My college experience was rather haphazard to say the least, but I did benefit to some extent by one or two excellent professors. That said, I bought sets of classics and engaged many of those books as if I'd picked them up at the local bookstore. I read them without supplemental material, taking their stories and characters in as if they were "bestsellers," which at the time they were written, many of them were sold. At that time, people who were literate at all, which wasn't the majority of society, read them in the evenings as entertainmnent. Frankenstein's Monster, Lade Chatterley's Love, Wutherings Heights, Secret Garden, etc etc. were not deep tomes for professorial analysis, but were pleasurable readings for those brief leisurely periods over a glass of sherry or a cup of tea. I truly enjoyed those books with that in mind so I wouldn't feel burdened with academic expectations. And watching movies made from the classic stories has helped me develop a visual library of the eras in which they took place and offered meat for discussion with others about the differences in how various media approach the stories.
You've mentioned so many interesting things. Was the literacy rate in the United States so low back then? The books you've mentioned are real gems; in fact, I still have some of them to read. I like what you say about the visual aspect. I've had the same experience with some science fiction works: when you see them in the cinema, it changes your perspective. The effect of visualising what you previously imagined gives you a different perspective.
At present, the literacy rate for America is 80%. When I was in high school (1966-68) and taking a journalism class, we were told that newspapers wrote for a six-grade reading level. The percentage number being bandied about these days is that only 40% of American students can read at an eighth grade level (and falling). Back in the times when the books I mentioned were published, (18th/19th centuries), people who could afford to buy books, mostly the upper classes, could educate their children with tutors and send them to college. That's what I was referring to with the literacy then. Now, billions of books are published each year everywhere. While bookstores or declining in number, it's mainly because Amazon and other online resources are cornering the markets. People read a lot more these days, but not necessarily books. There are online news and literary sources, (Substack for example) and social media, which is of questionable quality. Reading and literacy is different these days. I don't know if you write your responses to comments with a translator, but if not, your English is perfect. And to various degrees of quality, there are millions in tech and information workers who write in second and even third languages to support their products and services. (Okay, Sue, enough already.)
I understand you. In Spain, the literacy rate was also low at that time, and it was similar to the US, with only a few people reading that type of literature. You mentioned something that I always think about: people read more now than ever before, but the type of reading that predominates has changed. Although more people read, the reading they do is not particularly complex. People read more, but the number of people who read books like the ones you mentioned is still relatively low.
As for whether I use a translator, what I do is express myself in English and then check it with the translator in case there are any mistakes. I don't speak English that bad, but I prefer not to make mistakes :)
I guess when you look at the literacy rates and what readers read during different eras, the demographic remains steady. The majority of illiterates in the old days is about the same now despite the amount of reading done. The quality level of readership is the basis of good education. The metaphors and imagery acquired in reading good material is what gives culture its essence and color. Most people are satisfied with acquiring wealth and the displays of that success, but they are shallow when understanding with the human condition.
A little story: I was talking to a woman about learning a language. She told me about her son and daughter. The daughter didn't want to speak a word of the new language until she could express herself perfectly. The son spoke the language in a haphazard manner but got his message across. "So," I said to her, "your daughter is going to starve to death in a foreign country." The woman was shocked at my response but I'll hold to it today. While it's admirable to learn to speak perfectly (and I certainly don't at all), if you need something when in a foreign situation, it's admirable to try your best to express your needs. Just sayin'.
Your story about speaking a language poorly but speaking it anyway is similar to my personal situation. I've been studying Chinese for a long time, and even though I don't speak it perfectly and I make mistakes, I don't hold back at all and whenever I have the chance, I speak with native speakers. Sometimes there are misunderstandings or they don't understand what I'm saying very well, but most of the time they get the idea. I learn much more by making mistakes all the time than by sitting quietly doing exercises in a book and waiting to speak well before starting.
The funniest thing about a language is when you speak it badly, there are always funny situations and people like you for trying.
They do indeed enjoy your attempts. I tutored Mexicans for years and probably learned more Spanish than they learned England, sad to say. Even so, my English was so bad, an Argentinian girl in the library shouted out, "Your Spanish is horrible!" My Mexican learners, however, just smiled (maybe grimaced is more like it) and coped with the barrage of mistakes. I did manage to get an idea across to some gardeners who were doing a job in my yard, although I do believe the were Guadamalans and spoke mainly an Andean dialect. The job got done! And from my learners, I learned some basic social idioms and even a bit of risque slang. OOOPS! 😁
And Alvaro, you never cease to amaze me with your academic depth. Chinese? Holy merde!
thank you, alvaro. it's all so meaningful, what you explain. i like the journey of the hero so often found in classic and modern literature. that motif is everywhere, today. i recall a gifted teacher of mine in high school saying that any voyage saga (the iliad, for example, or jason and his argonauts) is an exploration of the subconscious. the ocean, our subconscious. i like what you said; classic literature can help to slow us down in the frenzied world we are in. keep going. i so much enjoy your essays. j.
What your gifted teacher said is very interesting. It's a great way of looking at it. To a certain extent, literature is an exploration of people's concerns, fears, worries and problems. And yes, the best thing about reading classic literature is seeing how their perspectives on the world were different, slower, with other priorities, themes and concerns.
I love reading these kinds of authors; it's like travelling back in time.
