Well, you certainly have a point.
Well, you certainly have a point.
Et l'unique cordeau des trompettes marines
Apollinaire, Le chantre
As has been said before, not everyone likes the same types of books. Some people read classics and think bestsellers are rubbish, other read best sellers and think classics are boring. then there are those of us who read everything. we all have our different opinions, and no one person should discredit another just because they dont read classics. who cares. The world would be boring if we all liked the same books.
"Come away O human child!To the waters of the wild, With a faery hand in hand, For the worlds more full of weeping than you can understand."
W.B.Yeats
"If it looks like a Dwarf and smells like a Dwarf, then it's probably a Dwarf (or a latrine wearing dungarees)"
Artemins Fowl and the Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer
my poems-please comment Forum Rules
Well the debate is not about classics vs bestsellers, it barely has anything to do with that. (A "good" book is not necessarily a classic, and not all best-sellers are worthless, it is not about such clear-cut dichotomy).Originally Posted by Niamh
I think JBI's point is really that a "worthless" book doesn't have more worth because it makes people read. Reading in itself is not constructive, it's all about what you read. And so the debate is not about whether one should or not read X book, but rather at if reading this X book should be seen as a constructive activity, or simply a base form entertainment or relaxation with no educative, formative or constructive value whatsoever (which would be to the level of watching some kind of soap or sitcom). Which was the point made by JBI in his last post, and to which I can certainly agree.
Et l'unique cordeau des trompettes marines
Apollinaire, Le chantre
Hellooooo?? Not everybody is a lit major. Most people read because they want a good story not to be challenged.
Do, or do not. There is no try. - Yoda
Whats so worthless about Harry potter?
If you want to read a worthless book, read guarding maggie by Ellen McCarthy. If a book gets kids reading in this day and age, then its not worthless. dont you agree?
"Come away O human child!To the waters of the wild, With a faery hand in hand, For the worlds more full of weeping than you can understand."
W.B.Yeats
"If it looks like a Dwarf and smells like a Dwarf, then it's probably a Dwarf (or a latrine wearing dungarees)"
Artemins Fowl and the Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer
my poems-please comment Forum Rules
Hellooooo? Have you read? The point made is that reading is not a constructive activity in itself. If a read offers no challenge it is not constructive and is on the same level as watching a sitcom on TV. It's not about telling what people can/cannot, should/should not do, but about putting things in the right perspective.
Harry Potter does not gain worth "because it makes people read", because this would be like saying Family Guy is good because it makes people watch TV.
Et l'unique cordeau des trompettes marines
Apollinaire, Le chantre
Well, let me ask you the question in reverse. What IS the worth in Harry Potter? Not that I want to get involved in this debate though, because, frankly, I don't care.
Et l'unique cordeau des trompettes marines
Apollinaire, Le chantre
Why isn't reading a constructive activity in and of itself? I get great joy out of getting lost in a book. I get challenged everyday in the real world, I don't want to be challenged when I come home and read, I'm looking for a good story.
Harry Potter has worth because I deem it has worth. I got what I wanted to get out of the series - pure escapism.
Do, or do not. There is no try. - Yoda
Well, you're only getting into semantics here. Your post does not contradict what I said, and that is that reading Harry Potter is pretty much on the same level as watching some "worthless" (note the "", I know you can understand what I mean without getting into sophisms) TV program, or playing some video games.
Some people are saying Harry Potter is good because it makes people read, that was the point addressed. Reading here is an empty shell, if it was said it has the worth of pure escapism, just relaxing, then so be it, I can certainly agree that some people can relax and have fun reading it. But that is not the point at hand. The point is that some people imply that reading is an intellectual activity by itself, which it's not.
Et l'unique cordeau des trompettes marines
Apollinaire, Le chantre
Hah, I'm afraid you've been drawn in Etienne.
This is a matter of taste - refined or other wise.
One of my professor used an interesting metaphor to describe the reading of classics/literary works versus the reading of genre fiction or popular fiction. He described it in the way of a food critic who, having sampled a larger variety of foods than most people and with a greater developed sense of taste, is able to judge the taste of food better than a person who has no interest in such things. Not only that, but the food critic can then enjoy the greatest of food because of his developed tastes.
