--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perhaps a book becomes a classic in…" description: "\"“Perhaps a book becomes a classic in proportion to how broadly its characters can be scavenged, how many readers find within it something they experien..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e70/janna-malamud-smith-89172_book_perhaps-a-book-becomes-a-classic-in-prop_1294146.jpg" --- # Perhaps a book becomes a classic in proportion to how… ![“Perhaps a book becomes a classic in proportion to how broadly its characters can be scavenged, how many readers find within it something they experience as desirable or even intimately necessary.” quote by Janna Malamud Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e70/janna-malamud-smith-89172_book_perhaps-a-book-becomes-a-classic-in-prop_1294146.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e70/janna-malamud-smith-89172_book_perhaps-a-book-becomes-a-classic-in-prop_1294146.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e70/janna-malamud-smith-89172_book_perhaps-a-book-becomes-a-classic-in-prop_1294146.jpg) > ““Perhaps a book becomes a classic in proportion to how broadly its characters can be scavenged, how many readers find within it something they experience as desirable or even intimately necessary.”” [Janna Malamud Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janna-malamud-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A book attains classic status when its characters resonate broadly, offering readers a deeply personal and essential experience. **In simple terms:** Books become classics when readers deeply connect with characters. Key Takeaway Create characters that speak to universal human needs. Themes literature classic readers Mood analytical appreciative Type critical observational When to use this quote - book clubs - literary criticism - creative writing Key Concepts universality emotional resonance Questions to Reflect On - What makes a character feel essential to you? - How do you judge a book’s classic status? A Different Perspective Not all readers find the same resonance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Book Classic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-classic-2648840/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Characters Scavenged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-scavenged-4226089/) [Desirable Intimately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desirable-intimately-4226091/) [Readers Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/readers-experience-323332/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Scavenged Readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scavenged-readers-4226090/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“You had to admire a guy who called his own new book a classic before it was published and anyone else had a chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-had-to-admire-a-guy-who-called-his-own-new-book-a-classic-before/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) > [The Princess Bride S. 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Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [I'm am an expert at reading lips especially when it's not moving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-m-am-an-expert-at-reading-lips-especially-when-it-s-not-moving/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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