The "Classic" Reader

As previously mentioned, I started making my way through the Harry Potter series, given its illustrious status and staple for many readers. In the same vein, the newest book I have picked up is Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck. A lot of my peers, upon seeing that I am reading this book, firstly ask me if I am rereading it (assuming that all English majors have), and then they inform me that they read it in high school. 

Growing up internationally, my high school digressed from traditional Anglo authors and changed our curriculum from classics to novels that highlighted other cultures. For example, Romeo and Juliet was replaced with Persepolis, Of Mice and Men with Chanda’s Secrets, and so on. Thus, the classics have been a personal endeavor. My brother, who read Steinbeck’s staple in high school before they changed the curriculum for my grade, claims it is his favorite book. Now, similar to Mariana in class, my brother seldom reads, let alone recommends books to others. In a Boston exploration, I went into a random bookstore and found a used copy for $4, so I thought, why not?

I’m about halfway done with the novel, and I wouldn’t say it’s not living up to its expectations, I just feel that I haven’t gotten to the part of the book that makes it such a favorite. Maybe there isn’t a particular part. Maybe there is no climax, which is how I felt in another classic like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn when I read that in middle school. Am I missing something? Maybe the characters and their relationships are enough to engrave a life lesson of some sort into the minds of the audience. Lennie seems to be well-received from readers that have spoken to me about it. If not another reason to finally read Of Mice and Men, I am curious to see the movie adaptation with John Malkovich; I loved him in the adaptation for The Glass Menagerie, which speaking of, A Streetcar Named Desire is the next classic I am excited to tackle. 

If anyone has any “classic” book recs or any for that matter, I will gladly take them down to add to my arsenal!