In order for a car to be considered ‘classic,’ it has to be at least 20 years old. For literature, the definition is not as clearly defined since it allows a reader’s opinion to play a role. According to Italo Calvino, “A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say.”
The basic definition of classic literature is the book has been widely accepted and acclaimed as being noteworthy or exemplary. Most likely, it will be included in one of the Western canons.
Goethe said, “Ancient works are classical not because they are old, but because they are powerful, fresh, and healthy.”
Classic literature speaks to the essential human, answering questions about love, faith, morality, death, and life. These universal themes are never tiring. People love to read about them because they see themselves in the characters that bring those themes to life. The stories envelope the reader in more than a tale since authors are often influenced by each other and by other classic works, which the reader may then notice and use, whether consciously or unconsciously, to react to what is being read.
Many classic works will be awash with symbolism, which is great to find and decode. The color of a flower or a character’s name will have significant meaning to the plot. The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden, The Scarlet Letter, and Young Goodman Brown are all classic tales containing symbolism.
Modern works are good, but there is nothing like a classic.
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