Shaped by the classics? Did you feel your heart grow faint while reading The Scarlett Letter? Did the Turn of the Screw cause you to think of other screws? Not horror, but not deep, either. Today, I shopped for a friend's son's school list, and it contained the above gems and so much more. The Brothers Karamasov and The House of Seven Gables are sure to entertain a 14 yr. old kid from the projects. Hmmm.
Still, A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich might be relevant--if he can suspend his reality... Billy Budd, now there's a compelling tale. I was supposed to read it--back in 1972--high school. Couldn't bring myself to do it. Smoked some and thought about it, but just couldn't get that high.
Yes, the classics on his list shaped my life in one way or the other. But what will they mean to him? Will he pretend to be Hester and wear a scarlett letter on his breast? I did. Just wanted to see how it felt. Maybe, it would have been more radical to wear a pink Q, but back then no one would have gotten it.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is on his list, and I bought it. I figured he might want to "act out," befriend someone society says he shouldn't and (at least metaphorically) take off down the river.
Then again, maybe, the classics will provide tickets to other worlds, deeper travels, and higher thought.
Who knows?