Art?

The other day I was reading Nathaniel Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown, and Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. Last night at the dinner table I mentioned what I had been reading, and said I did not know why people considered such depressing stories classics. My brother was quick to point out that this was a good example of art vs. Entertainment. That if we read just to be entertainment then by all means we should just read books that made us happy. But if we read to for the art of the book such as how it was written, subject mater, and point of view (to name a few things to look for) we need to not shun books that we don't enjoy. I understand what he was saying but still I can't help from wondering why couldn't the authors have written on a little lighter subject. Or could have given my minds eye a break by every once in a while focusing on a flower or the person remembering a song their mother use to sing to them.
I ask you my fellow bloggers am I wrong in my thoughts? Have you ever wished the same? Do think it is more effective the way the stories are written? Please let your computer keys be heard.

Just so you know

I am still alive (though some my think not), and busy doing, you guessed it, school I will be so glad when I am done for the summer. Not that I don't love learning but now that it is warm outside I find it harder to concentrate on my math. Specking of summer it makes me think of what I am going to do with the summer (not like it's under my control but I can always dream) my mind is turning over a few things. One of them is working at a camp all summer. I would like to hear what you all fellow bloggers would like to do this summer. So please tell.