¿Hay que leer a los clásicos?

A young age, one might begin to repeat phrases they once criticized, such as "In my time..." This phenomenon is exemplified by an Instagram influencer who attempted to read "The Shining" before seeing the movie adaptation. While her intentions were noble, she struggled to comprehend certain words, like "cope," "faze," "mundane noise," and "misanthrope."

She expressed her surprise, stating that she initially thought she would breeze through the book, but realized she needed a dictionary to follow the narrative. Another influencer recently faced confusion upon receiving an edition of Homer's "Odyssey," questioning if it was a recently released film. Several studies show that younger generations have lower cognitive development compared to their parents, and translation professionals often struggle to find suitable modern terms for older literature.

Educational plans prioritize adaptations over original versions, leading to a lack of exposure to classic works. This, combined with changes in cultural consumption habits, linguistic and cultural distance between contemporary works, and the emphasis on entertainment over depth in educational curricula, makes understanding classic literature challenging for young readers.

Despite this, recent data demonstrates that young people in Spain are among the most avid readers in the country. The issue lies not in reduced reading rates, but rather in the need for conscious education and exposure to classic literature from an early age. The diverse writing styles, plots, and settings of classic works, while not identical to those familiar to younger generations, offer valuable opportunities to expand vocabulary, appreciate different civilizations, and gain insight into past societies.