Significance of Classic Literature

Classic literature, especially poetry, is a staple throughout the novel. The authors and specific poems are rarely named, but the reader can know a line is from a piece of classic literature because it is italicized, as it is a reference to another text, and it is always a thought in someone's head.

The author used classic literature throughout "A God in Ruins" because most of the characters themselves turn out to be fiction. She wanted to add to the fictional world by adding other fictional characters or lines from various texts. Also, classic literature is a significant element of British culture, so the inclusion of it throughout the novel is appropriate.