classic.
First a classic is timely. It either expresses or influences the times in which it was written. For example, Uncle Tom’s Cabin brought the slavery issue to the forefront of the north. Oliver Twist opened the eyes of England to the homeless. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl made the Holocaust very vivid to others as this young girl wrote her diary during the Nazi occupation of Netherlands.
A classic is not only timely but also timeless. It deals with themes that touch all societies, cultures, and most all times in history. Often the themes deal with love and forgiveness, good versus evil and the consequences of both, success against all odds, values (Beauty and the Beast deals with looking beyond the exterior to what is really important), et. Al. A common theme is resisting the temptation to compromise in order to reach the goal. In most if not all classics the hero overcomes one or more major obstacles at the climax of the story so that his ultimate goal is reached and success achieved.
Real classics present truth. An author can manipulate a story so that evil looks better than good, lying appears justified, hate and revenge win out. Though this may indeed seem to depict real life, it is really just pseudo-reality. Classic literature presents Judeo-Christian morality as good, and those who follow it, even when it costs them, as true heroes.
A classic will last. Initially the reviews may be good or bad, but a classic will continue to be recognized long after it is first published. “Some books are undeservedly forgotten; none are undeservedly remembered”. This was said by W.H. Auden. Shakespeare’s writing is an example of this. In this sense, then, a true classic must have been around for a while.
The writing style in a classic is usually excellent. Mark Twain said, “Great books are weighed and measured by their style and manner and not by the trimmings and shadings of their grammar”. However, that does not mean they are poorly written so that they are difficult to read. Variety is possible, from the ornate language of The Yearling to the plane language of The Good Earth. Yet the story line of a classic is well developed in a way that keeps the interest of the reader. The characters are profound yet real. Think of Hamlet in this light. The author does not tell you how to feel about situations or people. Instead, he or she makes you feel or conclude what they want. The story does not preach a moral, but illustrates a moral that is hidden in the story.
A classic makes connections. By studying a classic you can discern influences from other great works of literature and other writers. A classic both expresses the time in which it is written, and still stands alone as unique.
Now consider, what are your favorite novels? Do they fulfill these requirements of being a classic? What additional characteristics do you feel mark a book as a classic? Are going to add or remove a book from a list of classics based on this article? If you own a true classic, especially a rare printing of the book, how are you preserving it for your posterity?
If you have a treasured volume you would like to preserve, consider the book rebinding services of Tightly Bound Books. They’re not only professional, but friendly, too. As their motto states, they provide “Book binding repair with personal care.”
Elsie’s Endless Wait
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