After being an avid Harry Potter fan, I was called out for not reading the books. It was true, I couldn’t call myself a real fan since I’d only ever watched the movies.
To be fair, the first book was released when I was too young to read. However, since this past February I can finally consider myself a true fan.
After finishing the series I was left with a reading hangover. I began my search for something else that could keep me as intrigued as HP. I searched for modern classics. I figured they must be good if they’ve been dubbed with the title.
The thought of a modern classic is difficult to wrap my head around. I know, essentially it’s a story that is timeless. But in the world we live in today, it seems more and more difficult to capture that essence.
With technology moving so quickly and playing such a huge role in our lives, I can’t imagine a story that captures timelessness while also not becoming outdated.
The film Superbad follows teenagers on their last chance to get the girl, get alcohol and fit in before going off to college. When the film was released it was just a comedy about teens getting into crazy situations. However, in the past few years it stirred up discussion of it being the last film to authentically capture the teenage experience before smartphones came into the picture. Superbad was filmed in the fall of 2006 and the first iPhone was released in June 2007.
Now, modern movies, TV shows and books incorporate phones all the time. Books show text chains on the page, and movies show a pop-up on the screen where the viewers can see text bubbles coming in and out.
It’s true to life, but I wonder if our tech-filled world could ever be considered timeless again.
