Discuss amongst yourselves...

What makes a novel "a classic"? Discuss.

Often times I've wondered why we read the books we do in our English classes. I mean, most of them are just books written by people who only wrote one book and then went and did something weird, like shoving their head in a hot oven or isolating themselves from the rest of the world. So, okay, does this mean that if I write a book and then disappear into the Bermuda triangle, my book will become a "classic"? Probably not. However, what I've noticed is the following:

In each book we read, there is a thread that connects all of the books to each other. The thread is called controversy. No matter if it was the Catcher in the Rye, Wuthering Heights, or Malcolm X, we learned about controversial people and controversial ideas. Maybe we do this because it provokes discussion. Or maybe the curriculum is this way to challenge us and make us pour out our deepest thoughts about life and society as we know it today. Or maybe they just really want to piss us off...either way--

controversy is what makes a novel a "classic".

My Comments to Others Part II

I don't know whether I'm supposed to do this or not but these are the comments I left to others:

TO ELLEN!
Wow, Ellen, nice 1-2 paragraphs...haha, jk!Well, the program you were watching sounds really fascinating (possibly a little creepy, but fascinating nonetheless). The soul marriages part I never realized existed! Weird, I guess people's subconscious can be so strong that they feel a great need to fix things that weren't fixed in a past lifetime!! Great post but there's just one thing I want to know: do you actually believe in all that spirit stuff you described?!

TO ASHLEY!
Nice comparison to Smallville! Anyway, I totally agree with you on this topic. I think that if a family wants to adopt a child, they should by all means treat that child like nothing less than one of their own! Good post, btw. :]]

TO MAJA!
OMG. NICE PIC. okay, anyway...it sure does sound like you are conflicted. However, I agree with Allison; what if the parents did not raise the children!? The children would not have been "infected" [shall we say] by the parents bad morals! There would be no use in punishing the child because the child would have nothing at all to do with the bad deed! This is like the whole debate with the new generation of young people in Germany and how they might be educated by anti-semitic grandparents...but what if they were separated from their grandparents?!well, nice blog, again, and nice pic!

Ghosts do not exist

The supernatural has never ceded to interest me. The strange mishaps and coincidences that I have heard on TV shows and from scary stories fascinate me. However, are they real? 

Personally, I'm afraid of the dark. I remember the first time I realized I didn't like my room when I couldn't see it. I was sitting in my bed. No one else was in my room and I might have had a slight fever. It was the middle of the night and I started to see pictures in the dark. I only remember one picture I saw but it was the most frightening thing to a little kid: a clown. A clown in a red car. And as soon as I saw that, you could bet that my heart was beating at 100 mph as I ran into my mom's room.

This was the perfect example of my eyes "playing tricks on me." 

And this brings us back to the supernatural. Usually when you watch these supernatural shows, there are only re-enactments of what took place. And the actual experiences usually happen at night. Very rarely is there an instance (except UFOs) where a strange, unexplainable event happens during broad daylight. Now, I believe all "supernatural" happenings are due to "tired" eyes. Maybe I'm wrong but the proof that I experienced with "night-pictures" definitely proved to me why people see strange things. 

Anyway, when I actually see a supernatural event that's not at night and if it's when I'm with people and NOT tired, maybe I'll believe in ghosts. But for now, I'm blaming our human fears on our human flaws.

MY COMMENTS TO OTHERS!

I

wow, that was smart to research! I think it does make people feel closer if you call them brother and sister...maybe it's because in America, no one does that, but I think it is a great thing that Muslims do, habit or not. 
Also, it's important to retain tradition, as long as it retains it's meaning...like in the Jewish religion, males (and some females) cover their head in respect for G-d--I assume you know this. Even though the covering is small, it is symbolic and Jews must remember what the purpose of the covering is...

just thought I'd make the connection :D

March 10, 2009 5:47 AM

II

That's quite interesting...the part about the modern Christian monk...

The most interesting part is that, even though you said he's an extremist, he doesn't try to push his views on others--you said he doesn't expect people to live the way he does. Most extremists try to influence others. What Mr. Claiborne does is quite different; it's respectable.

March 10, 2009 5:43 AM

 

III

WoAh. Horseback riding. GREAT story! That sure is a different take on "life-changing" experiences. Although Malcolm's life-changing experience was a religious one, you related it to a fear that was created when you were little. That's obscure, fascinating, and downright clever! Man, Malcolm traveling thousands of miles to Mecca seems like nothing now...umm, maybe not. But great post! Interesting article too! :D

March 10, 2009 7:47 PM

IV

Cool. Mosques seem like very peaceful places but from what you described, the rules were very strict. You explained very well how a lot of new experiences that many people do not have can affect you personally. That is a pretty neat thing to do, especially because you had images in your head already of Muslims who were praying. It turned out that everything was different... I guess exploring things for yourself is the best (or only) way to learn things!
Great post!

March 10, 2009 7:52 PM

**hypocrisy is a band**

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypocrisy_(band)

JUST FOR FUNSIES!

Does the belief that knocking on wood will prevent bad luck come from Christian practices? If not, what's up with the whole superstition!?

MALCOLM V: Taking a Different Approach

As I make my way through the final chapters of Malcolm X, I realize something very peculiar. Malcolm X, although relieved to be out of America, notices that even people in Mecca tend to associate themselves with people of the same color. Although the race and color doesn't matter so much to people in Mecca, he notices that on the trip to Mecca (the Hajj), people were subconsciously grouping together because they have the same color. However, Malcolm seems to look the other way when this happens. Some would call this hypocrisy. 

But: 

http://www.charisfoundation.com/hypocris.html

Read this article^. Mr. Barber seems to take a very different approach on hypocrisy. He basically says (and still read the article because I am merely paraphrasing) that hypocrisy is when someone acts out something they should believe in instead of completely devoting their whole heart and soul to it. I believe, from personal experiences, that hypocrisy is just that. However, Malcolm's heart and soul are into his black race so much that, when he finds justice for his race, he looks the other way and acts like Mecca is a release. What do you think the definition of hypocrisy is--the "new" definition the article and Luke 12:1-5 states? Or do you think it is the standard definition mentioned right below those quotes from Luke 12:1-5?  I'm sorry if this article makes things confusing but it puts out a different viewpoint.

Please respond back! Let me know what you think...