My college experience was rather haphazard to say the least, but I did benefit to some extent by one or two excellent professors. That said, I bought sets of classics and engaged many of those books as if I'd picked them up at the local bookstore. I read them without supplemental material, taking their stories and characters in as if they were "bestsellers," which at the time they were written, many of them were sold. At that time, people who were literate at all, which wasn't the majority of society, read them in the evenings as entertainmnent. Frankenstein's Monster, Lade Chatterley's Love, Wutherings Heights, Secret Garden, etc etc. were not deep tomes for professorial analysis, but were pleasurable readings for those brief leisurely periods over a glass of sherry or a cup of tea. I truly enjoyed those books with that in mind so I wouldn't feel burdened with academic expectations. And watching movies made from the classic stories has helped me develop a visual library of the eras in which they took place and offered meat for discussion with others about the differences in how various media approach the stories.
Hi Sue! :)
You've mentioned so many interesting things. Was the literacy rate in the United States so low back then? The books you've mentioned are real gems; in fact, I still have some of them to read. I like what you say about the visual aspect. I've had the same experience with some science fiction works: when you see them in the cinema, it changes your perspective. The effect of visualising what you previously imagined gives you a different perspective.
At present, the literacy rate for America is 80%. When I was in high school (1966-68) and taking a journalism class, we were told that newspapers wrote for a six-grade reading level. The percentage number being bandied about these days is that only 40% of American students can read at an eighth grade level (and falling). Back in the times when the books I mentioned were published, (18th/19th centuries), people who could afford to buy books, mostly the upper classes, could educate their children with tutors and send them to college. That's what I was referring to with the literacy then. Now, billions of books are published each year everywhere. While bookstores or declining in number, it's mainly because Amazon and other online resources are cornering the markets. People read a lot more these days, but not necessarily books. There are online news and literary sources, (Substack for example) and social media, which is of questionable quality. Reading and literacy is different these days. I don't know if you write your responses to comments with a translator, but if not, your English is perfect. And to various degrees of quality, there are millions in tech and information workers who write in second and even third languages to support their products and services. (Okay, Sue, enough already.)
I understand you. In Spain, the literacy rate was also low at that time, and it was similar to the US, with only a few people reading that type of literature. You mentioned something that I always think about: people read more now than ever before, but the type of reading that predominates has changed. Although more people read, the reading they do is not particularly complex. People read more, but the number of people who read books like the ones you mentioned is still relatively low.
As for whether I use a translator, what I do is express myself in English and then check it with the translator in case there are any mistakes. I don't speak English that bad, but I prefer not to make mistakes :)
I guess when you look at the literacy rates and what readers read during different eras, the demographic remains steady. The majority of illiterates in the old days is about the same now despite the amount of reading done. The quality level of readership is the basis of good education. The metaphors and imagery acquired in reading good material is what gives culture its essence and color. Most people are satisfied with acquiring wealth and the displays of that success, but they are shallow when understanding with the human condition.
A little story: I was talking to a woman about learning a language. She told me about her son and daughter. The daughter didn't want to speak a word of the new language until she could express herself perfectly. The son spoke the language in a haphazard manner but got his message across. "So," I said to her, "your daughter is going to starve to death in a foreign country." The woman was shocked at my response but I'll hold to it today. While it's admirable to learn to speak perfectly (and I certainly don't at all), if you need something when in a foreign situation, it's admirable to try your best to express your needs. Just sayin'.
Hi Sue! :)
Your story about speaking a language poorly but speaking it anyway is similar to my personal situation. I've been studying Chinese for a long time, and even though I don't speak it perfectly and I make mistakes, I don't hold back at all and whenever I have the chance, I speak with native speakers. Sometimes there are misunderstandings or they don't understand what I'm saying very well, but most of the time they get the idea. I learn much more by making mistakes all the time than by sitting quietly doing exercises in a book and waiting to speak well before starting.
The funniest thing about a language is when you speak it badly, there are always funny situations and people like you for trying.
They do indeed enjoy your attempts. I tutored Mexicans for years and probably learned more Spanish than they learned England, sad to say. Even so, my English was so bad, an Argentinian girl in the library shouted out, "Your Spanish is horrible!" My Mexican learners, however, just smiled (maybe grimaced is more like it) and coped with the barrage of mistakes. I did manage to get an idea across to some gardeners who were doing a job in my yard, although I do believe the were Guadamalans and spoke mainly an Andean dialect. The job got done! And from my learners, I learned some basic social idioms and even a bit of risque slang. OOOPS! 😁
And Alvaro, you never cease to amaze me with your academic depth. Chinese? Holy merde!
thank you, alvaro. it's all so meaningful, what you explain. i like the journey of the hero so often found in classic and modern literature. that motif is everywhere, today. i recall a gifted teacher of mine in high school saying that any voyage saga (the iliad, for example, or jason and his argonauts) is an exploration of the subconscious. the ocean, our subconscious. i like what you said; classic literature can help to slow us down in the frenzied world we are in. keep going. i so much enjoy your essays. j.
Hi JaCee! :)
What your gifted teacher said is very interesting. It's a great way of looking at it. To a certain extent, literature is an exploration of people's concerns, fears, worries and problems. And yes, the best thing about reading classic literature is seeing how their perspectives on the world were different, slower, with other priorities, themes and concerns.
I love reading these kinds of authors; it's like travelling back in time.