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Which books should you read while self-isolating from coronavirus?
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Great Expectations

This Victorian page-turner will make you laugh and weep. In classic Dickens' style, the novel is full of the curious and the grotesque, with plot twists that will make you shudder. It is the perfect book to get lost in during a pandemic.
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The Argument

You should read Great Expectations during quarantine because Charles Dickens was a successful writer, and his writings still prevail as foundational literature. Charles Dickens’ writings greatly influenced the nature of storytelling. His style of writing inspired the term “Dickensian” [1]. As any fan of the classics will tell you, they laid the foundation of modern literature. For this reason, everyone should read the classics at least once, and this quarantine provides the perfect opportunity. Charles Dickens’ success as a writer is evident in the classic Victorian novel, Great Expectations. Set in Victorian England, Dickens creates characters such as Pip, Miss Havisham, Joe, and Estella. He also tackles subjects such as child abuse, depression, isolation, and emotional despair of a broken heart. This draws the reader into a story that captures the intricacies of human behavior. These themes are timeless, and will undoubtedly be relatable for all readers. Great Expectations is a captivating story, which gives readers knowledge about the past with characters that relate to the present. The entertaining and suspenseful story provides the perfect distraction from the world-wide quarantine.

Counter arguments

This argument is under the assumption that people want to read classic literature. Despite their notoriety, classic novels might be less appealing to people who prefer successful modern authors. Since some people do not genuinely enjoy classic literature, they will not connect with Dickens' characters or find a means of escape in Great Expectations.

Premises

[P1] Books by successful authors should be read during quarantine. [P2] Classics are by successful authors. [P3] Charles Dickens is a successful author, so Great Expectations should be read during quarantine. [P4] Books that portray realistic characters and provide escapism should be read during the quarantine. [P5] Great Expectations provides both of these things, making it an ideal quarantine book.

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-should-you-read-charles-dickens-iseult-gillespie
This page was last edited on Wednesday, 17 Jun 2020 at 03:45 UTC

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