The Classic Literature Look

Abby Westmore ‘26

Senior Staff Writer

   It is an interesting thought experiment to consider which works of literature today will be classics tomorrow. A book can be an enjoyable read with a massive fanbase and powerful narrative—yet lack the longevity associated with household titles like Romeo and Juliet, The Tell-Tale Heart, Frankenstein, and Pride and Prejudice.

     Furthermore, as many Language Arts students admit, not every ‘classic’ is worth the read. Literature is subjective, and quality is not an easy factor to measure. Rather than weighing if a book is enjoyable, or even if it was my favorite read of the year, it is more accurate to examine not what books do well, but what they do uniquely. 

       The books that are remembered and dissected for decades are the books that changed the game. For better or worse, they become staples of their genres, popularizing previously unfamiliar tropes, placing controversial themes center-stage, or intentionally breaking established rules. 

            I want to give an honorary mention to Ursula K. Le Guin. All her books were published before 1990, so she technically falls outside of this list’s parameters. She is known for her fantasy Earthsea series, and her standalone science fiction novel, The Left Hand of Darkness.  

       Terry Pratchett was a fantasy and science fiction author who wrote the expansive Discworld series, which covered 41 books, published from 1983-2013. He also co-authored Good Omens alongside Neil Gaiman. Pratchett’s work was, in the best of ways, absurd. His humorous approach to writing did not prevent him from touching on topics that ran on a deeper level.

      Suzanne Collins’ novel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was recently adapted into a major motion picture, and her Hunger Games trilogy had one of the largest literary impacts on pop culture in recent years. Not only is it a riveting, well-written series, but it fundamentally changed what readers expect from the Young Adult category. This series incorporated political themes into media geared at teenagers, a deviance from the typical slice-of-life themes.

     Recently, Samantha Shannon wrote Priory of the Orange Tree, and A Day of Fallen Night, two books that are staples of everything I love about fiction. The world is expansive, written in a way I have not seen in modern fantasy. 

     I have little choice but to mention the Game of Thrones series, written by George R.R. Martin. I once heard his work described as “one massive troll” to fans of the traditional fantasy genre. In this series, ready yourself for anyone and everyone to die, long before their arc has come to a satisfactory conclusion. Though ‘shock factor’ is a technique normally frowned upon, Martin uses it to great effect. 

      I don’t expect my predictions to proven accurate. There is no way to know what the human condition will be like hundreds of years from now, and what they will value from current culture. Still, I like to think the stories that matter to us now will speak to us still in the future.