A Note on Classics

Hello, all!!! 💜 Welcome back. 😉 How have you all been lately? 😊

The post for today will be a little different than they have been so far, in that its neither a review or recommendation in a strict sense, but definitely still meant to prod you toward your bookshelf. 😉 Though honestly, I hardly think that is necessary with most of you. 🤭👀

I’m here to talk about classics—classic literature. Not that I’m any sort of proficient, any kind of expert at all—I’ll say right now that I am not, and giggle—but I have read more than the average girl like me. 😉

I read my first classic without help when I was eleven, ambitiously clutching our copy of Peter Pan in my hands, eating up the words, my little ego getting bigger and bigger with every page I read, knowing that none of my friends or siblings would ever have gotten so far.

In the end, I adored it, and was definitely proud.

I also had hardly understood a word.  

Well, practically. 😂 I had read the whole thing, picking up on some scenes, many of which I knew from the 1953 movie, and felt superior as I struggled through large words and larger sentences. 🤭 On some chapters, when the “complicated” language and descriptions, etc. were too much for me, I glazed over. My mouth and eyes moved with the words, but my mind…strayed. 😆🙈

But that was okay. 🤷🏼‍♀️ It really was. The point was, I was trying. I had opened Peter Pan when most readers my age were reading flimsy paperbacks and graphic novels—not to hate on those, which do have their place. 😊 I had devoted my time to it. I had gone for the book I knew was “good”, better than my usual reading habits, which were pretty much the above.

And I honestly think it did me good.

The first reason I’d say so is because of the language. Peter Pan, though by no means the hardest of the classics, gave me rich language, words and sentences far more sophisticated and beautiful than what I was getting in The Babysitters Club. 😆 And though, no, I didn’t pay attention to them all, I was still becoming familiar with them, grappling with the meanings of big words, letting them run over me without even knowing it.

The second reason is because I know that for many people, myself definitely included in some ways, the classics are intimidating, and I believe that quick dive I made conquered quite a bit of that. Eleven-year-old Sara, sitting on the living room couch, book in hand, probably thought to herself, “This isn’t so hard—I can do this.” And it was true! 😄

Years later, when we started getting into Shakespeare in school, that was another hurtle, and I had to let that under my skin and into my mind too—my younger sister is currently struggling with this. 😂 But she’ll get there too, gradually. And soon, if she keeps pushing, there won’t be nearly so much effort involved. 😊

So, I guess what I’m saying is something like this; don’t let the “big books” intimidate you. 😊 Dive in, even if you start with something small. They’re not as hard as they’re made up to be, and they’re so very worth it, as you’ll find for yourself. It’s okay if they don’t make it through at first, the point right now is in the practice. 🥰 And soon, you’ll be able to say “This isn’t so hard—I can do this.” 😉

That’s all for now! Thank you so much for stopping by, and I hope you enjoyed today’s post! 💜 Until next time! 🤗

                                                                         —SaraNoelle

P. S. If anyone would like any recommendations for a good place to start, just let me know, and I’ll do my best to find a good fit. 😉 Again, I’m no expert, but I’ve got a few under my belt that I think you’d all enjoy. 🥰

P. P. S. Oh, yes! I’m still having some technical difficulties, and I’m not entirely sure that you all are being notified when your comments are responded to—and I always read and respond to each one, BTW, and love them all! 😉😄 So, if you leave a comment, be sure to come back a few days later to see my response. And if anyone has any tips on how to work this out, that would be so very appreciated. 🤣🙈