Originally Posted by
hopeingod
Literature is all about the defining of various periods and prevailing isms. What is meant as a classic to the existentialist may not be to the nihilist. Meaning plays a huge part in the way one feels about a bit of writing. If the text confirms or challenges the mindset of the day, it might be thrown out by some, while being inspected by others. Hardy's determinism is, in my view, classic literature, because it almost perfectly sets the individual against unseen and unmoveable forces. The nature of the stories of old are about the evolution of thought and values. As I see it, that progress is shifting us farther and farther away from the stability that absolute truths once lent to society. Questioning everything today is the prevailing major in all universities, as students walk out of classrooms scratching their heads when they should be building foundations for life.
