How Classical Literature Changed My Life

As a beginning reader young adult books captivated me with what, at the time, were intriguing and comprehensible plot lines. Thus began my love affair with books. Eventually, those plot lines became my adversary, when their simplicity triggered a soporific rendition of the book. It persisted until the gifts of classical literature unwrapped as I learned to penetrate, explore, and discover meanings in, for example, Dickens’ lengthy description of a clock tower did I truly find my beloved. Although young adult books had their place in my life by inspiring a love for reading, classical literature has opened up a whole new perspective, teaching me to seek out knowledge while still yielding enjoyment as I consume each book. Originally, phonics was not my friend. But when I finally succumbed to the rules and irregularities of the English language, books opened up a new world. Soon all of my free time was consumed with reading. Books resembling Little House, Anne of Green Gables, Star Wars, and other fantasy novels were my constant companions, accompanying me on all my trips (including those to the bathroom). …show more content…
My classical career continues to blossom with books comparable to The Holy War, Crime and Punishment, and The Scarlet Letter teaching me the nature of man and his never ending struggle between good and evil. As I engage with the characters in Jane Eyre or any of the Dickens' novels, their tenacity and courage to overcome difficulties inspires me to persevere. Reading has impacted me as I traveled from one extreme to another, from consuming to contemptible and finally to the change classical literature brings. Not only did these extremes improve my reading comprehension, but more importantly they improved my