The short Essay, An Experiment in Criticism, by C.S. Lewis brings to light many new perspectives to how people read and experience literature. Throughout the essay Lewis works to give the message that; how good a book is doesn’t depend on the quality of writing but on the reader. He begins by defining two types of readers- the “literary” and the “non-literary”- which he uses through the rest of his essay to categorize different traits for treating literature.…
The art of literature will never die. Many people believe that there has been a decline in the reading and writing of literature, one of those people Dana Gioia wrote “Why Literature Matters” and she argues that the younger people of america although have had an increase in education their reading of literature has had a steep decline in recent years . Dana begins building her credibility with facts and sources, citing convincing facts and statistics, and successfully employing emotional appeal throughout the passage. Throughout the piece she uses many strong facts to strengthen her credibility and to appeal to logos, as well as build her argument.…
Literature is important for three reasons according the book; First books hold quality information. Secondly they require a time commitment, and the final and most important reason is we have the ability to react to our world based on what we as readers gain from the read material. The scary part is this book doesn’t seem too far-fetched from our world today! How close are we to a world without…
In summation, through symbolism, imagery, characterization and theme, “Literature opens a dark window on the soul, revealing more about what is bad in human nature than what is good” is proven true in…
This chapter describes literature. The works of literature, and how it evolves from everything that revolves around us. Literature is very diverse because it comes from many different aspects. It can be derived from anything and therefore can have very different or very similar meanings.…
Literature is the root to all writings. Every day we face the aspects of literature in its many forms such as movies, music, and books. This semester, I came to understand the three main aspects of literature in a more defined way. The elements of fiction, poetry, and drama where reintroduced through Greg Johnson and Thomas R. Arp’s book Perrine’s Literature Structure, Sound & Sense, 12th Edition. The elements of fiction, poetry, and drama are essential to the writing and interpretation of literature.…
● Consider the interpersonal meanings in the text: The ways in which the reader and…
The power of literature really has no limits: it enables authors as well as readers to make significant revelations and, in turn, embarks us on a journey that leads certain meaning, often in the form of a powerful enlightenment because we are obliged to see the world from the author’s perspective and this leads to the reader’s questioning of meanings.…
In literature, we find stories designed to portray human life and action through some characters who, by their words, action and reaction, convey certain messages for the purpose of education, information and entertainment. It is impossible to find a work of literature that excludes the attitudes, morale and values of the society, since no writer has been brought up completely unexposed to the world around him. What writers of literature do is to transport the real-life events in their society into fiction and present it to the society as a mirror with which people can look at themselves and make amends where necessary. Thus, literature is not only a reflection of the society but also serves as a corrective mirror in which members of the society can look at themselves and find the need for positive change. (http://expertscolumn.com/content/literature-reflection-society).…
All great pieces of literature stand the test of time because they speak to us in some form or another - whether it is to the individual or the whole society . But a question arises - what is great literature ? And who defines what is a great piece of literature ? Whilst broad questions I will briefly attempt to define great literature as writing that represents not only a ''radical change or time in history and puts into perspective the viewpoints of that time ''.…
In the second chapter of What if? Religious Themes in Science Fiction, Mike Alsford introduces the idea that science fiction is much more than the futuristic technologies that many people have defined the genre by, but is more about the human condition and what defines us as humans. When viewing science fiction through this lens, the futuristic technologies are little more than a literary device, and the focus shifts to the deeper elements of the plot. In the second chapter, Alsford looks at different historical opinions of what the essential ingredient of humanity is and applies them to Chistianity and the science fiction genre.…
In the past few weeks, our class has discussed the topic of the human condition. The dictionary definition of the human condition is “the positive and negative aspects of existence as a human being, esp. the inevitable events such as birth, childhood, adolescence, love sex, reproduction, aging and death.” (dictionary.com) My definition of the human condition, is similar to this, but also how everyone is different, and all have a different views, and everyone is different in their own way. A quote by Linda Thompson connects to my philosophy states: “Being transgender, like being gay, tall short, white black, male, or female is another part of the human condition that makes each individual unique, and something over which we have no control.…
Studying Literature can be an eye-opening experience. Reading some great works of World Literature helps us understand things even ourselves. Because by reading we are exposing ourselves to new ideas, we begin to have better judgment on things and we benefit from other’s point of view. We understand ourselves by putting ourselves in the characters’ shoes or seeing our own personalities in literature. It serves as a mirror revealing naked truth about ourselves we often understated and neglected.…
In Ngugi Wa Thiongo’s words “Literature does not grow or develop in a vacuum; it is…
-myth and legend -- origins and extraordinary events like wars, conquests, births, death, as well as the phenomena of nature…