Last night I thought, "Hmmm . . . I need some mental stimulation. I think I'll pick up that Walt Whitman book I bought, oh, probably three years ago." I dusted off the cover and stared at the picture. Not the most handsome man, but I was sure he had something interesting to say.
I perused the introduction. I'm convinced the introductions to these "classics" are written by hermits who specialize in spewing forth useless and trivial analyses of literary works who then feel that they've contributed to the collective knowledge of mankind. They're feeling smug in their ivory towers without realizing that, in fact, they are less read than the instruction manuals that come with a new appliance. But I digress.
If I thought the introduction was unintelligible, it was only because I had never read anything by Walt Whitman before. I gave it a brave ten pages before shaking my head in disgust. If I truly want to have no idea what someone is talking about, I only need to have a discussion with my children.
And then I remembered when three of my family members and I read Faulkner one summer. Yes, it was Oprah's book club and no, I didn't read all three books. Jan made it through all three, but the rest of us petered out one by one. I think old Faulkner was a friend of Whitman's.
I have to laugh. Some of the most lauded works of literature are the most unattainable. I think that's why that mysterious "They" choose them as "classics." I don't know that these books are really meant to be understood, so much as written so that someone can proudly wear their names as a badge of honor. "Yes, I sat in my chair for thirty-hours of nonsense, but I can now say that I read Faulkner (or whomever)." "I might have had more fun getting a root canal without novacain, but I've read Whitman."
I don't classify all classics in this category. Certainly there are some wonderful books, A Tale of Two Cities, A Room With a View, and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, to name a few. But by and large, I think we would do better to stay away from "the classics" and read whatever it is we think we will learn something from or just simply enjoy. Viva la trashy novel!
