Throughout history, certain books have emerged as “classics” — literary works considered to be so significant that they remain must reads for centuries after publication. The genre itself encompasses everything from the masterpieces of ancient civilizations to more modern classics like “Moby Dick” and “Pride and Prejudice”. They often serve as a measure of how educated and scholarly we are as individuals, because although it may sound cliché, we do in fact get smarter as we read more classics. Reading the classics brings attention to prominent social issues that are still left unresolved today, sharpens critical reading skills, and allows us to think more insightfully. When many of us think of classics, we often don’t consider the multitude of benefits that we can get by reading them. Overall, this has resulted in students losing sight of the importance of reading the classics

Arguably the greatest misconception that we have towards the classics is that we don’t have enough to gain from them since they are “outdated.” It is obviously true that attitudes towards prominent issues like race and gender were different a few centuries ago from how they are today, and the classics are often inappropriate and distasteful with respect to these matters. However, rejecting the classics outright for this reason is doing us a great disservice. Reading about past cultures can demonstrate the societal progress we have made, while also highlighting the progress that still needs to be made. Although many of the author’s perspectives on social issues are indeed outdated, the issues themselves aren’t. Whether it be mental health in Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar,” race in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” or even social isolation in “The Scarlet Letter,” many of humanity’s past problems still exist today. The fact that these same struggles have plagued mankind for centuries is a testament to their gravity and difficulty. When reading a classic, you will be surprised to find that many similarities exist between the racist, bigoted past and our present. These similarities highlight the work that we still have to do. Until the enduring problems found within the classics are fully addressed, these books cannot become obsolete.

Reading the classics can also boost a reader’s critical thinking skills. Because the classics are written in more antiquated language than what we use today, the reader needs to think more critically about the message the author is trying to convey while reading their work. We live in an age when information is rapidly conveyed and consumed, where we have access to practically the whole world at our fingertips. A drawback to this development is that we have become lazy with the media that we consume. We don’t look deep enough into what we read to understand the nuances of the author’s statement. Instead, we take things at face value and become agitated when we don’t immediately understand things. Classics prompt us to be more patient and have a more nuanced perception of the world around us, both of which are crucial to becoming a well-adjusted member of society.

Aside from just paying attention to classics more in school, it’s more important that we also change our perspective towards them. For those of us who don’t have an innate passion for literature, reading anything can seem like a chore, let alone reading dense and challenging books written in bygone eras. Needless to say, the primary purpose of reading is for pleasure and enjoyment, and each student is entitled to read whatever absorbs them. However, it’s important that we, as readers, step out of our literary comfort zone. We must not be discouraged by the complexity or unfamiliarity of a new book. In fact, being able to handle novel or difficult experiences is part of what makes a person more interpretive and intelligent.

Living in the 21st century comes with its blessings and pitfalls, and it is important that we take advantage of what it has to offer, while also not succumbing to its negative repercussions. Our generation prioritizes convenience: We always want to get straight to the point. We all know the frustration of having to reread a sentence because it didn’t make any sense the first time around. But making progress is never easy — struggling is part of the process. Reading the classics counteracts the urge to speed through what we read, and forces us to dig a little deeper. As a result, we become more inquisitive, open-minded, culturally aware, and more of an authority on several subjects. The depth and complexity that lies at the heart of all classics is what makes them special — they’re representative of human nature itself.