Literary socks
This week we are dedicating this week in a special way to issues related to reading, all thanks to World Book Lovers' Day, which falls in early August. This is the perfect time to take inspiration from literary worlds. Sea socks, for example, can be associated with adventurous nautical novels, while green socks will remind you of the grassy hills of Avonlea. There are no limits here, and any literary inspiration is just as good. It is worth mentioning that as a nation we are reading more and more. 42% of respondents, taking part in a National Library survey, admitted that they read at least one book a year. This is the best result in as many as six years. Sensation and crime books are the most popular choices. They are immediately followed by popular literature and memoirs, biographies and history books. Among the latter, the largest number of people choose items devoted to the history of the 20th century. Although we are increasingly willing to reach for e-books, paper editions still have no equal. Readers appreciate the convenience and unusual atmosphere that classic volumes guarantee. Interestingly, Poles are more likely to buy than to rent books. Quite a few people also get them as gifts.
Be like Anna
One of the most beloved literary heroines is Anne of Green Gables. The red-haired girl has stolen the hearts of readers around the world. The plot axis of the book is centered on the fate of a girl who mistakenly ends up with a sibling who wanted to adopt a boy. The plot is set in the late 1870s and early 1880s. Why is Anne so popular and new adaptations of the novel are still being made? The phenomenon of the heroine can certainly be sought in nostalgia for childhood, in which many of us learned the fate of Anne. However, she is a character with whom new generations of children also readily identify. First of all, Anne is not perfect, which is the first reason to like her. Idealized literary heroes often do not appeal, and even less so to young readers who want to identify with their favorite characters. It can be said that Anna has as many advantages as disadvantages, but she tries to work on her imperfections. This is not an easy process, but as readers we follow the girl's journey and can appreciate her attempts. Anna could successfully become an ambassador for movements that are talked about today, but were taboo just a few decades ago. Girls were told to be laid back and good. Their task was primarily to obtain a nice appearance and to be likable. Anna escapes these conventions. She has her own opinions, dreams and does not allow herself to be insulted. With all this, she is aware of her flaws and tries to work on them. She is a heroine who shows children that otherness can be treated as an advantage.
