| Characteristics
of Classic Literature
Learn
the defining characteristics of classic literature such as
timelessness, dealing with universal themes and experiences
and communicating across cultures.
Timelessness
A
good piece of literature can be enjoyed by readers from generation
to generation. That is timelessness. FOR EXAMPLE: Shakepeare's
works are enjoyed as much today as they were when they were
first written, hundreds of years ago. But why? How did
he do it? Well, by carefully choosing his theme is one way.
Theme
A
theme is the underlying meaning of a piece of literature.
It usually includes an observation about life. It could be
the moral of the story, a teaching or an observation of human
experience.
How
Can You Determine a Theme?
You are never actually TOLD what the theme is in a story.
You determine the theme from the characters, action in a story.
In short, you must determine the theme on your own. Some examples
include:
- Aladin
- The theme could be describe as: love is not earned through
riches of the wallet, but of the heart. How would you describe
it?
- Beauty
and the Beast - The theme could be described as: You
must look beyond the package and look for what's inside.
Universal Themes
Universal
themes add to the timelessness of a piece because they relate
to us all--either in our experiences or in our dreams. Some
universal themes readers enjoy include:
- love
conquers all
- good
vs. evil
- rags
to riches
Communicating
Across Cultures
Literature
is an excellent vehicle for communicating ideas
across cultures. Writers from around the world speak
from their own experiences and write about theme that related
to their own land. By reading the literature from other countries
or different areas of our own country, we can learn so much
about how others view life.
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