Argumentative Essay On What Is Literature

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Recommended: The notion of literature

James Austin
ENGL111 – Spring 2014
Essay #1
What is Literature?
Answering the question “what is literature?” has most certainly been a debate over time immemorial. When posing the question, several aspects come to play, and not all of them deal directly with the question itself but the asker as well. It's a question that could be answered multiple ways, and have conflicting yet valid conclusions based on the perspective that was taken. By today's standards there can be a distinction made discerning what would be considered literature and what is not, by examining not only the authored content, but how that content is received by the public. Ultimately we will find that true literature represents a higher quality of writing that has lasting …show more content…

If we use the gauge of social impact as a measuring tool then today's novels like Twilight and 50 Shades of Grey would qualify as equals in literary significance as classic novels like Moby Dick and Ulysses. However, I believe this to be a superficial approach and does not truly capture the depth of quality for lasting impact a literary work requires. The argument to validate a novel like 50 Shades of Grey and equally compare it to Ulysses would be a monumental endeavor and would ultimately fail. Although 50 Shades of Grey is socially popular today, where will it be in 100 years? It won't have the staying power to become a truly great work of art because its literary quality is mediocre at best. That novel, and novels like it, do not provide further definition of what literature is and will not change our social outlook qualities of …show more content…

The nonfiction story can impact one person significantly more or significantly less than another reader. Only if the author of a nonfiction event or life is capable of impacting a culture or society, what I consider it literature. Realistically there so many people with an interesting stories to be told that it would not qualify as such. That is not to say that it's not relevant or significant to a group or target audience but it should not qualify for the same title and privileges as other greater

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