Authors: Maelgwyn Hallatu ('22) and Esther Lindley ('24)
Photo Courtesy of Chen Lu Shi
Literature has been present with us throughout our childhood. We’ve come from reading picture books with a word or two on every page, to picking up thicker books where we actually have to focus on the words. Chances are that the books you’ve learned about in your English classes come from a wide range of genres and time periods, each employing a style and conveying a message in a way unique to itself or its author. At least, that's the material we've been accustomed to being taught at school, these ‘classics’. A popular one among young teenagers and adults is Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, a novel quite characteristic of a subset of literature called Young Adult. Or you might have once picked up The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, a children’s book he wrote for his children that many would consider to have defined the fantasy genre. Are these books also classics? How are the books we read at home any different? What makes a book worthy to be called a classic, if there are any conditions?
In and outside of literature, the title of ‘classic’ is akin to a measure of popularity and persistence through time. Although not constrained to a period of time, classical literature describes books that have or are sure to retain their appeal through history and cultural boundaries.
“Its ideas and appeals pass the test of time. It can be read and appreciated across various cultures,” says Ms. Elizabeth LaMertha to The BAIS Times when describing classical literature. “I agree with C.S. Lewis in the value of old books,” LaMertha continues, “what makes a novel a classic is the breadth of appeal. There is something about it that appeals to a wide group of people, that appeal is what makes it a classic.”
How William Shakespeare’s plays have kept their wit and charm from the 16th century to the 21st and are studied not just in England, but across the world are the marks of a literary classic. Keep in mind, however, that there are many other examples of classical literature under different times and genres, and no work, not even Shakespeare’s plays, could fairly represent all of classical literature.
Young Adult literature, or YA, characterizes books that strongly appeal to teenagers, and because of that, the books under ‘young adult’ may change from year to year. Young adult literature can differ from other genres in how it contains themes, plots, or tropes that appeal to a younger audience. For example, a typical YA novel might explore themes involving growing up, building relationships, self-discovery, trauma, or young love, all from the perspective of a teenager. Though YA is often considered ‘cringy’ or ‘trashy’, considering the genre includes the Twilight franchise, manic pixie dream girls, and outdated John Green novels, it still has much to offer in terms of depth and cultural significance. Books like The Hunger Games, Twilight, and The Maze Runner have slowly lost significance over time, and instead, other books such as We Were Liars, Heartstopper, and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder have found their way into teen’s and adult’s reading lists, largely through communities on Tik Tok like BookTok. With its changing themes, the celebration of self-identity, greater diversity, and exploration of different writing styles, young adult literature has changed drastically from the late 2000s. And as YA has changed, so has its reputation. While young adult literature as a genre and a representation of today’s teenage population has shifted, classic literature has maintained its reputation of educational importance and dignity.
Yet, the idea of books being 'classics' or 'young adult' aren't mutually exclusive. There are various examples of novels that had or do appeal to a 'young adult' audience today that are also considered classics of their time. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (written 1967) is considered a modern classic in how it ‘started’ the Young Adult genre. “It spoke to that group of kids, not just the gang kids but kids in general,” says Mr. Squiers. “Whether they’re in gangs or not, they relate to the struggle of belonging and self discovery.” Books like these show that a classic doesn’t necessarily have to appeal to a certain generation or be a certain age to be deemed a classic. If it has influence over culture or if it defines a genre, it’s enough. He continues, “If that's considered young adult literature it’s not a bad thing. The Outsiders and other books like it have more than one level; a surface level of meaning but also a greater level that encourages deeper thinking.”
If you've been in one or more English classes, you might be accustomed to seeing the books you learn about at school as classics, set apart from the less serious 'entertainment' literature you may read on your bed well past your bedtime. That isn't necessarily the case. Really, these 'classics' at the school library are only different from modern, more popular books in that they have remained influential across generations. Originally, a good amount of the novels we consider to be classics were just like the modern popular novels we consider YA literature.
How do English teachers decide the novels they will teach in class, then? On this subject, Ms. LaMertha shares that, “First I look at what is needed for the class. For AP Literature, I consider a broad selection of books that could be applicable to the free-response questions. This means I need books with complexity: complex characters, works with subtleties and nuances, works with strongly recognized writing characteristics. For all of those requirements such as point of view or setting, I need to give my students multiple ways to approach a question.”
Once we learn to appreciate these parts of the books we're made to read, perhaps reading may become less of a chore for us, and as another plus it'll absolutely develop the reading and writing skills you'll use not just for the SATs, ACTs, and high school exams, but surely throughout your future education and career as well.
Soon enough, we may be fortunate enough to see the books taught at school drift towards today’s young adult books because some of them reflect what teachers actually want to teach. Both Ms. LaMertha and Mr. Squiers have expressed their interest in doing a unit on The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (written 2008).
“The Hunger Games is so well written,” says LaMertha. “It is a brilliant work of social satire about how our modern society uses personal pain as a form of entertainment. THAT is a classic. When a book can inspire revolution, even when people don’t get it, that is what a classic book is.”
In the meantime, even if the books in your English class seem too long, difficult, or not to your liking, trust that there's always something worth appreciating and studying in each of them, whether that’s its takeaways, themes, or puzzling language. And when it’s about choosing between young adult or classic literature, don’t make it a choice between either. It’s really based on your personal preference. There’s a wide range of potentially intriguing genres which adjectives like “classic” and “Young Adult” don’t really do justice to. On the topic of The Hunger Games, Mr. Squiers has the following to say:
“There’s a great book to teach because there’s two levels there. For kids that are hesitant to read a classic, reading YA can help them to think on a deeper level about their lives. If you can get a kid to enjoy reading by reading those types of books, that’s great! You want people to be lifelong readers.”