I’ve been on a deep dive this weekend to comprehend popular literature (an oxymoron in itself lol, as it’s supposed to be easy to understand)
I’ve come to a few conclusions, one of which is that reading sometimes serves a largely unrecognized function. People (including me) criticize popular books for a lack of writing craft or simple, derivative elements. Us folks who care about quality storytelling hate to see it lacking.
And yet … I think sometimes a story has to be simplified to convey a message. Maybe people who love Colleen Hoover really need to experience catharsis regarding abusive relationships. Maybe the popularity of Sarah J Maas books denotes a collective reconciliation of women with sexuality and strength. Maybe the degree to which they are popular is the degree to which our collective unconscious craves that insight. And we can receive that dose of insight in full force when it’s delivered accessibly.
Also, some people truly prefer light reading. Not everyone has the same education, the same grasp of language, or the same taste for analysis. Some people really just want to have an experience, and a book delivers that. Maybe after this low hanging fruit, they’ll pick up a more elevated title.
My favorite English professor used to say this: in her day, Jane Austen’s works were our equivalent of a soap opera. And my second favorite professor said that Shakespeare would be enraged if he knew how lauded his works have become. They were the gritty works of the common people, not elevated works of literature. (They became that way because they were among the first published books, other than the bible. To own and read books was a privilege only for the elite, and that sense of rarity befell Shakespeare’s works.)
It’s so hard for me to admit these things. It hurts my pride and my blood, sweat, and tears I poured into an English degree and the comprehension of truly satisfying literature! I stand by my taste for it. It’s like fine wine and a good meal.
But ain’t nothin wrong with McDonald’s now and again lol. Some people even thrive on it.
by kmaccardo