I am a teen writer, and I read many classics my favourites being Northanger Abbey, The Picture of Dorian Gray and anything by Tolkien, however I notice that people my age don't seem to respect them as much. I'd like to hear some peoples opinion on this as to whether it is ok just to let people my age miss these incredible books or whether an effort should be made to make them more available. What does everyone think?
I think some of the problem comes down to the way English language is approached in our teenage education. I am not slamming teachers in any way, for example my English teacher was amazing. She encouraged me to read whenever I had the chance and really helped me understand different writing styles and genres. She inspired me.
The first time I attempted any of the classics was at GCSE level. I'd always had a good use and understanding of language so it wasn't an issue but I know that many in my class struggled with the differences in the use of language. One student even asked if shakespeare was speaking english!
Sometimes I feel that these books can be intimidating. My eldest child is nearly ten now and he is encouraged to read as many sizes and styles of book as possible. Maybe starting them off with smaller bites at an earlier age is something to look into?
It wasn't until I was much older, I could really appreciate the classics. Building a library of them but just need to get round to finding time to read them.
It wasn't until I was much older, I could really appreciate the classics. Building a library of them but just need to get round to finding time to read them.