How Literature Has Changed Throughout History and the One Thing That Hasn't Changed

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Books have been around for a long time. We've seen trends come and go. Parts of language have fallen out of use, replaced by simpler and more modern words. Technology has transformed the way books are read and shared. There were no ebooks or audiobooks fifty years ago, no Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube for authors to market on. Self-publishing was nowhere near as accessible or common. And don't forget the glorious printing press invented over 500 years ago that changed the course of our accessibility to books forever.

But one thing hasn't changed: the knowledge and magic found within the pages of stories. The wisdom found in stories hasn't changed. Sure, we know a lot, and I mean A LOT more about our world today than we did in the Middle Ages. But a good story is timeless because it's made up of scenes that trigger universal emotions—joy, love, pain, grief, fear. It does not age as time goes on, it only gains a greater audience. Look at books like A Christmas Carol, Pride and Prejudice, and The Picture of Dorian Gray. All of these books were written over 100 years ago! They're older than every human being on earth and are still deeply loved. The Great Gatsby is another famous novel, but when it was published in 1925, it sold very few copies. Now it's one of the greatest of all time.

Books have changed. Peoples' tastes have changed. Attention spans have shortened, while our busy schedules have grown. What are considered classics would probably be tossed aside if they were first published in the 21st Century. Yet these books are still around and people are still talking about them. It is not because they are old or that they connect us to "easier times." The periods of history these books were written in certainly weren't easy.

They are beloved because of the lessons they teach, the themes they explore, the questions they ask, and the injustices they dare to defy. Not only have they changed the course of literary history, but they continue to transform the future of our world. They are the very things that bring the most contrasting people together. They make us laugh and they make us cry. They've inspired or have pulled inspiration from some of the worlds most monumental moments. They tackled the corruption of their times, addressing war, poverty, racism, women's rights, and politics when no one else would stand up and say, "this is wrong," and they did it in such a way that those who read along could not comprehend all of the wisdom and rebellion inside. So those people read them again, and a new layer of knowledge was revealed. And they read them again and again, and a lifetime later, they still did not capture it all. Not because they were unintelligent, but because they were so awestruck.

All they could do was point to the cover and say, "I love this book."

Perhaps that was all they really needed—a story that brought them joy. Because sometimes when you try to explain something, you end up ruining the reason it was so beautiful. You've taken away the mystery. You've learned all of the answers, so why continue reading?

I believe the books we connect to the most are the ones we never run out of questions about. They're the ones where the author invites us in, but they don't tell us everything. They give us a room in their story's house, a special place. But we don't get the grand tour. We must explore the house on our own. We must make choices, contemplate the characters' motives, choose to fight or die, choose to run, choose to wonder and make predictions.

The best stories are the ones that give the reader a part. They allow the reader to interpret them. This doesn't mean they are shallow or plain. If you've ever read a classic, you know they certainly aren't easy to understand. But they often grow on us. They evoke countless questions until our only choice is to continue reading.

We have to know what happens next.

I think I'll end here. This blog post was so fun and freeing to write. I was never a fan of classic literature, but it is quickly growing on me. The history of literature is very fascinating and reveals a lot about the past. It also teaches us a lot about language and writing so that's a bonus!

Thank you for reading this post! If you enjoyed it, make sure to subscribe to my blog so you don't miss out on future posts. Also leave a comment telling me your thoughts on this subject.

It's been a pleasure writing for you and until next time—stay weird and stay writing. - Lexi