It's So Classic Blog Party || Tag
This month, Rebellious Writing is hosting a classic-themed blog party in celebration of their two-year blogiversary. (Congrats, RW!) The idea is to get talking about classic literature: What makes it great? What can we learn from it? What do we love about it? So, while I am not really a huge classics fan in the sense that I don't read tons and tons of them, I was excited to join in when I first heard about it through Hamlette's announcement. (Thanks for spreading the word, Hamlette!) And since the party is conveniently running all the way through August 30th, we all have plenty of time to figure out if and how we want to participate. :)
I have another post for this that I hope to be releasing soon, but for now, here are my answers to the tag questions the party hosts have put out. (For this party, I'm restricting my answers to books that fall into more of the historical fiction category of classics than classics of the fantasy or sci-fi or children's variety.)
Rules:
1. Link your post to Rebellious Writing (www.rebelliouswriting.com)
2. Answer the questions
3. Tag at least 5 bloggers.
2. What draws you to classics?
The fact that they're classics. Usually I want to find out what's made them so popular, and since I have an interest in possibly completing a PhD in literature someday, I sort of have a sense of, "If it's a classic, I'll probably read it eventually." (Not for every classic, you understand. Just the majority. We'll see if that actually happens. :-P)
6. What is your favorite character from a classic? Or if that is too hard, what is your favorite classic character trope (e.g. strong and silent, quiet sidekick, etc.)?
My favorite character from a classic is prrrobably Rebecca of York from Ivanhoe, but I love Beth March from Little Women, too.
The Great Gatsby. I've read it twice now and still don't quiiiiite "get it". (I mean, I "get it," but I also . . . don't.)
8. Who is your favorite classic author?
Wellllllll, now, that all depends on how you define "classic author". I've been exclusively using historical fiction specimens in my posts for this party, but C.S. Lewis is certainly a classic author, differences in genre notwithstanding. So, yeah. Lewis. And L.M. Montgomery. I've also liked what I've read of Elizabeth Gaskell so far.
10. Relating to newer books, what attributes does a book need to have in order to be worthy of the title “classic”?
Again, a significant measure of immediate (or almost immediate) popularity over a period of several years.
1. Link your post to Rebellious Writing (www.rebelliouswriting.com)
2. Answer the questions
3. Tag at least 5 bloggers.
The Questions:
1. What is one classic that hasn’t been made into a movie yet, but really needs to?
I think most of the ones I know and have read have been adapted to the screen at least once, usually more often.
The fact that they're classics. Usually I want to find out what's made them so popular, and since I have an interest in possibly completing a PhD in literature someday, I sort of have a sense of, "If it's a classic, I'll probably read it eventually." (Not for every classic, you understand. Just the majority. We'll see if that actually happens. :-P)
3. What is an underrated classic?
Ivanhoe. Not enough people love it as it deserves to be loved. (I mean, I get that it has flaws. But try to show me one flawless classic, y'all.)
4. What is one classic that you didn’t expect to love, but ended up loving anyway?
Little Dorrit certainly took me by surprise. I hadn't liked the movie, but the book caught me up and swept me into a love story that was much tenderer than I had ever expected from Dickens.
5. What are your most favorite and least favorite classics?
Most favorite: Ivanhoe. For reasons already sufficiently enumerated. :-P
Least favorite: REBECCA DO NOT EVEN GET ME STARTED. Or, perhaps Frankenstein. Again, DO NOT GET ME STARTED. How I should love to beat some sense of moral responsibility into Maxim de Winter and Victor Frankenstein.
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| I mean. In my own personal opinion. Others' opinions are others' opinions. |
My favorite character from a classic is prrrobably Rebecca of York from Ivanhoe, but I love Beth March from Little Women, too.
7. What’s a popular classic that you felt wasn’t actually that great?
Wellllllll, now, that all depends on how you define "classic author". I've been exclusively using historical fiction specimens in my posts for this party, but C.S. Lewis is certainly a classic author, differences in genre notwithstanding. So, yeah. Lewis. And L.M. Montgomery. I've also liked what I've read of Elizabeth Gaskell so far.
9. In your opinion, what makes a classic a classic?
"A certain age," and a certain level of lasting social/cultural impact. *adjusts professorial glasses pretentiously*
Again, a significant measure of immediate (or almost immediate) popularity over a period of several years.
Join in the fun, peeps! Visit the link at the beginning of the post and share your own posts!
Ivanhoe is sitting on my shelf, just waiting for the right time to read it, all because of how much you love it! ;-)
ReplyDeleteYes, BETH. *sniffs* <333
And yes, L.M. Montgomery's writing is PERFECTION.
I really want to read Little Dorrit someday! Its length is intimidating, but I expect to truly enjoy it!!!
~ Catie
Eeep! I hope you like it. ;D (It does take a little while to pick up, though, and there are some kind of long, boring-ish parts. :-P)
Delete<3333
It's very good. *nodding*
I know, right?? Dickens in general is a little intimidating, but I found it easier to get into and get through than I expected once I started it. :)
I've always thought I didn't enjoy classics. I think because the ones I was forced to read in English classes were so dull and often depressing. Although I did read Ivanhoe and liked it. Over time however, I think my dislike of the classics stems from the authors. I realized I tend to really enjoy those written by female authors. Apparently its' the classic male viewpoint that I don't appreciate. I mean who really wants to read about a man's struggles with a fish (hello, Old Man in the Sea AND Moby Dick!) Or how about how dreary Ernest Hemingway and Nathaniel Hawthorne stories tend to be. And I literally got sick to my stomach reading Of Mice and Men and Lord of the Flies. Anyway, in recent years, my new strategy has been to read the books of films I liked. And that seems to be working for me.