To put it bluntly, after encountering the works of Shakespeare, Dante and the like, it is impossible to go back to the level of Harry Potter and Robert Jordan - it would bore me to death. It's not even an issue of a "classic" being more challenging to the reader, but it lies in the simple fact that I can draw a far greater enjoyment out of quality literature than I can popular literature.
EDIT: In terms of the reading Harry Potter vs. not reading at all debate that I completely ignored, if we are to put the reading of Harry Potter as simply entertainment, then it is the equivalent of watching T.V. or playing table-tennis, etc. There seems to be no educational value in the reading of books simply for entertainment other than, perhaps, the growth of vocabulary - or, haha, the ability to spot cliches and hackneyed writing.
Last edited by mayneverhave; 10-25-2008 at 08:58 PM.
(I haven't read Harry Potter and neither do I intend to, but I just wanted to say that the thread title cracked me up)
"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."
Argh
Such misreading strikes me as ironic on a literature forum. (perhaps that's because it comes from Harry Potter readersHey you, don't read my posts for escapism, it just won't do!
)
I can completely agree with that. However, I do think it has something to do with being challenged as well. Not necessarily being challenged in the sense of having a hard time going through the book, maybe "challenged" is not the right word, actually I think it is but perhaps just not in the usual sense of it.One of my professor used an interesting metaphor to describe the reading of classics/literary works versus the reading of genre fiction or popular fiction. He described it in the way of a food critic who, having sampled a larger variety of foods than most people and with a greater developed sense of taste, is able to judge the taste of food better than a person who has no interest in such things. Not only that, but the food critic can then enjoy the greatest of food because of his developed tastes.
To put it bluntly, after encountering the works of Shakespeare, Dante and the like, it is impossible to go back to the level of Harry Potter and Robert Jordan - it would bore me to death. It's not even an issue of a "classic" being more challenging to the reader, but it lies in the simple fact that I can draw a far greater enjoyment out of quality literature than I can popular literature.
Last edited by Etienne; 10-25-2008 at 10:49 PM.
Et l'unique cordeau des trompettes marines
Apollinaire, Le chantre
Exactly, I can't figure out why people can't see the other side of the coin either. It's the same ridiculous arguement everytime.Argh
Such misreading strikes me as ironic on a literature forum. (perhaps that's because it comes from Harry Potter readers
I can completely agree with that.
Do, or do not. There is no try. - Yoda
Seriously, why is it always classic verses contemporary. I don't think I used those examples, and quite frankly, my area of study is not in classics, but in modern to contemporary literature (with of course, the course requirements met, meaning I need a literature pre-1800 credit of which I still need to complete).
There are plenty of accessible books out there which are fantastic, and there are plenty of popular books out there which are fantastic. There is terrific contemporary literature out there which is fantastic, and much of it sells decently well.
Countless amounts of people read cheap magazines and tabloids. Are we to praise those periodicals for their benefit of getting people to read? Or perhaps pornographic magazines, or sports articles, or shopping lists. The point is, reading is everywhere, and we cannot say the fact that something is read is grounds for its literary merit, or justifies it as being beneficial to society, which it very well could not be.
I have no problem with people reading the Potter. But I have problems with them screaming of Potters excellence, and people champoining Rowling as the Redcrosse (how cheeky an allusion)Knight of the literary world, saving literature from the clutches of abandonment. Seriously, she isn't and she hasn't changed anything significantly, except perhaps her socio-economic well being, and that of her publisher.
Last edited by JBI; 10-25-2008 at 11:07 PM.
Except it's perfectly possible to enjoy reading "classical"/literary works and genre fiction just as it's possible to eat a $100 succulent juicy Kobe steak perfecty marinated and cooked, and still consider your local $2 greasy pizza joint a great meal too. I know imagine that! It's interesting that you seem to be not just talking about Potter or King anymore, but ALL genre fiction . . .
I've found in my experience that the professors who were the most critical of genre fiction were the ones who had never read any of it.
Last edited by Drkshadow03; 10-25-2008 at 11:52 PM.
"You understand well enough what slavery is, but freedom you have never experienced, so you do not know if it tastes sweet or bitter. If you ever did come to experience it, you would advise us to fight for it not with spears only, but with axes too." - Herodotus
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