Classic Novels and the Great Loss of the American Attention Span (in under 300 words)!

Well! It’s been several days since I’ve written anything. I have a slight sense of guilt over that. Today I have only had one student so far, so I’ve had a lot of time on my hands. I’ve spent that time mostly reading The Picture of Dorian Gray, and googling Oscar Wilde’s biography out of pure curiosity. After reading his bio, it is clear that he led an… interesting life. However, his writing is impeccable and maintains my interest. Like many classic, Victorian novels, the beginning drags on and nearly lulls one to sleep, but is worth continuing because the middle and the ending reveal great surprises and plot twists that modern novels lack entirely. There is something so fascinating about classic literature. Although such novels never give the reader the instant gratification that we all crave nowadays due to television shows, movies on demand, high-speed internet, and such, the classical authors knew how to produce suspense, emotion, and dramatic plot twists without being pathetic or soap opera- like. I wish I could write like that. I used to be able to sit down for hours and focus on a piece of work, letting my creative juices flow. After college, when I had to learn how to condense my words into a single, 3 page essays, I lost much of my attention span and my ability to write for long periods of time. I wish I could get that back, yet here I sit writing a blot, interrupted by frequent visits to Facebook. Who knows, maybe if I just keep writing, perhaps someday I’ll still be able to write that “Great American Novel.”