Question from someone who barely reads: why does it seem like literature is so boring? I am asking this in the most earnest way I can. Whenever a book seems to have an interesting or fantastical premise, it seems it's often written off as "genre fiction", as if something too exciting can't be considered literature.
It seems that when, I explore common themes in literature and acclaimed novels, I get a bunch of books that have mundane events, or some book that gets its merit from just referencing a bunch of other, obscure material. It seems that for a book to be considered good it has to have many aspects that are nonsensical, rambling, where it tries to mean so much that it ends up meaning nothing at all.
I just don't get the concept of literature. Rather than being an interesting look into the beautiful/grotesque aspects of life or plunging the human condition, it just comes across as boring novels written about mundane events.
>Why do people like beer ? That stuff is nasty, mom !
>>7813505
This is like why some people prefer movies such as Avengers over The Witch.
Neither are bad for what they are but one is really just flashing lights to distract you and the other is meant to stimulate and challenge you.
>>7813505
Read all harry potter you want. Kids love magic and wizards.
But dont look at acclaimed novels for anything substantial. Its the Oscars of literature. Go back to your GoT and anime fedora mate
>>7813505
any idiot can write an exciting story about a dragon
only Faulkner can write an exciting chapter about a man going up a flight of stairs
>why does it seem like literature is so boring?
It's because you're an idiot with a low attention span and low IQ, OP but no offense tho
>boring
...most of the classics are about murder, rape, corruption, psychosis, and death. What do you do for kicks now you've become so jaded with these things?
>>7813505
read bizarro fiction.
>>7813505
Read Brave New World
>>7813505
If you want meaningful fantasy lit try Dante.
What is an interesting premise to you? Politics? Existential whining? There's lit for all of it
>>7813505
>why does it seem like literature is so boring?
because it isn't for everyone. give up and fuck off.
>>7813505
>Rather than being an interesting look into the beautiful/grotesque aspects of life or plunging the human condition
Well, that is pretty darn literary. The issue with genre fiction actually addressing these things is they have the issue of establishing said "fantastical premise" in addition to other themes. Most "genre" books are called genre because they're entirely driven by the world created and a plot that delves little into what it is to be human, but instead into what it is to be the chosen one in the land of Hurrblurr. The other issue with genre is most people who read it don't want to be confronted with anything too difficult, but instead want simple escapist fantasies, which keeps the genre down. That said, some things do flirt with genre conventions, but still manage to be literary.
OP, you may like magical realist stuff. You get some weird shit happening, but the focus remains on life/humanity. Hemingway may not be for you, but what about Karen Russell, or Cortazar or even Kafka? All very different, all have some very strange shit going on.
>it just comes across as boring novels written about mundane events
Quite a few of these, but the glory of them is their humanity. Give Stoner a shot. It sounds like it should be boring, but I've known plenty of non-readers ending up sucked into the book.
>>7813505
Classics aren't boring
Read Melville, Dickens, etc.
If youre not into PoMo maybe thats boring for you, but not literature in general.
>>7813759
I second this post and I, too, think you should read Stoner.
>>7813759
And their message is stupid and simple.
I read a DnD themed tome exactly once. 900 pages just to tell me that racism is bad and to believe in myself?
No nuance, no deeper message, no reference to other fantasy works, no enticing characters, no... Anything. Just world-building and unchallenging moral messages you can learn from watching cartoons.
Worse than anime.
>>7813505
Since OP asked his question without being a dick and as if it's a genuine concern I'll try and reply the best I can.
The reason the events seem mundane in literature is because they are compared to a lot of genre fiction, and understandably so. Authors of GF try and cram in event after event and plot twist after plot twist to entertain the reader in order to make up for the lack of actual stimulating prose, imagery and material. Literature doesn't really need so much crazy fucking shit! happening because like >>7813531 said, it is meant to stimulate and challenge you. You can't go into reading a iece of literature thinking that every event is mundane and nothing substantial is happening, otherwise you're conning yourself out of the enjoyment in reading that book. Try and focus on the themes, images, prose, meanings and focus behind the book, rather than waiting for a plot twist in which the main character suddenly keels over and dies and the rest of the cast's grief gets them transported off to Pluto or some shit.
>>7813736
Sage advice, if you want to read something that does have a focus on something (say, for example, drugs) then look for literature with these themes and if you're struggling ask here for recommendations that have a focus on the theme/event you want to read about.
It might end up that it really just isn't your thing atall, which is okay to say as long as you've actually had a proper bash at it and not just written it off after first try.
>>7813505
>reading for enjoyment
sure is reddit in here
sounds like you need ebin lasers and dude space lmao
read star wars fanfiction
>>7813807
I like you. Let's have a drink.
People always ask me how I read. I've started saying that if you want to read you will. My first book was Fight Club. That was almost fifteen years ago. I've read a lot since then.
Literature can be boring sometimes, It's something you're either willing to put up with or it's not. Sometimes the 600 page slog really comes together at the end, sometimes it doesn't work for you. But you still did it.
I don't really know what I'm trying to get at here, so take what you will from this.
/lit/ isn't dead yet in my opinion.
