Photo via Matl via Wikimedia Commons

Alyssa Thayer and Mandy Wu debate whether modern books are better than classics.

Pro/Con: A tale of two readers

March 22, 2023

Classic novels tell better stories

While classic books can be harder to read, they enrich the minds of the reader in ways newer books cannot.

If a reader is looking for something to improve their reading level or vocabulary, newer books are the lesser option. Classic novels have words that aren’t used as often today, resulting in teaching readers more vocabulary. 

Most novels in today’s age, specifically romance novels, have a simpler reading level. While that makes it more enjoyable for some to read in their free time, it also means the plot is simpler. 

More complex plots typically exist in the classic novels, which in the end can be more fun to read. Most of these have also been turned into movies, proving their worth in modern entertainment. 

Modern romance novels can be fun to read, but they are the equivalent of fast food for readers. They are quick, convenient, and look good, but are bad for the reader on the inside. These books aren’t adding any knowledge – they only give romance lovers false ideas of what modern love can consist of. These novels are typically extremely unrealistic, unlike most classics. 

The vast majority of notable books are the classic ones. Newer books don’t offer as much as the old ones. 

Books such as Pride and Prejudice, To Kill a Mockingbird, or even Frankenstein are known among many, even nonreaders. There aren’t as many books written today that are as famous.

Today’s literature not living up to the same fame as yesterday’s can arguably be a result of time, but can also be because of the quality of what is written. If certain novels today were so special, they would be talked about a lot more, even in English classes. 

While George Orwell’s Animal Farm, written in 1949, is newer as well as studied in school, it is still old enough to be considered a classic. 

Overall, classic books are more intelligent and noteworthy than the books written today. 

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Modern books reflect today’s world

Classic books are said to broaden minds, but who said that newer books can’t do the same?

There are readers who think that because a book is a classic, it is one of the best pieces of literature out there. However, there are a selection of modern books that prove this narrative wrong. 

Novels such as The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, or A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara are a few examples of newer books that have the potential of being classics. 

They all provide gripping plots and alluring new outlooks on the world. Even though they have not been recognized as classics yet, they still make contributions to the literary world. 

Additionally, classic books were written for their time, but times have changed and only newer novels can truly emulate the current reality of the world. Besides that, classics were used to hold different genres at certain standards, but since then, recent books have raised that standard and created works of literature that go beyond what classic authors can do. 

Of Mice and Men is a critically acclaimed novel; however, Raft of Stars by Andrew J. Graff is a modern book that captures the same gist but better. 

Not only have more recent novels improved classic ones, they have entered school curricula as well. The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Hate U Give are instances of books that connect more to younger readers than compared to tougher to read classics. 

Obviously, not all present-day books feed the brain like classic ones do, but they still provide a level of relatability and comfort. Not everyone likes to enjoy reading complex works of literature on a rainy day at home. 

Despite some modern books lacking the sophistication and vocabulary of older ones, they still possess a level of imagination and entertainment for all, even the cheesy romances. 

Sure, classics are timeless pieces of literature, but don’t let that overshadow the contemporary books that are also written masterpieces. 

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