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The term canon is defined by ThoughtCo as follows: "In fiction and literature, the canon is the collection of works considered representative of a period or genre. The collected works of William Shakespeare, for instance, would be part of the canon of western literature, since his writing and writing style has had a significant impact on nearly all aspects of that genre. " ("What Is the Canon in Literature?")
It should be noted that the works of authors that belong to the canon of a certain era are subjected to a change depending on the value and relevance of their works. To quote "For instance, the works of Shakespeare and Chaucer are still considered significant. But lesser-known writers of the past, such as William Blake and Matthew Arnold, have faded in relevance, replaced by modern counterparts like Ernest Hemingway ("The Sun Also Rises"), Langston Hughes ("Harlem" ), and Toni Morrison ("Beloved"). " ("What Is the Canon in Literature?")
💬 Examples
💬 Examples
Highschool literary canon is a great example of all the significant works divided into eras that us, students, had to go through. As you can see, there is a great disparity and changes in the list as well since the canon's structure is chosen by the school's committee and the country you live in. Suppose you are American. It's more likely for you to have read Haruki Murakami than, say, Božena Němcová's Babička.
As such, you could choose any of the works in the list from your highschool days or the aforementioned titles above. Some could potentially include Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. If you want something less disputable, you can pick The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald - depicting the American dream - and the list goes on.
📚 References
📚 References
"Definition." Cambridge Dictionary, https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/canon
"What Is the Canon in Literature?" Lombardi, Esther. "What Is the Canon in Literature?" ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/literary-devices-canon-740503.
Written by: Ta Minh Khoi
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