The Awakening by Kate Chopin
Classics are defined as classics for a reason: They serve as a standard for which other books should strive for and affect our society in a way that can never be reversed. It is because of this important message that books are unfortunately banned for one reason or another. The Banned Books Reading Group celebrates these materials and highlights works that are especially vital for better understanding ideological conflicts that still bleed into our present and even our future.
The Banned Books Reading Group will be meeting for the first time on Wednesday, Feb. 23r at 5:30 p.m. in Univeristy Hall room 201, and the first book up for discussion is The Awakening. The Awakening handily tackles themes of female independence and adultery in a way that was unheard of and was downright shameful for its time, making it a perfect first book to begin the discussion.
While the material is clearly important, I find the problem with stories like this can be that it no longer holds the same weight it once did because of the evolution of society since the time of print. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining that women are no longer considered to basically be their husband’s property, but it just makes the story a bit less dramatic. In a society that has Indecent Proposal and Unfaithful, a woman wanting to leave her loveless marriage is not only not shocking but is even applauded, as can be seen in a recent controversial New York Times marriage section article about a man and woman who fell in love and left their spouses to be with each other.
That being said, The Awakening is still a solid read and has darker tones of Anna Karenina and the great Virginia Woolf but ultimately might not be so enthralling for a modern audience.
Two other classics that are worthy of your time:
White Noise by Don DeLillo
While it might not be a typical choice for those thinking of a “classic” novel, ever since I read this book off a friend’s recommendation, I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s one of those books that hits you slowly but surely, and it cries to be read over and over again. Humans are argued to be the only living creatures cognizant of our imminent death, and DeLillo gorgeously and effortlessly makes his readers really think about why life is truly worth living.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Never mind the doomed-to-be-horrific film adaptation currently in pre-production, if you haven’t read this book, drop whatever you’re currently doing and go and read it immediately. Fitzgerald is a master among masters, and this is truly a book that will change your life for the better.
