When I was 9, or mybe even 8, I read White Fang by Jack London. As I kid I felt so grown up for having read what I considered an “adult book” at that age. In class we could read a book then on the class computer we could take a multiple choice test on it for points. Childrens books were usually 2 or 3 points, but White Fang was 22 points. I don’t remember exactly how I did, but I remember being happy about the score, and I was in the advanced program in elementary school, so I’m assuming I did pretty well. Who knows though.
But anyways, I’m positive that the themes, and motifs, and life lessons, and philosophies in that book went right over my little head. I probably only cared about the mother wolf raising the cubs and White Fang fighting the Bulldog.
Now looking back at it, there’s so much depth. Family bonds, identity, a sense of community, effects of abuse, and on and on. Examining it now as an adult feels like it’s a completely new book, and I wasn’t old enouigh to appreciate it and understand it the way I can now.
That leads to this question. Are there any books that you can appreciate and delve into the layers of more now that you’re older and maybe even wiser?
The Stranger, but it definitely did not help that I read it in French and was still learning. Even then though, I feel like even once I understood what was being said I didn’t really understand what it was trying to do, and just thought it was weird.