You would have heard your Secondary 1 English teachers and tutors exhorting the features of classics.
After all, Classics have a shelf of their own in libraries.
In major libraries, an entire department is devoted to Classics.
This would have led you to wonder what Classics are and why it deserves such special mention.
What are Classics?
Classics are my favourites.
Make no bones about it. You may call me old-fashioned but I will always stand by my collection of Classics.
Classics are books which were written about a hundred years or more ago.
Some have even been written several hundreds of years ago such as Shakespeare.
However, Shakespeare always has a section all on his own.
Such is the allure of this great Elizabethan dramatist.
Some of the greatest books ever written in the history of the English language are Classics.
The reason why these books are referred to as Classics is because they never go out of style.
That is why they are Classics.
They are the Evergreens of books.
They will enthrall and always manage to hit that spot time and time again despite the passing of years.
The themes in classics are timeless.
Their stories always relate to us no matter how much time has passed when the author penned it.
Why Else Do Secondary 1 English Students Still Study Shakespeare?
He was really good at hitting the nail on the head.
There is no one else like him when it came to understanding the relationships between men and women, old men and their families, the way daughters behaved or when men were struck by revenge, lust or greed.
These human attributes are timeless and people of every generation are able to find a resounding chord with these enduring tales.
Classics were wildly popular during their era and should have attained literary status with critics and readers.
Some have been posthumously celebrated while other writers were luckier and enjoyed the status which they deserved like William Shakespeare and Thomas Hardy.
Classics are in a class of their own due to their popular readership and sustainability throughout centuries.
They are never forgotten.
Why Are Classics Important?
Classics are important as their themes are still relevant to our times.
Though the language may be inconsistent with modern language, the themes are never out of style.
Jane Austen is one such example as the themes are always about finding a suitable marriage partner.
Pride and Prejudice is about how two people nurtured love for each other but were unable to get past their pride and prejudice.
There is even a Jane Austen book club in some countries where fans get together and have readings.
Classics are important as the words used are meant to engage us in such a way that it stays riveted in our minds.
We rarely forget a good story but we forget that a story is only good as far as the way it is told.
What I mean is that it is the style of writing, the way the author captures the interest of the reader that is far more important than whether A and B got married or not.
It is all about the Way the story is told.
And if you can enjoy this style and benefit from the wisdom of the ‘truths’ which the author reveals, then you are off to a good start in acing your Secondary 1 English paper.
Application Of Classics To Your Own Secondary 1 English Writing
The point of reading Classics is to improve your style of writing in Secondary 1 English.
I know that most of you do not have the time or the stamina to read an entire classic.
You will be able to read short classic stories and fast track to better Secondary 1 English grades.
Thomas Hardy has written many short stories and they were included in school syllabuses previously.
Roald Dahl has also written short stories.
Reading such stories means that you will be able to understand the Purpose, Context and Characterisation.
Each author will have his own way of revealing this.
All good authors will reveal their intent or purpose in their own good time.
The rest is suspense and speculation.
You will be able to develop these qualities as you read these stories and perhaps explore these qualities in your Secondary 1 English writing too.
Always pick the right Classics to read so that you can improve in your Secondary 1 English.
Start with the collections first.
They are always enticing and will get you through the entire tale in a day if you wanted to.
Remember to appreciate each story as you read it.
After all, they deserve your attention, being such great Classics.