/lit/ - Literature

To truly enjoy and appreciate some books do you need to reach a certain level of understanding or a certain amount of books you've read?

I remember trying to reach a bunch of books at age 17 that struggled with and moments in books I couldn't get past (that book within 1984 they spend a while reading for example). However, now, since reading quite a bit more I find them quite easy to understand and enjoy.

I ask because both the Great Gatsby and Dubliners did nothing for me and I was bored through both (less so with Great Gatsby) and I'm wondering whether it is because I haven't read enough and coming back to them, I may appreciate them.

>>587233

not sure if there's more, there prob is but that's all I've got

Alright /lit/, I'm writing a story too, and I hear you know what you're talking about so I have a few questions.

1. Its not a post-apocalyptic story, but in it the world is going to end. What is a semi-believable way the world will end that doesn't make the story TOO sci-fi oriented? Aside from war. I'd like it to be something people didn't do.

2. I am toying around with one of the characters and I can't decide whether or not to make her likeable. Would it be interesting to write in one of the main characters as someone you absolutely hate? Should she have to redeem herself in the end or could she just be a complete bitch the whole way through?

3. One of the characters is a young kid dealing with some extraordinary shit. Is ten a good age? Should I go younger or older? How would a ten year old generally react to something crazy?

4. There are five "main" characters, and I wanted to write a story of their reactions. The best format I can think of right now is sort of like the book Hiroshima, except the chapters are written in the first person. Should I mix up the timeline? Or should I write one chapter for each character and just cycle through them?

5. Should the characters be connected to each other? It is going to be a global thing so I don't know if I want to make them know each other or meet within the story. Maybe I could make just two of them meet so it has more impact than all of them knowing each other.

6. I live in America in the United States, so should I make the characters in the story also live in the United States? Or should I make them live in other countries too? My problem with that would be that I don't know much about culture and everyday life in other countries, so if making all of them American is a bad idea then how would I find out about other countries?

Thanks /lit/ if any of you decide to help me out and answer these.