The Classics Wouldn't Be Published Today

Earlier this year, I read Jane Eyre and noticed something interesting about its structure. The book doesn't rush toward a single plot point—instead it lets Jane live through several distinct phases of her life. This kind of digressive storytelling used to be common in literature, from Homer's Odyssey to Victorian novels. Modern publishing has moved away from this approach, largely due to the influence of screenwriting and the three-act structure. In this video I explore what digressive storytelling is, why it disappeared, and what we might be losing when every scene has to advance the plot. I reference Jane Eyre, Les Miserables, The Odyssey, and The Catcher in the Rye as examples of books that use digression effectively. Time Stamps 0:00 Jane Eyre 2:44 Digressive Storytelling 4:38 Les Miserables 6:30 Homer 9:49 The Catcher in the Rye 12:12 Modern Books Feel Different 14:01 Where Did This Come From? 17:18 What We Lost 19:40 Not All Digression is Good Sources: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeautho... https://niemanstoryboard.org/2020/02/... https://lithub.com/daniel-mendelsohn-... Disclaimer: This video includes clips and images owned by their respective copyright holders. I do not assert ownership of any third-party content included in this video. The use of this content falls under Fair Use for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and analysis.