Yes, I've seen classics on the shelves repackaged to attract the modern audience (most recently, Dante's Inferno, after the video game came out. I suspect the publishers meet with a certain amount of success using this tactic. I do think the shelving decisions can be quite subjective at times, and can hurt the author. For example, I was looking for some books by Octavia Butler at a bookstore, and was astounded to find not a single volume in stock (she was a terrific writer). So I asked at the counter, and the clerk, after consulting a computer, told me all her work was shelved in "African American literature." Nothing wrong with that, per se, but while the science fiction and fantasy section always had a lot of people browsing, the African American section was back in a lonely, dusty corner of the store. Many who would probably like Butler's work a lot would never find her just by browsing the shelves in that store.
I entirely agree with this. The absolute ideal is an exceptionally well written, thought out, good story, that blows you away and changes your life. Causes tears to fall from your face or your sides to ache with laughter. You have to have a heart of stone not to sob when Beth March dies or Helen Burns in Jane Eyre or delight in some of Tom Sawyer's antics, I love the scene where he nobly takes the beating. Aunt Helen in What Katy Did was my goal when I got sick - have yet to achieve it lol Decided probably an ideal you need servants for. It is very diffcult not to explore aspects of humanity in a story though. My current story I hadn't considered it social commentary lol However first thing anyone reading it for me has commented on is the fact my head of a religious order (male) has clearly had a long term relationship with another man, who has since died and is now flirting with the King of another nation - noone bats an eyelid (except maybe the two flirting lol) - they then go from snogging to finding an abandoned naked child on the beach. I hadn't realised it was controversial it was just best way to tell story.
Yes, I found Helen's death to be particularly saddening. Great book. I have not read "What Katy Did." I think your approach is a good one - it doesn't sound like you set out to comment on social issues, but that aspect of the story just grew organically out of your writing. It was a logical and natural part of the story. I feel like writers sometimes force issues into the story that don't fit well, just to make some sort of comment.
Not just snobbery - it could also be a useful quality marker. It tells the reader that an editor has deemed it good enough in areas important to "literary" audiences.
What Katy Did is a little dull as an adult think you have to be a preteen girl to appreciate it. Little Women is much better. This has been my issue with a lot of works classed as Literary Fiction - the agenda = the story. I do quite like Maeve Binchy she carries it off well and the one that wrote the L-Shaped Room. It feels like the writer has fallen in love with a style and an agenda and has mistaken that for a story. Satanic Verses is the classic example of that, that comes to mind. Mine came about from lack of planning lol - my main character is gay , widowed and a good looking man was standing at the end of his bed. Keeping them apart logically wasn't going to happen. It took on new resonance when my neighbour was shocked my bestfriend was allowed in my house when my middle one was running round without his clothes on. Conversation indicated her issue wasn't with my little one being naked (he is 4 and male it is his usual state of dress inside the house) - but that my bestfriend is a gay man. Between that and other feedback - I decided the scene with the child was staying and now it is making a point.
I'm not one to want to quell discussions, but let's everyone keep things on an even keel. There is no need to start taking digs at anyone and this thread is come to the point where no hands are clean so please everyone chillax.
