Kent Sanders

Reflections on Writing & Creativity

Podcast: Why You Should Read Classic Literature (with Anne Sheridan)

December 27, 2018 by Kent Sanders | Leave a Comment

When you hear the term “classic literature,” what comes to mind? Most people think of books that were written by a bunch of dead white guys and wonder how they are relevant to us today. Today’s guest will help you understand that the classics are much broader than that narrow definition, and why they are essential to your creative life today.

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I’m excited to bring you my conversation with Anne Sheridan, who is a professor and pianist. She holds degrees in piano, Biblical Studies, and English, and she also taught English and Literature for several years at St. Louis Christian College, where I teach. Anne recently moved back to Iowa with her husband, Brent, a pastor, and their daughter, Louise. She enjoys British television and chocolate.

Our conversation covers a wide range of topics, including what makes a classic a “classic,” why Gothic literature is popular, and Anne’s thoughts on The Last Jedi and The Lord of the Rings. You’ll learn the best way to read Shakespeare, how to make time to read, and why it’s OK to watch mindless TV sometimes. I came away from this conversation feeling smarter and more motivated to dive into some of the classics, and I hope you do, as well.

Episode Highlights

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • What makes a classic a “classic”, and why some classics are not considered great works in the lifetime of the artist.
  • Why Gothic literature and themes become popular about once every 100 years.
  • The changing way we view monsters in our society.
  • The best way to approach The Lord of the Rings.
  • How to distinguish between fantasy and science fiction, and where Star Wars falls on this continuum.
  • Ann’s thoughts on The Last Jedi.
  • Why science fiction and fantasy films tend to be longer than other genres such as romantic comedies.
  • How to distinguish great literature from “not so great” literature.
  • What made Shakespeare’s writing so great, and why filmmakers sometimes make modern-setting versions of Shakespeare using the original language.
  • Why you shouldn’t feel guilty about watching “brainless” entertainment, and how to balance it with reading great literature that feeds your mind.
  • How to make time to read.

Key Takeaways

1. Artists need to be part of the great conversation. 

The “great conversation” refers to overarching themes, entertain, or ideas that guide the cultural narrative. In terms of literature, there are certain books that have had a huge impact on culture—for example, the works of Shakespeare. You’ve heard the phrase, “the more things change, the more they stay the same,” and you begin to see this is true when you study great works of art and great books from different periods of history.

The human condition has not changed. We need to not only read current literature, but also be familiar with the great ideas that have shaped society generation after generation.

2. Great art is not always appreciated in the lifetime of the author. 

Certain styles, artists, and trends go in and out of style every so often. This should not as a surprise to us. Each generation places its own value on different ideas and cultural artifacts such as books and movies. For example, Van Gogh’s art was not nearly as popular in his lifetime as it is today. He had no idea that he would one day become one of the world’s most beloved artists.

How does this apply to us as artists and leaders? It means that we have to play the long game, creatively speaking. We are not just creating for today, but creating for the next generation and the one after that. Don’t have a short-term mindset. We are in this for the long haul.

On a related note, I was really intrigued by Anne’s thoughts on how Gothic literature becomes popular during a period about once every hundred years. We are living in a period of great social upheaval, fear, division, and uncertainty. Our interest in certain types of art, and certain themes, represents our fears and desires as a culture. If you want to dive into a study of generations more deeply, I highly recommend Generations: The History of American’s Future 1581-2069 by William Strauss & Neil Howe.

3. You can tackle the great classics of literature by reading a little every day.

Anne gave several great tips for how to tackle some of these books, even if you are a busy person. It’s simple: read a little every day. She mentioned how to make this a habit by reading a little before bedtime every evening. This has a double impact: you make consistent progress, and you also give your eyes and get better sleep by not working on a screen right before bed.

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