Literature is Everything

We are taught at a very young age the importance of words. One simple word can get you what you want. While others express intense emotion that can easily be understood. As we grow, we combine words allowing us to communicate with others. Through communication, spoken or written, we tell our stories. I believe that everyone has a story. Granted, some are more exciting than others, but it is still a story that can be shared. All of the authors we were introduced to shared a part of themselves. They told us about a child dealing with his parents looming divorce, and a young lady contemplating abortion. They told us stories about life, about love, and about loss. This is why I contend that literature is related to everyday life because it is largely created from everyday life.

Literature has many forms including, poetry, fiction, and drama. I had lost touch with all three of these forms prior to this class. My reading consisted of work related articles or children’s homework. All reading was “serious” in nature. It has been difficult for me to reconnect with literature. Many aspects have changed over the past twenty years. However, I can now say that I am thankful for this experience. This class has reopened my imagination and rekindled that old spark I once had for reading.

The poems discussed during this class were written directly from life experiences. I cannot recall a time that I have ever read poetry; therefore my views are from a “blank slate” perspective. The most important thing I learned about poetry is that is it a wonderful form of self expression. All of the poets we were introduced to wrote about life experiences, both personal and observed. I did not realize that poetry could be so powerful. Coey...

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...teaches us life lessons and how to cope. Drama allows us to speculate about a story that will unfold right before our eyes. Literature is beautiful, it speaks, if affects us; it allows us to connect with others. It helps us understand the past and look to the future. Literature is an essential building block for learning. It relates to everyday life because it is everyday life.

Works Cited

Coeyman, Marjorie. "FINDING THE POWER OF POETRY." Christian Science Monitor 90.101 (1998). EBSCO. Web. 22 Nov. 2014. .

O'Neill, Cecily. "IMAGINED WORLDS IN THEATRE AND DRAMA." Theory Into Practice 24.3 (1985): 158-65. Academic Search Premier. Web. 22 Nov. 2014. .

Sweetland, Nancy. "THE TRUTH ABOUT FICTION." Writer 107.10 (1994). Academic Search Premier. Web. 22 Nov. 2014. .