Throughout my life, I’ve never been a big classics reader. Sure, I’ve read Frankenstein for AP Literature and Composition and read some Shakespeare plays, but classics have never been my cup of tea. When I choose a book to read, I typically go for a lighthearted romance—something to distract me from my day to day life—which is why in my English classes I enjoy reading classic works. 

Classic literature often has more challenging vocabulary than more modern novels, which has both increased my reading ability as well as my writing ability. When I step into a class and begin writing an essay, I feel much more able to express various thoughts and ideas due to this increased vocabulary. 

Furthermore, classic works depict various important themes that still apply today. While today’s literature does include some important themes and messages, it takes more interpretation and focus to explore these themes in the more challenging classic works, which lends itself well to the classroom. 

Classic literature also provides more diverse narrative styles, which alongside complex language challenges readers’ minds, which should be a focus of the English curriculum. While it is refreshing to occasionally read a modern poem or prose in comparison with a classic work, it is important to test students’ minds with more complex ideas. 

Reading classical works in an English class can also help give insights into the history and society of the past, tying in with students’ history classes. While students may focus on social and economic issues of the early 1900s in their history class, reading a novel written around the time can give further insight into not only the events that occurred at the time, but also how people reacted and felt about such issues. 

All in all, it is important that English classes not only challenge students’ minds with complex language and ideas in the literature they present, but also provide connections to other subjects, like history. Classic works incorporate not only the stories of the past, but also difficult language and writing structures to give students a better education. While modern literature does provide some important lessons and should be used in tandem with classic works, the latter supplies students the ability to understand and interpret more intricate writing as they progress into college and the workforce. 

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Mady Kiser at [email protected].