I think it’s popularity among the public is just a result of its popularity in school curricula. Tons of people in the American school system had to read it. Most people don’t read outside of or after leaving school, so it’s common to a see a list of favorites that just looks like an English class reading list:
Great Gatsby
Fahrenheit 451
1984
Animal Farm
Brave New World
Lord of the Flies
Of Mice and Men
I like some of these more than others, but I don’t really think of them as these masterpieces (except for maybe the Great Gatsby), but just that they are widely taught, and since they’re widely taught, there are countless resources available for teaching them, whereas more recent books that might seem to have advanced beyond the scope that these books explore don’t have as much a precedent for being taught, don’t have as many available resources to teach them, and don’t have as much of a “settled” opinion on what they mean.
So, it’s the English programs.
I think it’s popularity among the public is just a result of its popularity in school curricula. Tons of people in the American school system had to read it. Most people don’t read outside of or after leaving school, so it’s common to a see a list of favorites that just looks like an English class reading list:
Great Gatsby Fahrenheit 451 1984 Animal Farm Brave New World Lord of the Flies Of Mice and Men
I like some of these more than others, but I don’t really think of them as these masterpieces (except for maybe the Great Gatsby), but just that they are widely taught, and since they’re widely taught, there are countless resources available for teaching them, whereas more recent books that might seem to have advanced beyond the scope that these books explore don’t have as much a precedent for being taught, don’t have as many available resources to teach them, and don’t have as much of a “settled” opinion on what they mean. So, it’s the English programs.