Adam Mastroianni argues great literature is “thick” because it rewards deep attention but can alienate casual readers

Adam Mastroianni says he once dismissed classic literature as overhyped, but now believes great art has thickness: it reveals more value the more attention it receives. He argues teachers often failed to explain that difficulty and initial boredom are part of how such works hide their rewards.

The essay reframes literary education as a problem of onboarding rather than taste, suggesting students need better tools for entering complex works. More broadly, it points to a cultural tension between frictionless media and deep engagement, where the most lasting art may be the least immediately accessible.