What qualities should classic novels have?

When you think of a classic novel, what comes to mind? The Great Gatsby? The Grapes of Wrath? Something you were forced to read in school? [See today's writing prompt at the bottom of this post.]

For the sake of answering today's question, first pretend you were never provided a list of classic literature to read in school, and that you had to come up with your own list of ‘great literature’ for a twenty-first century audience to read. What novels or literary works would you put on that list and why? What qualities would each need to possess?

Wha…