Classics Teenagers Would Actually Read
When most teenagers think of classic novels, they typically only regard them as books they’re required to read for class. And typically, they’d never consider reading them on their own time. These 3 novels are novels that I believe would break the schema they have about classics being a tiresome genre.
Catcher in the Rye(1945)- J.D. Sallinger
Synopsis: “The Catcher in the Rye, novel by J.D. Salinger published in 1951. The novel details two days in the life of 16-year-old Holden Caulfield after he has been expelled from prep school. Confused and disillusioned, Holden searches for truth and rails against the “phoniness” of the adult world.”
The thing about Catcher is that you either love it or hate it. I find that it’s just such a relatable piece for young adults, especially those of us who are graduating this year. It’s a story about hating everything around you, hating yourself, and acting irrationally. It makes young people see, but also evokes an inclination to change. It evokes a need for truth, both in yourself, and in others.
Slaughterhouse Five(1969)- Kurt Vonnegut
Synopsis: “Slaughterhouse-Five, antiwar novel by Kurt Vonnegut, published in 1969. The absurdist, nonlinear work blends science fiction with historical facts, notably Vonnegut’s own experience as a prisoner of war in Dresden, Germany, during the Allied firebombing of that city in early 1945. It is considered a modern-day classic.”
Teenagers are infamously known for veering on the fringe of society, and Slaughterhouse Five is laced with implications of free will, an idea that most teenagers live and long for everyday. Vonnegut is also just so easy to digest, for his language can be so casual. It also tends to be vulgar and humorous, again making it redeemable to teenagers.
On the Road(1957)- Jack Kerouac
Sypnosis: “Jack Kerouac’s On the Road has become a classic text in American literary counterculture. Set in the aftermath of the Second World War, Sal Paradise’s account of his travels across America has become emblematic of the struggle to retain the freedom of the American dream in a more sober historical moment. Paradise’s journey with the free and reckless Dean Moriarty (based on fellow Beat adventurer Neal Cassady) from the East to the West Coast of America is a celebration of the abundance, vitality, and spirit of American youth. The pair’s rejection of domestic and economic conformity in favor of a search for free and inclusive communities and for heightened individual experiences were key constituents of the emerging Beat culture, of which Kerouac—along with literary figures such as Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs—was to soon to become a charismatic representative.”
Rebellion and freedom are big themes in literature that I believe appeal to teenagers. On the Road is the epitome of these ideas. It makes you not only want to live, but experience. It reminds teenagers to take advantage of our youth.
Synopsis’ are all quoted from Britannica.com.