Classic Novels: Training Data for Full-Spectrum Thinking
This essay explores the value of reading classic novels like Middlemarch and Bleak House. The author argues that these novels offer more than entertainment; they train 'full-spectrum thinking,' encompassing multiple dimensions (mind, family, career, community, economy, technology, politics) to understand events and characters. Using Middlemarch as an example, the author explains how the novel integrates these dimensions, showing the connection between character destinies and societal changes. While Dickens excels at depicting the lower classes and bureaucracy, his character depth is less developed. The author calls for more novels with a full-spectrum perspective and reflects on whether the current cultural environment hinders such writing.
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