I'm one of those weirdos who loves most of the books I read in English class. With some exceptions, of course, as crappy books have been written since the dawn of time, but the vast majority of books I come to love or at the very least appreciate. I think it's important as a writer and also a reader to do what other people can't or won't do: find value in all books. Even the ones that are difficult. Even the ones you have to write essays on for a grade :) I'm a fan of saying that the only people who don't like the classics are the ones who haven't taken the time to understand them.
My English class just started reading The Great Gatsby which is SO SO EXCITING, especially since I'm an uber-nerdfighter and have been dying to read it ever since seeing John Green's excellent videos on the book (see them HERE and HERE. They do contain some spoilers). (Also: anything that John Green loves I'm more than willing to give a fair shot). I've only read the first chapter and I already love it so much. I actually like that I saw the videos beforehand because I'm finding more depth in it that way and I can see the value in the book now, whereas it usually doesn't hit me until I'm done with an English-class book. I've been struggling with my writing lately, but some of these awesome quotes just from the first chapter inspired me, and maybe they'll inspire you too:
"No - Gatsby turned out all right at the end; it is what preyed on Gatsby, what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams that temporarily closed out my interest in the abortive sorrows and short-winded elations of men" (pg 2).
"Sometimes she and Miss Baker talked at once, unobtrusively and with a bantering inconsequence that was never quite chatter, that was as cool as their white dresses and their impersonal eyes in the absence of all desire" (pg 12).
"I was not alone - fifty feet away a figure had emerged from the shadow of my neighbor's mansion and was standing with his hands in his pockets regarding the silver pepper of the stars" (pg 20).
(I underlined my favorite parts). Wow. The guy sure did know how to put words together.
How to do feel about the classics??
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