There’s a reason I didn’t end up majoring in English in college. I think there is something deficient in my ‘critical’ literature understanding. I just don’t like a lot of the books that are the so-called ‘great books.’
Case in point: I have to admit that William Faulkner is just not one of my favorite authors. Good night, but that man liked words. I just finished wading through one of his novels, one that is hailed as one of the best ever written, and I didn’t enjoy it. I tried to. Truly, I did. But I just didn’t. I would get to the end of one of his impossibly long sentences and think, what did I just read? What was being said there? I have a rather developed vocabulary, but I found myself absolutely wading through pages of big words I just didn’t understand when all strung together the way they were in that book. I didn’t get it. I do think I may read another of his books, though, because I want to find out more about one of the characters and I’ve read that his story is the focus of another book, but, honestly, I don’t know if I care to wade through the words, words, words and the parenthetical asides that sometimes took up pages themselves and made it so hard to follow the thought of the original sentence. Okay, I tend to use a lot of parenthetical asides, too, so I don’t have much room to talk.
Another case in point: I checked out The Great Gatsby a while back because it is one I somehow managed to get through AP high school English and several college English courses without having read and have seen it on so very many book lists. I hated it. I got to the end and thought, “That’s it? What’s the big deal? Why is this a ‘great book’?”
I felt the same way about the movie, Citizen Kane. My husband and I rented it a while back because neither of us had ever seen it and so many people rave about it being, “THE BEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME!” We got to the end of that movie and looked at each other blankly, crickets chirping in the background as we blinked at each other in bewilderment. I think one of us said, “That’s it? Why is that on so many people’s top of the list? It’s a sled. Big whoopee.” I just don’t get it. Just so no one feels the need to explain, yes, I get the significance of the sled, I just don't get why so many people think this is the best movie ever.
So, I guess there’s something wrong with me. I just don’t get it for a lot of the ‘great books’ or ‘great movies.’ Maybe I’m just an unsophisticated bumpkin. Maybe I just don’t like to have to think all that much when I read a novel. Anyway, that’s probably more than I’ll wish I’d shared, and I’m not really asking to start any literary discussions here, but, there you are.
2 comments:
I don't enjoy Faulkner, either. He's so depressing.
Karl and I watched Citizen Kane for the same reason and wondered what the fuss was all about when it was finished. I think it must have had something to do with camera angles or something. ?
I haven't read it in years, but The Great Gatsby was one of my favorites. I guess I should read it again since I can't recall what I like about it.
Oh, my goodness, I couldn't agree with you more! I haven't read 'The Great Gatsby' yet, though, and I have always wanted to for the same reasons you said. I probably still will so that I can say that I did, but now I won't feel so bad if I end up not loving it.
I am a movie buff and managed a video store for several years when I was younger and I don't get Citizen Kane either. Not one bit.
Here's what I think....
I think a lot of people claim these are their favorite books, movies, etc...but when no one else is around, they are reading/watching something else entirely. My years in video retail tell me that we sold a zillion copies of "Grease" and "Gone with the Wind" and the copy of "Citizen Kane" collected dust on our shelves. I think that says a lot about how many people really like it and how many people just say that they do.
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