Trends in literature

The landscape of literature is constantly evolving and changing. From social issues to the discovery of new platforms, literature has always found a way to adapt to its time period.

The year was 1847. Jane Eyre had just been released. A few years ago, Little Women was published and before that, Pride and Prejudice. What did all these books have in common? All of them focus on independent, plucky heroines.

In the 1800s, authors like Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott and the Brontë sisters created heroines who are still recognised today: the sprightly Elizabeth Bennet, the plucky Jo March and the courageous Jane Eyre.  These characters were written on the cusp of the feminist movement – the first women’s rights gathering was held just a year after Jane Eyre was released. These books introduced a new type of female characters-ones who are not meek and diminutive, but rather, have their own opinions and a tendency to voice them. 

Today, trends like twitter novels have taken over the publishing world. With the advent of social media, succinctness has been more greatly prized than in past generations. Twitter has a word limit of 240 characters, which brought to light a new genre of reading. Novels are released as installments of tweets, which can be released over weeks or months.  Social media has also given rise to six-word novels, for example, “Brought roses home. Keys didn’t fit.” which was written by someone under the handle “shallowblue”. 

Besides social media novels, the Young Adult genre is also subjected to trends. In recent years, there has been a proliferation of dystopian books, one notable example being Suzanne Collin’s Hunger Games. A common theme in these books would be a nation suppressed under an oppressive regime, the world running out of natural resources, and other such apocalyptic plots. These books reflect the tension-filled times of today, where global warming and terrorists are on everyone’s minds. 

In addition, with the creation of new streaming platforms that make media available in a way never experienced before, an increasing number of books have been adapted for the screen in the form of movies or even TV series by companies like Netflix. Jane Austen’s ‘Emma’ is soon to be released as a movie and her novel ‘Sanditon’ was made into a television series. Many Young Adult books, such as ‘Divergent’, also have movie companions. These undoubtedly add a new layer to reading, perhaps enticing non-readers to pick up a book after they have watched the movie. 

In conclusion, literature is highly subject to the ebb and flow of trends, influenced both by the ever-evolving english language and the issues of that decade. It is this very quality that defines literature as a mirror to society and makes reading such an enjoyable experience.

Ashley Sia

3 Unity