When we think about the books that have shaped our lives, the types of novels that usually come to mind are usually romance, thrillers, or crime fiction. While there is certainly nothing wrong with these genres, the truth is that many modern-day classics were actually written for the expressed purpose of satire and social commentary. Sometimes the issues that are presented in a story are relevant to our own lives and the world around us, but more often than not the underlying messages in books are only meaningful to the reader.
Is it really possible for books to influence the way we think and act, or is this just a nostalgic illusion created by overly dramatic readers (and perhaps occasional authors) who want to believe that the worlds they create are also relevant to our own? Let’s take a look.
Books Are Improving, But Not For The Reasons You’d Expect
When we think about books and reading, many of us probably immediately think about literature and the classics. After all, what is literature if not a collection of books that are meant to inform and challenge us to think? While there is nothing wrong with books from these genres, what if I told you that modern-day classics were completely revamped to not only educate but to inspire and entertain as well?
This notion probably sounds a bit like a fairy tale, yet it’s completely true. Take Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice as an example. While often cited as a piece of English literature, the truth is that Jane Austen wrote the book specifically to satirize and comment on the rigid social mores of Georgian England. In Pride and Prejudice, Austen mocks both the hypocrisy of the English aristocracy as well as the provincialism of the working classes with humor and insight. She uses irony and satire to great effect and even manages to weave in a few social commentaries regarding class and gender relationships. While Austen’s novel did not invent the art of commentary, it did bring it into mainstream literature and make it acceptable to use in this way. The fact that Austen’s satire was relevant and accessible to her time period should not be a cause for celebration but for recognition that she was able to comment on and influence society through her writing.
Creative Literary Product
If you’re not familiar, a literary agent is someone that represents authors in the acquisition and management of their business affairs. These include creating and negotiating contracts, providing advice on copyright and trademarks, acting as a liaison between the author and the editor, and handling everything from publicity to promotional events. If you’ve ever read a contract, you’ll know that they can be rather wordy and dense, which probably explains why they are often seen as incomprehensible and unnecessary legal gobbledygook. A literary agent is there to make sure that your interests are protected whether you’re a bestselling or emerging author.
When it comes to contracts, there is usually some sort of dispute between the author and the editor regarding the nature of the relationship. For example, does the contract state that you are the independent contractor or the employee of the company? Believe it or not, this is something that can be resolved with a little bit of common sense and a lot of legal words. The truth is that independent contractors are usually preferred since they are deemed to have more autonomy. However, if you are a top-selling author who enjoys lavish accommodations and a luxurious lifestyle, it might be in your best interests to seek employment at a publishing house since you won’t have to worry about royalties or earnings.
The Importance of Copyright
Copyright is the legal concept that protects the original authorship of creative works, such as novels, plays, movies, and music. The basic idea behind copyright is to incentivize artists and authors to produce more original work by granting them exclusive rights to their creations for a limited period of time. Copyright infringement is when someone takes the copyrighted material and uses it without the consent of the copyright holder. Examples of copyright infringement include copying a story verbatim or using the plot or characters of a novel without permission.
As I mentioned above, a literary agent is usually responsible for handling all aspects of an author’s career, including negotiating the contract and copyright issues. One of the things they will do is draft a copyright disclaimer, which will protect you as the author of this article (and any future articles that you might write for this blog). Even if this piece was written by someone else, it would still be protected by copyright law since I am the original author. If you’re using material from another source, you will need to seek permission from the copyright holder at that source to use it. Believe it or not, even excerpts from Wikipedia can be copyrighted. In these situations, you will need to consult with a lawyer to ensure that your interests are protected. The bottom line is that if you’re going to cite another source in your work, you must first obtain permission from the copyright owner to do so.
A Note On Copyright Law
Although the previous section is a testament to the fact that copyright protection is more than just a legal concept, it is still important to understand how copyright law works in practice. Simply put, copyright law grants specific authors or artists exclusive rights to their work for a limited period of time. This ensures that the original content is still accessible to the public but also encourages other artists to produce additional work that builds on the original.
Many different factors go into calculating the term of copyright, including the year of creation, the amount of effort put into the project, the originality of the content, and the popularity of the content. For example, it is usually shorter for computer-generated works since they are not considered to be original and can be replicated with relative ease. It is also usually significantly shorter for films and music since these are usually considered to be less original and more likely to be inspired by existing works. Keep in mind that copyright law can be complex and it’s important to seek legal advice if you’re not sure of the rules or how they apply to your specific situation. The bottom line is that if you’re going to produce a creative product, you need to be sure that you’re legally protected in case someone tries to copy or use your work without your permission. Otherwise, you’re essentially leaving yourself open to potential lawsuits. Even if your work is completely original and could not be considered to be inspired by anything else, you still need to secure permission before using copyrighted material or else you run the risk of being sued by the copyright owner.
Authors Can And Do Influence Society
Let’s put this section of our article into perspective. So far, we’ve established that books can be satirical and that many bestselling novels are created with the specific purpose of commenting on and influencing society. This is where it gets interesting. While it’s true that books and authors can certainly influence individuals, the truth is that the effects of this influence usually ripple far beyond the individual reader and can change the course of history.
Take the works of Fyodor Dostoyevsky for example. He was a prominent Russian author whose works often focused on social issues and the struggles of the lower classes. In Crime and Punishment, for instance, the main character, Raskolnikov, is a student who commits a murder for the sole purpose of receiving money to finance his expensive lifestyle. Although the story is often considered to be one of the best examples of psychological realism, it is important to keep in mind that this was a very controversial book when it was first published in 1866. It criticized the Russian Tsarist government for its autocratic rule and for being overly religious. This led to protests and riots outside of the Russian borders. Fortunately, the book was eventually considered to be important enough to be included in the prestigious Russian Imperial Compendium, which is listed above as one of the great pieces of English literature.
Another example is Karl Marx’s The Communist Manifesto. Marx believed that capitalism would eventually lead to revolution, and in 1848 he published this prophecy in a pamphlet that he self-avowedly called a “manifesto.” While this may be just one man’s opinion, it is certainly a popular opinion with some validity. Marx was an important figure in the history of socialism and even today his predictions often come true. It is, however, important to realize that he did not write the Communist Manifesto to be intentionally provocative but instead sought to educate the public about the failings of capitalism and the need for a more equitable distribution of wealth. In one of the most famous passages, Marx writes:
…the whole history of mankind is a history of struggle, a history of conflicts and revolutions, a history of oppression and freedom, a history of civilization and barbarism…The history of all hitherto civilized nations is a history of class struggle. One section of the working class is exploited by the other…as sections of society are pitted against one another, the struggle is repeated on a smaller scale. Between these repeated struggles lie temporary armistices and conciliations…The history of all hitherto civilized nations is the history of class struggle…(pp. 26-27).