Let's Play the Cynic Game: Rereading

Hey, thanks for stopping by to see me ride my bi-cynical around the blog and back. Indeed, as an act of old style poetic form, I shall disagree with someone over a trivial subject. This will strengthen our powers, and it will provide a possible alternative to the ideals of other people lie cane sugar or sweet and low. Low in what? Calories probably, but also sweet flavor.

Unsurprisingly, people don't look at books they have already read. Why is this though? You would think that by loving something, you would want to go back to it eventually. Interestingly, maybe not.

1. Character Over Plot

Going back to reread a story would force a revival f the same boring plot. Theoretically with the influx of speculative fiction in the 20th century, people care too much about character and less about plot. In this day and age, characters span endless amounts of novels, and sometimes even after the death of their creator.

2. Worse Understanding

Know that movie you love from 3rd grade? Like Oliver and Company? Brave Little Toaster? Land Before Time 2: Journey to the Great Beyond?

Well unfortunately, not a single one of those movies hold up in the way that you want it too. Someday, I do believe you should go back and watch movies you loved and read books you loved again, but it will ruin how you feel about them sometimes.

Really, a book never changes. It can't. The reasoning anyone's understanding is different of an idea is because they have changed. They have grown. They've been experiencing while the book remains unchanged.

There is a similar phenomenon when you read a children's book or watch an old cartoon, and realize they are filled with quite explicit material.

3. There May Be No Reason To

Novels are typically formulaic, which forces different books in the same genre to be terribly similar. If you pick up a different horror novel, it may read like a Stephen King book for some periods of time. If you pick up a teen romance novel, you may find it impossible to figure out if John Green or Nicolas Sparks or the three other people who write teen romances exactly the same. Did John Green write the If I Stay? I don't know but he could have.

Genres and their conventions exist for the reader, so that they can easily find a book that takes place in space or might. A book worth Rereading uses either no traditional genre conventions or uses them in a new way.

I can't go back to yesterday - because I was a different person then. - Lewis Carrol

I'm not saying never go back. But, you will never enjoy something the same you once did. For better or worse. In sickness or health.

Remember that reading has its value if a story is written well, but the book can never change. Instead, you may find that the book had changed you.

A.M. in the P.M.