ReplyDeleteI feel that. I do think that with classics you have to figure out which ones "jive" with you personally and which don't in order to enjoy the genre.
DeleteYeahhhh . . . I read The Old Man and the Sea and was . . . not impressed, shall we say. :-P I'm interested to see what I might think if/when I reread it.
I haven't read either of those two yet (I'm effectively avoiding John Steinbeck and J.D. Salinger and those types), so we'll see.
That's a good plan!
I have had Ivanhoe for so long now, and I have picked it up so many times, and carried it around a lot, but never opened it! What is my problem?? I know that I am going to love it... when I get there. One of these days...
ReplyDeleteI was so proud of myself a few years ago when I read four of Dickens's work in one year. I thought that I had read them all, but really, there are ssssooo many that I haven't, Bleak House included!
Fun answers! :)
Well, be fair to yourself! A person's gotta be in the right mood for classics. I do hope you'll like it when you read it, though! Though, like I said, it's certainly got its not-so-great parts. ;-P
DeleteDang, girl! That is impressive! I've read a small handful of them but, like you, have many more to go. Bleak House is another really good one, though. :)
Thanks!
Absolutely gonna do this tag :D :D
ReplyDeleteTHAT GOLDEN GIRLS QUOTE IS PERFECTIONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN. *cheers eternally*
*smacks forehead* Actually, thanks for reminding me! I was supposed to tag people! I've now gone back and fixed that, and have officially tagged you, by the way. ;)
DeleteDOESN'T IT WORK SO WELL?!?!?! *grins happily*
Awwwwwwww! Thank you! You're the sweetest! <3
DeleteI should try Little Dorrit - I've not read any Dickens (!!!) and I liked the mini series (with Claire Foy and Matthew MacFaddyen.) I actually really like 'Rebecca' but Maxim is horrible.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the book, I liked the miniseries much better. So, yeah, I'd recommend it! ;)
DeleteRebecca excited Very Strong & Very Negative Feelings in me when I read it, so I should probably keep my trap shut about it. :-P
Great answers. I actually haven't read most of these books you mentioned, but I've heard similarly about them. (Eg. The Great Gatsby wasn't so great. :P). You made this tag look fun but I did already see it on RW so it's technically not stealing. :D <3
ReplyDeleteThanks! No, definitely not stealing. ;D <3
DeleteI despise Frankenstein, the writing is appallingly bad. And it's the most over-hyped, read-into/over-interpreted that's not quite what I want, people just make up stuff from it, it's literally as deep as a raindrop. I feel that way to a much lesser extend about Great Gatsby, at least about the reading-into and over-interpreting.
ReplyDeleteI struggle with considering Rebecca a classic, I feel like maybe the movie unduly helped it there. I was actually expecting Maxim to be worse, like psychopathic, but he wasn't I didn't think. I just ultimately didn't care.
I loved Little Dorrit, but I made myself read the book before watching the miniseries (did that with North and South too). Yes, that is definitely my favorite Dicken's love-story, his truest love story, most of the others are more like love-tangles or just gushy, mushy gross. However, I enjoyed the mini-series, the actually Dorrit/Clennam part (they made certain parts WAAAY worse than in the books, Andy Serkis freaks me out, he's TOO good at being bad). Matthew MacFayden was perfect. And this role made me realize he'd have been the perfect Colonel Brandon (and I could like that Colonel Brandon).
I actually think "the monster" in Frankenstein is extremely well-written, and I don't think it's, like, the worst classic I've ever read; I just personally rather despise it, too. :-P I think it has some depth, it just doesn't make up for all the awful in it, for me.
DeleteI don't know the exact psychological classification for Maxim, I just know that I pretty much hated his guts. :)
OKAY BUT FOR REAL YES. What in the blazing heck was up with the miniseries makers vamping up the "creepiness" of Little Dorrit?? It's got maybe a few unsettling parts in the book, and the miniseries DISTURBED MY SLEEP the first time I watched it. :-P I agree, they make Andy Serkis too freaky. Yeah, Blandois is a bad guy, and yeah, he's probably a murderer, but he is NOT a literal serial killer who kills everyone he encounters just for the heck of it. xD Good grief.
Matthew MacFayden was really really good as Arthur. He and Claire Foy both did such fabulous jobs. I remember you mentioning that! I'd like him as Brandon too, I'm sure, though I already love David Morrissey in the role.
I realized I never commented on here somehow, but wanted to say I LOVE the memes. ;D Spot on and so funny!
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, just thought you should know. ;)
Haha, thank you! I'm glad you liked them. :D
DeleteHaha, love your "professional" guidance on making a classic a classic ;)
ReplyDeleteand yes ... I still have yet to read Ivanhoe, but every part of me knows I need to read it!
MB: keturahskorner.blogspot.com
PB: thegirlwhodoesntexist.com