Reading Challenge Topics

You may have heard about “classics” throughout your life, but do you know what a classic really is?

Here are some characteristics that a literary work must have in order to be considered in this category.

✏️Expresses an artistic quality:

A classic can be appreciated for its construction and literary beauty, for it is an expression of life, truth and beauty. To be considered a classic, the work must not only tell a story but also convey a literary intention in a higher artistic form.

✏️Has universal appeal:

Literary themes, such as love, hate, death, life, and faith, to name a few, have universal relevance and appeal to different audiences and types of readers.

✏️Makes connections:

A classic is always connected to another classic: a writer's work of art is always informed and inspired by the history of literature, ideas and other authors.

✏️Is relevant to multiple generations:

When a book stands the test of time it speaks not only to the period it was written in but to modern times as well. This means it maintains its relevance throughout time and throughout different generations, “by covering themes universal to the human condition”.

🕰It takes time to become a classic

While there are a lot of books that have these characteristics, not all of them can be considered classics, because not enough time has passed since they were published. A classic book, from our point of view, is a book that has been written at least 60 years ago.