Good and evil, injustice and its consequences all challenge them to make changes in society. Literature also plays a large role in the development a nation's identity. The early Greek youths learned morals and political ideologies from the epics of Homer. Likewise, the abolishment of slavery in America's early history had more to do with Uncle Tom's Cabin than a politician's speech. Literature also helps children develop community pride and respect for other cultures. Literature entertains Although we live in a technological age, reading American literature classics is still fun.
The characters, stories, and language in classic literature engages the mind, upgrades leisure time, and transports children from enjoying the mediocre to embracing the excellent. Share This Article. Comments 0 comments Join the Conversation.
Your comment will be reviewed before appearing below. Thanks for joining the conversation! To know why we identify with one character and not another may tell us about the kind of person we are or aspire to be. If we are sensitive and perceptive readers, we have much to learn from these encounters, which can enrich the quality and affect the direction of our lives, though the precise effects of these encounters are impossible to predict and will vary from one reader to another.
One mark of a 'great' work of literature is its ability to have an effect on the reader. In the same way, it is this affective power of fiction, drama, and poetry that helps to explain the survival of those works we regard as classics. Despite its other uses, a poem, a play, or a novel is a self-contained work of art, with a definable and describable structure and texture: it can be approached and appreciated on terms that are uniquely its own.
What distinguishes literature from other forms of artistic expressions is its reliance on structure and style in language. Sensitive and experienced readers will respond to well-chosen words, though they many not be initially conscious of exactly what they are responding to, or why. When that response is a positive one, we speak of our sense of pleasure or delight, in much the same way that we respond to a painting, a piece of sculpture, or a musical composition.
If we push our inquiry farther and try to analyze our response, we begin to move in the direction of literary criticism. Neither is the word criticism to be confused with the kind of negativism and fault finding we sometimes encounter in caustic book reviews.
The fact of the matter is that the more we learn about how to approach a story, poem, or play, the greater our appreciation of a truly great work becomes, and greater still the sense of pleasure and enjoyment we can derive from it. Thus far, in my opinion, to be an English major entails more than just being able to read and write well.
An English major must also strive to understand and interpret the importance that various forms of literature have had on the society of the past and the present. Being able to express opinions is another important aspect, as is starting a piece of literature with an open mind. These habits are also important when facing everyday life, not just literature.
The chance to read and write is something that everyone should be able to experience. Whether it is studied in the classroom, read for pleasure or purpose, literature is a central part of many lives.
In my case, having the opportunity to study literature in two different languages has helped me to find similarities in two different cultures, and to also find that although literature varies in form and content, it is important and it is a central part of many lives. After mastering these elementary skills, comprehension, analysis, and interpretation are learned and used to better educate ones self.
Studying literature and observing personal reactions to the literature can make one more aware of his or her own values. English skills are helpful in every area of life. Reading, writing, comprehension, analysis, and interpretation increase efficiency in multiple ways including communication, documentation in other areas of study, and reflection of personal values.
I believe there is no area of study that English and communication skills do not influence. However, there exists a purpose for reading and writing outside of these immediate practical purposes; the written word can be used to enlighten, to persuade, to express emotion, or simply for enjoyment.
In these forms the written word becomes an art form, and a way of reaching out to others through a personal experience between the writer and the reader. Reading is an excellent way to associate oneself with the great minds of history and peer into their own thoughts. Reading is surely one of the most effective ways one can expand oneself.
An entire culture exists in the written word, documenting the collective thoughts of everyone who cared to share them with the world. Therefore, I believe that for one to truly be a part of human society, it is critical that one take part in the evolution and self-realization that is literature, even if only in the reading aspect.
Writing, however, carries a grave importance, as literature simply would not exist in the accessible form it does without written word, and for that reason I believe all who can write should. One should take advantage of the great opportunity to be part of and contribute to the world and society in which he or she lives through writing. I see literature in the societal sense a collective struggle to understand and make the best of the lives that we have all been given.
Literature serves as a way to enrich our minds, and presents a way to improve the world not only through the beauty of its presence but through the ideas and tangible possibilities it possesses. I was taught to both see a work of literature as a way to understand the time it was written, and the people who produced it, and to find the parts of that work that spoke to me in my time and place. While I am skeptical about whether or not anyone can ever really understand a culture or a time prior to their own, I do know that many times literature and art provide insights that cold hard facts do not.
Most of all I find that literature makes the differences more manageable, and highlights the similarities between people. I can read a Greek tragedy two thousand years later and agree with things that some older white man was saying because he was a human being, and I am a human being.
Although it may sound trite, I have had reading experiences that taught me more about what it means to live in this world. I have met very intelligent people who do not read. But all of the interesting people I know read, whether or not they are particularly intelligent. Literature is an art full of passion and heart; it transcends the ages. Great literature hits on many different levels. Over the years authors have accomplished unfeasible tasks through the use of their words.
Literature has prompted political and social change in societies and continues to do so to this day. It can be a battle cry for the proletariat to rise up and make a difference, and it can also provide personal counsel.
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